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Autism awareness comes year-round for Alachua County Public Schools

Autism in schools

April is Autism Awareness Month. But for Regina Currens, April is just like every other month.

Currens is the curriculum and inclusion specialist for Alachua County Public Schools.

She said schools uses targeted approaches year-round to help autistic children learn based on the needs of each individual child. She said this is due to the range in autistic children's' abilities.

"There's no 'cookie-cutter, here's what we do for every kid with autism' answer," Currens said.

Currens said schools work with individual parents and teachers. The county also employs some of its collaborative partners, such as the University of Florida's Center for Autism and Related Disabilties.

She said education budget cuts have not effected her ability to help schools at the district level.

Currens said having autistic children attend schools with their general education peers is beneficial to everyone.

"It helps all students, not just kids with the disability," Currens said. "I think it helps your general education students have a variety of what different people are like. When you go out into the real world, everybody's a little bit different."

Mike Llerena wrote this story online.  

Mike is a reporter who can be contacted by calling 352-392-6397 or emailing news@wuft.org.
Taylor is a reporter for WUFT News who may be contacted by calling 352-392-6397 or emailing news @wuft.org