• Category 3

    Selected in 2023

  • Grades: k - 12
    School Setting: urban
    Town Population: 1,651,344
    Student Enrollment: 854
    Student Demographics:

    Black/African American: 8%
    White/Caucasian: 33%
    Hispanic: 50%
    Hawaiian/Pacific Islander: 1%
    Asian: 2%
    Native American: 3%
    Other: 3%

    Teacher/Student Ratio: 1:10
    % Reduced Lunch: 60%
    % ELL Learners: 10%
    Founded: 2014
  • PRINCIPAL:
    Diana Diaz-Harrison
  • CONTACT:
    4125 N. 14th St.
    Phoenix, AZ 85014
    602-882-5544
    diana@autismcharter.org
Arizona Autism Charter School
Phoenix, AZ
We empower students to showcase their skills and develop confidence!
1. Tell us about your school’s success.
Arizona Autism Charter Schools (AZACS) is our state’s first and only autism focused charter network. Our specialty in serving students on the autism spectrum has made us be in high demand and in just 10 years we have opened five schools. We have schools in Phoenix, Peoria, Tucson and we also have a fully accredited online school.

We serve more than 850 K-12 students across all our campuses. Parents love that we offer small class sizes, with only 8-12 students per class, and an average 3:1 student to staff ratio. This gives our students small group and individualized attention to help them thrive.

In addition to foundational academics and embedded therapies, our program offers innovative hands on learning through STEAM and project based learning. Our students meet and exceed their academic goals using data and assessments that are best practice for the population we serve. We've been recognized nationally for innovation as the top winners of the 2022 Yass Prize!
2. Talk about the greatest contributing factor(s) that promoted positive change in your school.
One of the factors in the success of our charter is that it was designed by autism parents and clinicians specializing in Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA). ABA instructional strategies are the most successful, research-based strategies in providing best outcomes for children with autism. These positive behavioral strategies are used to shape behavior, teach new skills and measure goals. Parents of children with autism who seek early intervention services often seek ABA therapies. Parents are often frustrated with school settings that don't offer ABA-based strategies and can't get their children to make progress. The program at Arizona Autism Charter School offers the best in positive ABA-strategies to help students acquire foundational skills in communication, ELA, math and science. Students love to apply those skills in STEAM and Project-Based Learning to demonstrate what they CAN do! In addition to offering more authentic assessment of skills, students enjoy this type of model.
3. How has ESEA funding supported the school's success?
AZACS has used ESEA funding to enhance the embedded supports that exist within the AZACS model. The funds have been used to acquire additional classroom staff to support students in need of intensive interventions and to enhance the small group, data-driven instruction that helps ensure students grow academically. AZACS has also used funds to provide professional development that is specific to literacy and language acquisition for children with autism, which is a core deficit for children on the spectrum. Our program is nothing short of life changing for students, as it has given non-verbal kids a form of functional communication, it has taken students from minimally verbal to speaking on par with same-aged peers and has given teachers the tools to help children become avid readers. The additional resources provided by ESEA funds have also been used to develop a very aligned curriculum that has become the academic framework that our teachers use to deliver instruction to students.
4. What professional development activities were used to improve teaching and learning?
The objective of AZACS' professional development is to ensure teachers and staff acquire core competencies in Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA) that are backed by more than 60 years of research to produce best outcomes for children with autism. These practices address the core deficits of autism, which are communication disorders, behavioral challenges and motivational issues. By having all AZACS staff be aligned with ABA strategies, students are given functional communication, a structured environment and reinforcement systems to keep them happy and motivated. The professional development program includes curriculum training that is aligned to the essential skills for each grade level and strategies to differentiate instruction to make it accessible to students at all levels of the autism spectrum. AZACS training is so well regarded, that the State Board of Education approved AZACS to be the only charter school to offer a job embedded Special Education Teacher Certification Program.
5. Talk about the cultural shift leading up to your school's success.
The cultural shift that has allowed for the existence and success at Arizona Autism Charter Schools (AZACS) is parent empowerment. AZACS was founded by an autism mom who was not satisfied with the typical public school offerings for students on the spectrum. She assembled a group of parents and autism professionals to be the founding board to design a school that offered best behavioral strategies for children on the spectrum, foundational academics, data-driven instruction and innovation. This combination is what makes more than 90% of students return year over year and what keeps parents reporting a 95% or above satisfaction rate. Our state authorizer also allows AZACS to use best practice data and assessments for the population we serve. Our students meet and exceed their academic and behavioral goals each year, which demonstrates what they can do versus their deficits. The climate of empowerment makes parents and students feel like the AZACS community was built for them.
6. How has community involvement strengthened your success?
One of the most successful activities our school has developed to strengthen ties in the community is our yearly Resource and Transition Fair. This fair invites more than 50 agencies and vendors that offer resources and support to the autism community. The resources fair includes agencies like Raising Special Kids to after school programs, adult transitional programs, caretaking agencies, therapy services, as well as respite agencies. This has become a yearly tradition for AZACS and each year the community participation is at approximately 80%-90%. Parents report connecting with quality wrap-around services after attending the Resource and Transition Fair. AZACS also engages parents through quarterly Project-Based Showcases. Parents are able to visit classrooms and have their students share culminating projects such as 3-D printed cities, videos and science/STEAM projects. These opportunities empower students to showcase their skills and develop confidence!
Stats
  • Category 3

    Selected in 2023

  • Grades: k - 12
    School Setting: urban
    Town Population: 1,651,344
    Student Enrollment: 854
    Student Demographics:

    Black/African American: 8%
    White/Caucasian: 33%
    Hispanic: 50%
    Hawaiian/Pacific Islander: 1%
    Asian: 2%
    Native American: 3%
    Other: 3%

    Teacher/Student Ratio: 1:10
    % Reduced Lunch: 60%
    % ELL Learners: 10%
    Founded: 2014
  • PRINCIPAL:
    Diana Diaz-Harrison
  • CONTACT:
    4125 N. 14th St.
    Phoenix, AZ 85014
    602-882-5544
    diana@autismcharter.org