When formulating a case plan for a child with autism receiving school and home interventions, which steps are essential?

• A. Focus only on school-based goals and exclude parent training.
• B. Delay progress monitoring to avoid data sharing.
• C. Rely solely on initial assessment and avoid ongoing monitoring.
• D. Establish baseline functioning, set specific goals across domains, coordinate school and home supports, provide parent training, and implement progress monitoring with data sharing.

Answer: (D)

An effective case plan for a child with autism requires a coordinated, data-driven approach that integrates school and home interventions and actively involves parents. Start by establishing baseline functioning across key areas (such as communication, social skills, behavior, academics, and daily living) so you know where the child currently stands. Then set specific, measurable goals across these domains to guide progress and provide clear targets. Next, coordinate supports across school and home so strategies and expectations are consistent, enabling skills to generalize across settings. Provide parent training so caregivers can implement proven strategies at home and reinforce progress outside the school day. Finally, implement progress monitoring with regular data sharing among all involved, using the data to make informed decisions, adjust goals as needed, and keep everyone aligned.

Focusing only on school-based goals excludes the home environment and risks poor generalization. Delaying progress monitoring misses opportunities to adapt interventions in real time. Relying solely on an initial assessment ignores ongoing changes in the child’s abilities and needs.