Marina Sarris

Date Published: July 8, 2026

It’s that back-to-school time of year, when stores are overflowing with #2 pencils, spiral notebooks, backpacks, and sneakers. If your children have autism, however, preparing them for a new school year likely involves things you can’t find in aisle 12.

Many autistic children and teenagers struggle with change, and returning to school every fall marks one of the biggest annual transitions for them. They must adjust to a new routine, teachers, classmates, bus, or school, any of which can send anxiety into overdrive.

They often face new social expectations and academic demands. “For some children, this can be difficult because they may need more time, preparation, and predictability when adapting to new situations,” explains Elgiz Sener, Ph.D., a clinical neuropsychologist at Kennedy Krieger Institute in Maryland.

How can families make the back-to-school transition easier for autistic youth — and themselves? Professionals and parents shared their tips.

Re-set bedtime and morning routines before school starts

During the summer, children often get used to going to bed later, sleeping in, and having a leisurely breakfast.

“Going from a less-structured summer routine back into that structure of a school day can be challenging for them, even if they are returning to the same school with familiar teachers and peers,” Sener says.

Consider changing your children’s bedtime, wake-up time, and morning routine a few weeks before school starts, if change is hard for them, Sener says. She recommends using visual schedules and stories to show each step in the morning routine, from waking up and brushing teeth, to eating breakfast and getting the backpack.

“It’s important to make those changes gradually, rather than expecting an abrupt shift to a back-to-school routine,” she says.

Jessica Glover did that with her son, Noah, who is 11. “Over the summer, he would stay up until around 10. So we would slowly push bedtime back to 9:30, 9, and then 8:30,” says Glover, who participates in the SPARK autism study with Noah.

Emily Ransom, mother to two children in SPARK, uses visual schedules to prepare her children, especially her youngest, Briella, who will start kindergarten this fall.

With information from the teacher, Ransom will create a schedule of Briella’s school day using pictures she finds online. “It will be a schedule of what is expected during the day: I will drop you off, you’ll walk into your classroom, you’ll put up your bag, take out your classroom supplies, and put your lunch box away,” says Ransom, a behavior consultant with a special education degree.

Visit the school and meet the teacher early

If possible, visit the school before doors open for the new year, says speech-language pathologist Amy Gaffney, an educational consultant with the Indiana Resource Center for Autism at Indiana University. In the summer, call or email the principal or the district’s special education office. Ask if you may schedule a brief visit to meet the teacher and see the classrooms.

Create a photo book, slideshow, or video about the new school year

During your visit, take photos or videos of the classrooms and other places that will be part of your child’s school day, Gaffney says. If the classroom is in a new hallway or school, take a video or photos of the route your child will take to the cafeteria, gym, art class, nurse’s office, and restroom, for example, she says.

You can assemble the photos into books or slideshows to review before school starts. Students who prefer videos may watch them before the first bell rings.

What if your school says no to a visit before school reopens? You and your child can attend back-to-school meetings that the school hosts. Glover, the SPARK parent, did that before she began homeschooling her son. They used to meet informally with his teacher for a few minutes before or after back-to-school events.

Also, plan ahead for the following school year if necessary, says Gaffney, the educational consultant. At a special education meeting, ask that your child’s Individualized Education Plan (IEP) include plans to tour a new classroom or school next spring or summer, she advises.

Help your child learn the names of adults at school

Does your child struggle to learn names or recognize faces? Take a photo of teachers, aides, the principal, librarians, cafeteria staff, and the bus driver — with their permission, says Mary Barbera, Ph.D., a board certified behavior analyst and mother of an autistic adult in the SPARK study.

When her son Lucas was young, she used photos of school employees to help him learn their names. “We used pictures because he learned the names of people a lot better that way,” says Barbera, a community adviser to SPARK.

Prepare a one-page profile of your child

Help the school staff get to know your child. Prepare a one-page profile to introduce them to teachers and bus drivers, Barbera says. You may include your child’s diagnosis, preferred way of communicating, allergies, and unsafe behaviors, such as wandering, she says.

“You may also include information about what supports have worked well for your child at school — and what have not,” says Sener, the neuropsychologist.

Gaffney recommends mentioning your child’s strengths and interests. Send teachers the message that, “Here are some ways that you can get to know my child because he’s a really great kid, and I want you to have a great year with him,” she says.

First time changing classes in middle or high school? Walk the route before school starts

Moving from elementary to middle school, or middle to high school, may require even more preparation during the summer.

Navigating through crowded, loud hallways to get to each class on time can be challenging for anyone who is changing classes for the first time. This can be especially difficult for autistic students, who may have sensory sensitivities or a poor sense of time.

Before school starts, ask to visit the school to practice walking between your child’s classrooms, Gaffney says. “Kids need to get their feet on the ground to feel how long it takes to walk from this classroom to that classroom. What route are they going to take? They need to decide what is the fastest way to go, or the better way to go,” she says.

Your child might adjust to the noise and crowds during the 5- to 10-minute passing period between classes. But if that doesn’t happen, you can consider using noise-cancelling headphones if sound is the problem.

If the student cannot tolerate being jostled in a crowded hallway, the IEP team can consider having them leave for their next class 5 minutes before everyone else, Gaffney says.

Get ready for using a locker

Students who will be using a locker for the first time may practice opening and closing a combination lock at home, says Sener, the neuropsychologist.

Create a plan for when a student will go to the locker between classes, Gaffney says. “I have worked with some kids who want to carry everything with them, because they are so afraid of getting to their locker. They don’t know how to manage the passing period,” she says.

Make sure services are in place

Does your child’s IEP call for a bus or a classroom aide? Contact the IEP team chair to ask if an aide has been hired and trained, says attorney Mallory Legg, director of Project Health, Education, Advocacy, and Law (HEAL) at Kennedy Krieger Institute. No word yet about your child’s bus pickup time? Contact the school or the district’s transportation department to find out, she says.

Learn about special education and advocacy

Look for ways to learn about your child’s special education rights, Legg says. “Parents don’t have to be experts, but it’s good to understand their rights and generally what IEP teams are required to do.”

School systems and parent information centers often offer free workshops, newsletters, and online information. Look up the Parent Training and Information Center in your state or U.S. territory to find help.

Organize your special education papers

Put your IEP documents together in a folder, cabinet, or drawer — anyplace you can find them quickly, Legg says. You should also keep records of your contacts with school staff, such as emails and logs of calls and meetings.

Start the new year without negative feelings from the past

Regardless of what happened in the past, approach the new school year as a fresh start for your child. “Have hope and stay positive, even if you didn’t have a great experience in the previous grade or in the previous school,” advises Barbera, the SPARK parent. “There’s always time to turn things around and to have a better, more positive experience.”

Think of the transition back to school as a continuing process

“Don’t think of the transition as a single event that happens on the first day of school, but rather as an ongoing process that unfolds over time,” says Sener, the neuropsychologist. “Families can support their children by starting the process early, building structure and predictability at home, collaborating closely with the schools, and focusing on social and independence skills for their children.”

Interested in joining SPARK? Here’s what you should know.

Photo credit: iStock