Paths to Independence offers students with autism a chance to learn

Dec. 22—Walking through the Paths to Independence school is an excursion into a lively world, one where students with autism spectrum disorders conduct scientific experiments, design works of art, build castles with Legos or bend and stretch during exercise class.

"Our students travel from all over northeast Oklahoma and many families move to Bartlesville to access much-needed services for their child or children," said Clair Bartley, director and co-founder of the school.

Paths to Independence is the only comprehensive pre-Kindergarten to 12th-grade school in Oklahoma that serves people with autism at all levels of functioning, she said.

As a special education teacher at Central Middle School in 2011, Bartley tutored her friend Jean Jensen's autistic son on the weekends.

"When Kieffer was in third grade, Jean started worrying about his progress in public school," she said. "She and I had a conversation about what we thought Kieffer really needed in school, and we decided to make those thoughts come to life.

The nonprofit private school opened in June 2012 with one student and now serves 58 students from age 3 to 12th grade and nine adults. The school offers a full-day adult education program as well as support services and job training for adults up to age 22.

"We work with parents and local school districts to provide an educational environment for our students where they can be successful," Bartley said.

The need for instruction tailored specifically to the needs of people with autism spectrum disorders is great.

One in every 54 American children is diagnosed with autism, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

"Many students with autism experience school failure," Bartley said. "Students come to us who have been repeatedly suspended or only allowed to attend school for a few hours a day, were bullied by their classmates, or were so anxious and miserable they refused to attend school."

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