As reported by the federal government’s Centers for Disease Control, the rate of children being diagnosed with autism spectrum disorders (ASD) has risen dramatically, to an estimated one in 150 children.
Where are these children being educated? How well are they doing?
In 2002, educators in the New York City Department of Education, the largest public school district in the country, sought to answer these questions. They conducted a study of the growing number of higher functioning students on the autism spectrum attending New York City public schools. Led by District 15 Superintendent Carmen Farina, and with support from Dorothy Siegel of New York University and Shirley Cohen of Hunter College, the educators studied the research findings of the National Academy of Sciences’ 2001 report, Educating Children with Autism. That report stated that the school environment must be the “major vehicle for therapeutic change.” That became the goal of the ASD Nest Program, which Superintendent Farina piloted in September 2003 in Brooklyn’s PS 32.
The ASD Nest Program is built on the Collaborative Team Teaching (CTT) model, modified to meet the needs of higher functioning children with ASD. Nestled within supportive neighborhood schools, the program helps children with ASD learn how to function well academically, behaviorally and socially in school and in their community.
The program creates a therapeutic environment in which the requisite supports are provided by a transdisciplinary team of specially trained educators and therapists. Weekly team meetings/case conferences, professional development and time for co-planning and collaboration are built into the program.
ASD Nest classrooms provide the same academic curriculum as other classrooms in their schools on that grade level. In addition, Nest classrooms utilize selected instructional strategies and behavioral supports designed especially for children with autism spectrum disorders and other exceptional conditions. The Nest program also utilizes a Social Development Intervention curriculum derived from a combination of the concepts and practices of Relationship Development Intervention by Steven Gutstein, Social Thinking by Michelle Garcia Winner, and other social-cognitive approaches. The SDI curriculum, developed primarily by Susan Brennan, a speech/language pathologist who has been working with the ASD Nest program since 2003, is implemented across all settings across the school day.
As of the 2008-09 school year, the Department of Education supported 59 ASD Nest classrooms from kindergarten to eighth grade serving 235 children with ASD in 15 neighborhood schools (14 elementary schools and 1 middle school) across all of New York City. Nest programs begin with two kindergarten classes. As the children progress through first, second and higher grades, their schools open Nest classes to accommodate them. Linda Wernikoff, Executive Director of the Office of Special Education Initiatives of the New York City Department of Education, has guided and nurtured the ASD Nest program from its inception.
Interested parents/guardians of New York City schoolchildren should contact:
CSE 1: Dorothy Leone, 718-294-1109
CSE 2: Karen Reis, 718-324-2854 x1740
CSE 3: D. 25, 26: Melissa Haidary, 718-281-7668; D. 28, 29: Xicheng Zou 718-281-7517
CSE 4: Elissa Finkelstein, 718-391-8468
CSE 5: Aña Rodriguez, 718- 240-3542
CSE 6: Freya Novack, 718-968-6224
CSE 7: Linda Clark, Brooklyn: 718-759-496; Staten Island: 718-556-8304
CSE 8: Elementary: Maritza Quinones-Buckley, 718-330-9295 X151 (T, W, Th)
Middle: Madeline Fisher, 718-330-0329 x5191
CSE 9: Nilofer Naqvi, 917-339-1752
CSE 10: Diane Carnegie, 212-342-8391
For general information, contact Terry Feuer at tfeuer@schools.nyc.gov or Dorothy Siegel at Dorothy.siegel@nyu.edu.
(4 votes)
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Ihave a child in my classroom who is very high functioning PDDNOS. He has very poor body awareness and behavior issues. Could he be considered for NEST program? Child is 5 yrs old read anything, counts to 100 in a snap etc.
Yes. He has to be on the autism spectrum and sufficiently “high functioning” to be capable of doing grade-level work. Please ask his parent/guardian to call the contact person in his region.
Are there ASD Nest programs in New Jersey? If not, are there programs parents can assess to help their children inaddition to what is provided in the school. I am case managing two PDD-Nos children who are functioning on and above grade level but need social skills support.
