Our Turn: High expectations for all students shouldn’t come with caveats

John is bilingual. He is 26 years old and will soon start a new job. He holds two college degrees and is on his way to living independently. What you might find surprising is that John has autism.

April is Autism Awareness Month. In Arizona, one of every 66 children has autism spectrum disorder (ASD). The prevalence rate of autism here is slightly higher than the national rate likely due to efforts by organizations like the Southwest Autism Research & Resource Center (SARRC) that focus on diagnosing the disorder early with the goal of connecting families to vital early-intervention services.

116,500 students deserve a higher bar

In Arizona, there are close to 116,500 students with autism and other disabilities ranging from learning challenges such as dyslexia, physical disabilities and/or other neurological disorders. It’s far too easy to set the bar low and dismiss the epidemic of low graduation rates and low employment rates for these students. We are missing a major opportunity to challenge every child to reach his or her full potential.

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We need to set high expectations for every student, including those with autism and other disabilities, and provide them with the individualized supports they need to rise to the occasion. Students with disabilities should have the same opportunities to succeed academically and socially in a community of their peers.

To do this, we must provide educators and schools the resources they need to be successful. We commend the Governor’s Classrooms First Council for recommending that the state review the costs and policies Arizona needs to provide quality education for students with disabilities. We need to know what it will take for all kids to receive a world-class education.

If you are not a parent of a child with special needs, we promise this topic is also relevant to you.

This impacts all - even those without autism

How Arizona educates its children impacts everyone. By 2020, almost 70 percent of all jobs in Arizona will require some form of career training or college degree. The pathways to postsecondary education for students with disabilities must also be expanded. Currently, only 15 percent of adults with disabilities go on to earn a college degree compared with 28 percent for non-disabled peers.

With progress in K-12 education and beyond, we should see our unemployment rates for adults with disabilities decrease as well. Currently, 90 percent of adults with autism nationwide are unemployed or underemployed. However, we have the tools we need to improve these troubling statistics. In fact, in 2015 SARRC was successful in supporting two-out-of-three adults they served to obtain competitive meaningful employment.

While there is no cure for autism, there is great hope for those with the disorder. After receiving services, many young children on the spectrum transition into general-education classrooms to learn alongside their peers and achieve milestones beyond what was expected just two decades ago.

Students need true classroom inclusion

It is time to go beyond awareness and take action. As leaders of non-profit organizations whose missions focus on high expectations for every child, we call for true inclusion and the individualized supports necessary for a great education for all students.

Ensuring high standards for students with autism and other special needs requires support across the entire community. Parents must be equipped to advocate for their children’s education. Educators must have the resources to identify and cultivate each child’s incredible potential. Community members must be prepared to welcome and nurture inclusion. Policymakers and business leaders must commit to creating pathways to postsecondary success and employment.

No matter the ZIP code, the disability or the diagnosis, all of Arizona’s children deserve a world-class education. All means all.

Pearl Chang Esau is president and CEO of Expect More Arizona, a nonpartisan education-advocacy organization, championing a world-class education for all students, early years through career. Email her at pearl@expectmorearizona.org; follow her on Twitter, @EsauPearl. Daniel Openden is president and CEO of the Southwest Autism Research & Resource Center, a community-based, non-profit organization dedicated to autism research, education, evidence-based treatment and community outreach. Email him at DOpenden@autismcenter.org; follow him on Twitter, @SARRC_tweet.