TASN - Autism and Tertiary Behavior Supports

What a great week at the first Western Kansas Summer Institute!

A huge thank you to High Plains Educational Cooperative, Southwest Kansas Area Cooperative District, Liberal, and Garden City for their commitment to supporting educators and students with diverse learning needs. And a shout out to High plains for hosting.!

All four districts had dedicated teachers who gave up part of their summer to learn, grow, and strengthen their skills to better serve students.

Thank you to all of of the presenters, volunteers, students and donors who helped make this week possible. We are excited to see the impact this learning will have in classrooms across Western Kansas! ❤️

Will you be onboarding new teachers this year who work with learners with ASD and other complex needs?

Don't miss out on two free end-of-summer training opportunities: Building a Cohesive Team (online, July 22 & Sept 9) and Creating a Positive Environment for Success (in-person Overland Park, July 29, 30)! IT'S ALL ABOUT YOU TRAINING SERIES!!! Let's start the school year off on an awesome note!

Building a Cohesive Team Registration Link: https://ksdetasn.org/event_groups/fuNnZg

Creating a Positive Environment for Success Registration Link: https://ksdetasn.org/events/LdqC8w

Evidence-based strategies include: training staff using the behavioral skills training model, choice making, visual supports, pairing relationships, interspersing easy and hard tasks, behavior momentum, and schedules of reinforcement. Learn how to observe, define behavior, and collect the data needed to make decisions!

Supporting Students with Complex Communication Needs is back again for the 2026-2027 school year!

Team applications will open in August 2026.
If you would like to receive an application directly via email, please provide your contact information through this Google Form: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSdE9w7FuLUaD3R9imZClaeAzlA3DslphH_aN_Jmh56XBil_Hg/viewform?usp=sharing&ouid=115528405451208091602
Applications will also be available in August on Facebook, via general email blasts, and in our newsletters.

If you are interested, keep these dates in mind.
Day 1 virtual - November 12, 2026, 8:30-11:30
Day 2 virtual - Dec.10, 2026, 8:30-11:30
Coaching virtual - Feb. 2 or 3, 2026, choose 1 day
Day 3 in-person lab day -Feb.25 or 26, 2027, locations TBD depending on participant locations.
Day 4 virtual - March 11, 2027, 8:30-11:30
Coaching virtual - April 7 or 8th, choose 1 day
Day 5- virtual Wrap up- April 22, 2027, 8:30-11:30

Training Details:
In this training, we explore both high-tech and low-tech communication supports
Team Requirements: As in previous years, each team must include at least one Speech-Language Pathologist and one Educator working with a student who has complex communication needs. Additional team members are welcome.
Updated Format: We are reconstructing the training into smaller segments to better support you throughout the school year. All sessions will be virtual, with the exception of one half-day, in-person communication device lab.
For more information, contact me at [email protected]

Throughout this training, we will help participants:
Develop a greater understanding of communication as a human right and laws that protect that right in educational settings.
Create a shared vision of communicative competence and how it applies across students with varying abilities.
Understand the impact of adult collaboration on student achievement and improve current collaborative practices among educators, support staff, and family.
Use the Communication Support Tool to identify students who may benefit from communication supports
Use the Communication Support Tool to identify student information needed to guide decision-making about communication supports
Use the Communication Support Tool to identify features for communication supports that match the students’ individual communication needs.
Engage in hands-on exploration and trial of communication supports.
Use the Communication Support Tool to design an implementation plan for embedding communication throughout the day.
Evaluate the effectiveness of communication supports using student outcomes and implementation data

Yes, I would like a team application for Supporting Students with Complex Communication Needs, sent to me in August. For questions, contact Lori Chambers, [email protected]

It's All About YOU! Creating a Positive Environment for Success (CAPES)
Free! July 29th and 30th and a share-out meeting on Sept 23.
Registration link: https://ksdetasn.org/events/xJeVcA

What if the key to improving student outcomes… isn’t the student? Students with behavioral challenges, ASD, and complex needs don’t just need interventions—they need environments designed for success.
Across three interactive sessions, you will:
✔ Conduct ABC analysis and data collection to identify behavioral patterns
✔ Define behavior with precision using operational definitions
✔ Design and apply Antecedent-Based Interventions (ABIs)
✔ Use Behavior Skills Training (BST) to train others with fidelity
✔ Apply function-based interventions and reinforcement systems
✔ Develop a real implementation plan for your setting
✔ Present your work and receive feedback from peers

Applications are now open for next year's Coaching for Implementation training! 🌻

As districts navigate staffing challenges, educator burnout, and the growing complexity of supporting students with diverse needs, strong coaching systems are one of the most effective ways to support and retain the educators doing this work every day.

Coaching for Implementation is a FREE, year-long virtual training for coaches, AIT members, and leaders who provide professional development and follow-up support to educators serving students with autism and complex needs.

Participants will build a coaching mindset, strengthen their coaching skills, and help develop system-level coaching structures within their organizations.

🎯 Accepting applications through April 30, 2026!
Full details: https://ksdetasn.org/resources/4209

Know someone who would be a great fit? Tag them or share this post!

Questions? Contact [email protected]

Registration is now open for the 2026-2027 Month-by-Month Approach to Supporting Transition: A Book Study.

Join Kansas educators in a year-long journey to enhance transition programs and services that support students' postsecondary outcomes.

This is a fantastic opportunity for transition teams, including teachers, transition specialists, coordinators, administrators, parents, and more. Get ready to collaborate, learn, and implement high-quality transition strategies.

⭐Key topics include:
Assessment • Student-Directed Planning • Family Engagement • Employment & Career Development • Independent Living • Community Inclusion.

🗓️Monthly virtual sessions start September 3rd

Choose the time that works best for you:
AM Session: https://ksdetasn.org/event_groups/nawsdA
PM Session: https://ksdetasn.org/event_groups/qjgmPw

👉Don’t miss out, secure your spot today!

The back wall says…….”Everyone has a chance to make a difference” and these educators prove that every single day. Their impact on students’ lives, especially in supporting communication, truly matters.

Thank you for your willingness to learn, grow, and show up for your students in such meaningful ways.

A big thank you to High Plains Education Cooperative and Beth Schoonover for sharing the morning with us and opening it up to our Garden City friends. While I didn’t get a picture yesterday, they also hosted a full day of intensive teaching strategies and welcomed educators from Liberal as well.

❤️ Western Kansas… where supporting each other isn’t just a saying—it’s what we do. ❤️

The Topeka Public Schools Autism Interdisciplinary Team hosted an Autism Acceptance Family Night. 31 families and over 100 attendees connected with community resources, fun activities, food and a shared community spirit.

We had a productive day at Heartspring training on visual structure of tasks and make-it, take-it! Thank you for supplying the materials, awesome food, and protected work time for hard working educators! See you in a couple of weeks where we will discuss routines.