ESD 113 Special Education Cooperative Delivers Fast, Accessible Autism Evaluations

Families in ESD 113's Special Education Cooperation no longer face years of wait times for autism evaluations.

Through a nine-person team with specialized training, the Co-op is addressing a critical gap. Families previously faced 18-month to two-year wait lists at specialized clinics like Mary Bridge or Seattle Children's Hospital. In some areas, wait times can even stretch to 2.5–5 years, with older children often waiting longer.

The Co-op prioritizes students transitioning from birth-to-3 services, those seeking initial evaluations, and 10-year-olds moving beyond the developmental delay category who need new eligibility determination to continue receiving services.

The Program That Makes it Possible

How is the Special Education Co-op drastically cutting wait times for families? It’s thanks to the community partnership work of school psychologist, Dr. Julie Barta. 

Julie secured a grant from the Washington State Health Care Authority to fund Autism Diagnostic Observation Schedule (ADOS) kits and training for nine staff members through the University of Washington. The Co-op also partnered with the CASCADES program at Seattle Children’s Autism Center and Dr. Felice Orlich, who use a similar training model and influenced the ESD program’s own framework. 

"The ADOS is considered gold standard for autism evaluations," Barta explained. "We're creating situations where you're seeing how a person responds or doesn't respond, pulling out real-life interactions versus something that's too synthesized."

The SEC evaluation process combines parent interviews about developmental history, the Autism Spectrum Rating Scale (which compares symptoms to autistic populations rather than neurotypical standards), and the ADOS assessment. School psychologists handle cognitive, adaptive, and social-emotional components already required for special education evaluations.

Team Approach Creates Efficiency

With nine team members trained in ADOS and the assessment process, "It becomes more of a team lift," Barta said. "Everybody plugs into their area of expertise and contributes to the testing, helping us to see the child as a whole person." Once the team completes their evaluation, they share results with the family's pediatrician, who can provide medical confirmation.

Families appreciate how the availability of these services reduce evaluation costs, overcome transportation obstacles, and keep their students in familiar community spaces rather than larger hospitals. 

Senior Director Katie Kent noted the program currently serves 14 districts within the Co-op structure, with additional capacity for contracted services with other districts.

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Thank you to Tawnie Easton (pictured), ESD occupational therapist, for inviting the communications team to join her during an evaluation.