The Kennedy Krieger Institute, in partnership with Montgomery County, officially opens a new school for students ages 10-21 with moderate-to-severe cases of Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASD) and other developmental disabilities. The Kennedy Krieger School will be the only specialty autism school of its kind in the county. This opening comes at a critical time, with more autistic students in Montgomery County than any other county in Maryland and as autism rates are on the rise nationwide.

Kennedy Krieger Institute was selected to open the school through a competitive bidding process conducted by Montgomery County Public Schools, one of the top public school systems in the country. The school will feature individualized programs with a high staff to student ratio. The school also offers a new multi-sensory room that uses lights, sounds, aromas and textures to promote learning for autistic students, as well as a new, interactive, technology-driven teaching tool used to provide specialized accommodations and modifications for learning. A key academic and curriculum goal is to apply the skills students learn in the classroom in a community setting, as research has shown that teaching skills in context is more effective than in isolation. To meet this goal, regularly scheduled opportunities for community and work-based learning experiences will be incorporated into each student's weekly routines to prepare them for transition to post-graduation life.

"The opening of the new school represents Kennedy Krieger's dedication and commitment to expanding our highly specialized, interdisciplinary autism services to students in the greater DC metropolitan area," said Linda Brandenburg, Director of School Autism Services at the Kennedy Krieger…