Communities of Leaders in Autism - VCU Autism Center for Education

COMMUNITIES OF LEADERS IN AUTISM (COLA)

CoLA is a Virginia Department of Education (VDOE) initiative that brings together educators, professionals, and school leaders to improve outcomes for students with autism.

The CoLA network includes:

VCU-RRTC's Autism Center for Education (ACE)
VDOE's Training and Technical Assistance Centers (T/TAC)
Leaders from Virginia's public school divisions

Through this collaborative partnership, CoLA provides statewide and regional engagement opportunities, helping school divisions build local capacity and drive meaningful systemic change all within a supportive learning community.

Project Impact

A capacity-building workshop series that equips autism leaders with evidence-based resources, tools, and strategies needed to support autistic students effectively.

Through collaborative discussions and targeted planning, participants will be inspired to drive change and strengthen the practices already in place within their divisions.

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Regional Meetings

Monthly meetings within your VDOE Superintendents Region provide ongoing learning, networking, and implementation support.

Activities include:

Learning Boosts, Division Highlights, Tech and App Talks, Media Studies, Online Resource Sharing, Virtual Office Hours for Implementation Assistance.

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CoLA Membership

CoLA members:

Serve as liaisons between their school divisions and CoLA supporting partners, fostering strong communication and collaboration.
Champion the needs of students with autism by implementing strategic systems aligned with VDOE priorities to improve educational outcomes.
Attend monthly regional sessions to learn and apply emerging practices, strengthening their capacity to lead and support change.

Virginia school divisions are encouraged to designate a team of up to three participants, including at least one experienced educator. To join, complete the CoLA Membership Registration Form.