One in 58 people in North Carolina have autism, which is higher than the one in 68 national average.
As the number of kids diagnosed with autism grows, Lenoir County Public Schools is stepping up its education for these exceptional students.
The goal is to help them learn as much as possible and give them opportunities and strong futures after graduation.
There are more than 100 students in Lenoir County Public Schools diagnosed with autism. The school district implemented a program specifically for kids with autism and its grown in the past few years.
“They get that socialization and communication,” said Betty Pelletier, an autism program specialist for LCPS. “Our goal is to get them in the regular classroom setting. A lot of them are in the inclusion classroom or regular EC [exceptional children] classroom.”
In the EC classroom, students work with others at different learning levels. This is a step up from the inclusion classrooms, which operate at four satellite locations.
Officials say having autistic students work in the classroom with other students brings them to a higher level of learning.
“It’s a joy for me to see them develop so much progress in terms of academic and social progress,” said LCPS Exceptional Children director, Vivian Roach.
The EC program works with students of all needs and disabilities. Roach says parents with autistic and special needs children shouldn’t turn away from the public school system.
“It’s the best place to come because we know what we’re doing and we provide the best service we can for students,” said Roach.
