Release: #07-34
February 26, 2007

Contact: Pam Slater
E-mail: communications@cde.ca.gov
Phone: 916-319-0818

SACRAMENTO — State Superintendent of Public Instruction Jack O'Connell today convened the 21-member Autism Advisory Committee that was created through legislation last year to identify ways public and nonpublic schools can better serve students with autism and their families.

"The number of children with autism receiving services in California and in the nation has about doubled over the past several years," O'Connell said. "It is imperative that we gather credible research on this complex developmental disorder and make it readily available to parents, teachers, and all those who serve children with autism to help them succeed academically."

While significant gains in understanding autism have been made through research, it is vital that these findings be made more widely available to schools and families that strive to find the best options for these exceptional needs children.

The Autism Advisory Committee, which must report its recommendations to the Legislature on or before November 1, 2007, is charged with:

• Developing a policy on the most effective manner of informing schools about the status of educationally related research and outreach services available to children with autism and their families.
• Creating a statewide clearinghouse for information on the findings of educationally related research-based, recommended practices to support children with autism that can be disseminated to schools, parents, and other interested parties.

The committee will also study the feasibility and need for establishing a program that would provide technical assistance to schools and on a variety of other subjects, such as the identification and diagnosis of autism spectrum disorders.

The members of the committee are:

1. Don Shalvey, Redwood City, President and Co-Founder, Aspire Public Schools
2. Lynn Lorber, Sacramento, Consultant ,State Senate Education Committee
3. Lillian Vasquez-Wisegarver, Colton, Director of Marketing, KVCR-TV/FM
4. Linda Stevens, Oakland, Physical Therapist, Contra Costa Regional Medical Center
5. Anita Allardice, Toluca Lake, The Help Group, Principal, Bridgeport School
6. Kathleen Flores, Berkeley, Program Specialist /Teacher, San Lorenzo Unified School District
7. Deborah Davis, North Fork,  Program Manager, Fresno County Office of Education
8. Marquita Grenot-Scheyer, Redondo Beach, Associate Dean and Professor  Special Education, CSU Long Beach
9. Sally Rogers, Sacramento, Professor Psychiatry, University of California, Davis MIND Institute
10.  Mary Schillinger, Simi Valley, Director Pupil Services, Las Virgenes Unified School District
11.  Tara Sisemore-Hester, Sacramento, Coordinator Autism Services, Valley Mountain Regional Center
12.  Rick Rollens, Granite Bay, President, Rollens Consulting
13.  William Brandon, Sacramento, President/CEO, Learning ARTS
14.  Paul Dores, San Diego, Psychologist, Robert Zink & Associates
15.  Peter Nguyen, San Francisco, Neurosurgeon, Peter Nguyen M.D.
16.  Robert Farran, Los Angeles, Director, Southwest SELPA and Family    Resource Center
17.  Gavin Huntley-Fenner, Irvine, Managing Scientist, Exponent
18.  Robert Kessler, Albany,  Superintendent,  San Ramon Valley Unified School District
19.  Joseph Dunne, Jr., Poway, Bus Aide, Poway Unified School District
20. Jose Fuentes, Loma Linda, Clinical Neuropsychologist, Fuentes Programs
21.  Dave Pine, Burlingame, Attorney, Dave Pine Attorney at Law

For more information on Assembly Bill 2513 by former Assembly member Fran Pavley (D-Agoura Hills) please go to AB 2513 Assembly Bill - ENROLLED [http://info.sen.ca.gov/pub/05-06/bill/asm/ab_2501-2550/ab_2513_bill_20060913_enrolled.html] (Outside Source).