First in New York

So much progress has been made in the field of autism education. However, there is still a severe lack of suitable services to meet the needs of this growing population. Families of children on the autism spectrum often struggle to find the appropriate, individualized educational placements to which they are entitled.

NYC Autism Charter Schools are committed to offering high quality educational options to families living across the five boroughs of New York City.  They are the first of their kind in NY State – public charter schools devoted solely to children with autism.

Determined Founders

Two mothers who understood the challenges of finding educational options for their sons, committed themselves to creating a new kind of school – one that would offer a high quality education to students at no cost to their families.

Our Start

NYC Autism Charter School began as a project under the umbrella of the former New York Center for Autism, now Next for Autism, a non-profit organization based in NYC.

Two Schools

NYC Autism Charter School opened its doors in 2005 in East Harlem. We expanded our footprint with a second school – NYC Autism Charter School Bronx – in Fall 2017.

Individualized Care

Our educational program offers individualized and evidence-based instruction rooted in the principles of Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA) and a 1:1 teacher/student ratio in most classrooms.

Our Community

Co-Location

NYC Autism Charter Schools currently share buildings with other public schools – Central Park East 2 and DREAM Charter Pre-K in East Harlem, and with Urban Scholars Community School and PS 212 in the Bronx. Families in both neighborhoods often face considerable socioeconomic challenges — challenges that become even more heightened when a diagnosis of autism is involved.

Both schools are dedicated to serving the families in our local communities with an admissions policy that gives preference to children and families living within the school’s community school district. This allows us to make a big difference right in our own backyard.

Community Engagement

NYC Autism Charter School’s Peer Mentoring Program offers students the opportunity to interact with typically developing students from other local public schools, as well as schools from other parts of NYC. In addition, partnerships formed with local businesses and organizations give our high school age students a chance to practice job skills in real-life settings. Both of these programs give those outside of our school the opportunity to broaden their understanding of autism and witness firsthand all that individuals with autism are capable of doing.

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Our Approach

NYC Autism Charter School staff are trained in the principles of Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA), which serve as the basis for its educational program. ABA has long been considered the most effective and scientifically validated approach for teaching individuals with autism. NYC Autism Charter School’s highly skilled and motivated staff provide 30 hours of intensive ABA instruction to students every week. The program is both evidence-based and innovative, using tried-and-tested methods to teach students new skills in creative and inventive ways. Students learn everything from completing math problems to doing laundry to cooking a meal to having a conversation with a peer. The students of the NYC Autism Charter School receive a quality, well-rounded, and functional education that will help them lead productive, meaningful lives with as much independence as possible.