Early Achievements is an intervention program, paired with a professional development program, designed to accelerate learning and improve outcomes for preschoolers with autism spectrum disorders (ASD) or other social and communication delays.

Early Achievements:

• Addresses learning needs of children with ASD and other social and communication disorders or delays.
• Promotes children’s development of school readiness skills and paves the way for success in and out of school.
• Emphasizes high-dosage, classroom learning experiences for children that target language, social communication, peer engagement, and other cognitive and social cognitive skills.
• Uses evidence-based instructional strategies that are anchored in the developmental, behavioral, and educational sciences.
• Embeds those strategies in group-level instructional activities already occurring within teachers’ classrooms.
• Provides workshops and practice-based coaching to equip teachers to effectively implement the Early Achievements intervention.
• Uses instructional practices are aligned with teachers’ values and established classroom routines.
• Provides workshops and practice-based coaching to equip teachers to effectively implement the Early Achievements intervention.

Early Achievements helps school-based administrators address three (b, c, and e, below) of the five instructional leadership priorities identified by "DiPaola and Walther-Thomas (2003, p. 8)."

"Studies of effective schools have identified five instructional leadership priorities of effective principals: (a) defining and communicating the school’s educational mission, (b) managing curriculum and instruction, (c) supporting and supervising teaching, (d) monitoring student progress, and (e) promoting a learning climate (Bateman & Bateman, 2001; Blasé, J. J., 1987; Blasé, J. J., Blasé, J., Anderson, & Dungan, 1995; Blasé, J., & Kirby, 1992). These priorities keep effective administrators focused on student learning and professional development. As a result, effective leaders are familiar with current research, find necessary resources, make well- reasoned judgments regarding students’ programs, mentor new teachers, provide professional opportunities for all staff members, and evaluate teacher performance (Joyce & Showers, 1995; Klingner et al., 2001; NASBE, 1992; Wald, 1998)."

DiPaola, M. F., Walther-Thomas, C. (2003). Principals and special education: The critical role of school leaders (COPPSE Document No. IB-7). Gainesville, FL: University of Florida, Center on Personnel Studies in Special Education.

In addition, the Early Achievements professional development and student intervention programs support school administrators as they strive to meet the Interstate School Leaders Licensure Consortium (ISLLC) Standards "that present the research-based knowledge and skills that administrators need to be effective school leaders. By placing effective student learning as the primary focus for all improvement efforts, the Standards emphasize a comprehensive understanding of effective teaching and learning dynamics." (DiPaola & Walther-Thomas, 2003, p. 16). Of particular relevance here is Standard 2 (DiPaola & Walther-Thomas, 2003, p.16):

"A school administrator is an educational leader who promotes the success of all students by advocating, nurturing, and sustaining a school culture and instructional program conducive to student learning and staff professional growth."

DiPaola, M. F., Walther-Thomas, C. (2003). Principals and special education: The critical role of school leaders (COPPSE Document No. IB-7). Gainesville, FL: University of Florida, Center on Personnel Studies in Special Education.

Aims of the Early Achievements Intervention

The Early Achievements intervention aims to promote children’s skill and knowledge development so as to improve their ability to construct meaning out of their experiences. This is accomplished, in part, through teachers’ use of an instructional approach that helps children connect bits of information, and integrate them into a meaningful, coherent whole. When children are taught how to make meaning of the people, language, and objects involved in an activity, their knowledge and skill base expands.

Coaches support teachers in learning how to:

• Target core sets of skills and knowledge that are pivotal for children’s language, social, cognitive and literacy learning.
• Use Naturalistic Developmental Behavioral Intervention (NDBI) instructional strategies. NDBI strategies blend principles from the developmental sciences and applied behavior analysis.
• Transform their classroom and instructional activities to amplify children’s motivation, engagement, and ability to construct meaning from their environment and experiences.

Research has shown that Early Achievements leads to increased child attention and active engagement, translating into improved learning and developmental gains.