NYC ASD Programs Parents Group asdnestparents@groups.io

When this group was originally formed back in 2008, it was intended for families who currently have autistic children in the ASD Nest program, located within various NYC public elementary, middle and high schools, Districts 1-32.  The group recently opened to include families who currently have students who are in the Horizon program.  We recognize that children move between programs and families may also have a child(ren) in each program.

Note this group is for parents who currently have a child in the ASD Nest or Horizon program. If you do not have a child in the ASD Nest or Horizon program, please do not request membership.

The ASD NEST Program is an NYC Department of Education inclusion program for students with autism spectrum disorder in community schools. The ASD Nest Model is designed for students with ASD who are able to do grade-level academic work. The ASD Nest classroom, while utilizing the standard NYC curriculum, creates a fully inclusive therapeutic environment that uses positive behavior support, targeted instructional strategies and specialized social interventions to make inclusion work. The ASD Nest school and district provide the necessary structures and supports; these include smaller class size, co-taught classes, pre-service training and on-site support on Nest practices, regular interdisciplinary team meetings to promote consistency across all settings, and a strong home-school collaboration.

The ASD Horizon Program  serves a maximum of eight students with autism in a Special Class (SC). The class is taught by one special education teacher and one classroom paraprofessional. Opportunities for inclusion with general education students are encouraged through flexible programming options.

Classes follow the New York Learning Standards and the same curriculum used in all DOE schools. ASD Horizon teachers are trained in special strategies for students with autism. Rethink Ed Platform Solutions provides support including evidence-based instructional materials, based on the principles of Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA). These materials support the academic and social-emotional development of ASD Horizon students.