Autism MVP Foundation

The autism diagnosis rate in the U.S. is a staggering 1 in 44 among 8-year old children. That figure equates to roughly 150 new diagnoses a day and approximately 60,000 children with autism entering our school systems each year. In New Jersey, where the foundation is located, the diagnosis rate is 1 in 35, which is the highest in the country and equates to 3,000 children each year receiving an autism diagnosis. The challenge is that there are simply not enough educators and therapists to work with children with autism.

• Forty-eight states and the District of Columbia lack sufficient special education teachers.
• Special education teachers leave teaching at almost double the rate of general education teachers.
• More than half of all school districts struggle to staff well-qualified special education teachers.
• Ninety percent of high-poverty school districts struggle to staff well-qualified special education teachers.
• Up to 29 percent of vacated special education teacher positions are due to attrition.
• To date, Autism MVP has granted more than $200,000 to fund more than 20 scholarships at three partner universities to incentivize students to get into and stay in the fields of ABA/special education.