I would also like to know about similar programs in NJ or what programs would be available to NJ parents?
I work with families in Districts 13 and 19. DO these families have access to the Next program?
Is the ASD Nest program appropriate for children who are at or above grade level in reading and math, however have difficulty with communication? I am specifically speaking about this for a 5 year old boy who is high functioning PDD-NOS.
#3 and #4: I don’t know of any similar programs in NJ. However, you can get a list of the elements of a good program from the NY State Education department web site: http://www.vesid.nysed.gov/specialed/autism/apqi.htm
#5: District 13 parents should call the CSE 8 contact person. District 19 parents should call the CSE 5 contact person.
#6: This child sounds appropriate for the ASD Nest Program.
I work with families in the North part of the Bronx. Where are the closest Nest progams and could they go into Westchester if there was a school closer to them.
I am very interested in teaching in a school that supports the Nest Program, who do I contact?
I would like to receive information on applying to teach in the Nest Program. I am currently a PreK teacher in a private school. I will have Dual Certification in regular and special education, Birth - Grade 2 in June ‘09. I have had student teaching experience at P226M and P37 Staten Island, schools for children with Autism. Thank you.
Tiffany Tate
I would like to know what schools on Staten Island have this program my grandson is 8
I would like to know where in the Bronx the NEst Progam is available for my daughter who is High Functioning PDDNOS and how would I start the process to get her enrolled.
I was wondering if there are any initiates in the pipelines for a NEST program in Westchester? I know so many high functioning autistic kids including my own that falls through the cracks and get placed in mainstream class without social support because they are high functioning. They are targets for bullies because they takes things literary and might not have the social maturity to deal with the problems. I feel that the school districts fail these kids because somehow CSE is only concerned about the academics.
My husband and I went to visit a school with the ADNEST program looking for a placement for my son, we were told that the kids have to fit in a box and if they exhibit behaviors outside that box they are removed from the program back to District 75 schools. Ironically the ADNEST program employs teachers with BCBA’s, trained in Autism, yet they do not provide any behavior analysis or support any behavior intervention plans, which they should! In other words they are trained to do this but do an extensive search of children that have no autistic behaviors so they don’t have to do the extra work! This program thus looks really good on paper, as if they are truly successful but they don’t help the kids that really need it. Last year in District 30 there were 100 applications for 4 seats. They send out a team of psychologists to observe each child applying and 99.9% get rejected. How disgusting is that? Where are these kids going to go to school? There are no other trained professionals like these that will understand them and protect them and not treat them like outcasts. We as parents have to DEMAND that this be changed and that more programs are started. Have you seen the District 75 schools? Scary!!!
My son is 5 years old and was accepted into the asd nest program at 396..he will start in septemeber however im afraid that he will regress during the summer, what can i do with him so he can continue to be highfunctioning like he is when he is in school?
he is not in a summer camp or daycare
My son is 12yrs old and he has ASD, he is coming from a another state and I need a very good school for him/ he has mild-autism with speech impairment need help finding a very good middle school for him in brooklyn, can you help me. thanks
My son is 7 years old and has PDD-NOS, he is high functioning. I just learned about the NEST program and am interested in getting more information such as where are your programs located,how could my child qualify,and I would like to know if for some reason my child no longer qualifies for your program does he get put into district 75? Thank you.
I’m curious if charter schools are involved in this program.
My daughter has Asperger’s Syndrome and is very high-functioning and quite capable of doing grade-appropriate work. How do I pick a school/neighborhood in Brooklyn or Queens as we are relocating from across the country next summer? We are planning a scouting trip in Spring-what would be the best use of our time? Thank you for any help you can provide. We are willing to build our lives around the right school and neighborhood for Lucy.
My child is 9 and will be entering the 5th grade in September 2010, she is at grade level and above. The psychologist who evaluated her at the CSE recommended that I look into NEST for her but there where no 4th grade classes for her in the ‘09-’10 school year. Whom can I speak to about going thru thru the process for another county as I would be interest in finding her a seat in Brooklyn for the upcoming school year.
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