Your classrooms need it. Let’s find a way to fund it.
You already know what your classrooms and staff need. Funding it is more doable than it looks, whether it comes from your district budget or somewhere else, and you don’t have to figure it out alone. We know this landscape well, and we’d be glad to help you build a plan for next year.
Districts like yours have found a way to fund it
Leaders in districts across the country have worked through this same puzzle and made it happen. We’ve been right alongside them, and alongside state and regional partners, so we know where the pieces tend to fit.
Your district budget is a great place to start
You can fund STAR straight from your district budget, and that works just fine. If you’d like to stretch that budget, or you’re curious about other sources, here are the common ones. Plenty of districts mix a few.
Your district budget
District special education and general fund budget lines for curriculum, training and coaching. If it fits your budget, you don’t need a grant or special funding to move forward.
Federal
IDEA Part B and Section 619 are often the first place districts look. Some Title funds and the CEIS set-aside may fit specific lines.
State funding
Many states have their own funding for autism and special education support, separate from federal sources. Yours may have programs we haven’t come across, so it’s worth asking your state agency, or asking us to help you look. See what we know.
Collaborative
Multi-district applications through an ESC or co-op can share training, coaching and materials costs.
Match what you’re buying to a sourceThe sources districts commonly consider for each type of purchase+
Commonly considered, not confirmed. Allowability depends on the funding source, your state’s guidance, your district’s approved plans, and applicable requirements. Confirm with your business office or state education agency.
| What you’re buying | Includes | Sources commonly considered |
|---|---|---|
| Curriculum & materials | STAR Program, Links, SOLER, classroom materials | Local fundsIDEA Part BIDEA 619 (ages 3–5)State funding |
| Digital platforms & licenses | Media Center, SOLER platform, data tools | Local fundsIDEA Part BTitle IV-A (capped)State funding |
| Training & certification | Workshops, STAR and Links training | Local fundsIDEA Part BTitle II-AState fundingShared services |
| Coaching & fidelity | In-classroom coaching, fidelity checks, model sites | Local fundsIDEA Part BCEISTitle II-AState fundingShared services |
Some funding sources, including federal and state funds, have period-of-availability limits, so confirm before prepaying future years of a multi-year purchase. Your district budget may have its own rules too.
Federal sources, with official guidance IDEA Part B Sections 611 and 619, IDEA CEIS, and ESEA Titles I-A, II-A, and IV-A+
Make it easy for your team to say yes
Your request will pass through a few people. Here’s what each one tends to ask for, and we’re happy to help you prepare.
The funding kit
- Sample budget narrative
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Download the funding kit
Tell us where to send it.
Who asks for whatThe documents each reviewer tends to want, and straight answers for your business office##INLINE5##
Itemized quote
##INLINE6##A quote broken out by line so each line can be discussed with its likely funding source.
Sole-source documentation, where applicable
##INLINE7##Describes STAR’s role as developer and certification provider. Whether it supports a noncompetitive purchase depends on your district’s procurement policies and applicable rules.
Evidence summary
##INLINE8##Research behind practices used in STAR programs, with citations.
Sample budget narrative
##INLINE9##An anonymized example showing how budget lines can be tied to a request’s goals.
IEP & outcomes alignment
##INLINE10##Connects the purchase to IEP goal areas and measurable outcomes.
STAR documents its role as developer of the STAR Program, Links, SOLER and the Media Center, and as the provider of STAR and Links certification and coaching. Your procurement office decides whether a noncompetitive purchase is permitted.
Materials, professional development and coaching for educators who serve students with disabilities are among the costs districts commonly consider. Allowability depends on your state’s guidance and district plans, so confirm each line with your business office.
Sometimes. Federal and state funds carry period-of-availability limits, so confirm with the funding source first. With your district budget, your business office can tell you what’s allowed.
Evidence you can cite Research on practices used in STAR programs+
These studies examine practices used in STAR programs. When you cite them, confirm how each maps to the product or service you plan to buy.
Randomized controlled trial
Young, Falco & Hanita (2016), Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders, 46(2), 544–560: in a trial of 302 students ages 3–5 and 84 teachers, STAR classrooms showed statistically significant gains in receptive language and social skills compared with typical services after 6–8 months.
AIMS multi-year trial
The NIH- and IES-funded Autism Instructional Methods Study followed 34 K–3 classrooms over three years. Students in STAR showed significantly greater gains than the comparison group when program fidelity was achieved (Mandell, 2010, 2011).
Oregon statewide outcome study
Arick et al. (2003), Focus on Autism and Other Developmental Disabilities, 18(2), 75–87: tracked more than 122 children over five years; 91% showed measurable progress in expressive language.
Implementation over time
School-based educators improved their implementation of DTT, PRT and Functional Routines over time, highlighting the importance of sustained professional learning and classroom coaching (Stahmer et al., 2015).
Fidelity and cognitive gains
Higher fidelity to the Pivotal Response Training (PRT) component was positively associated with gains in cognitive ability; the same association was not found for DTT or Functional Routines in this study (Pellecchia et al., 2015, Dismantling the Active Ingredients of an Intervention for Children with Autism).
Links Curriculum validation
Arick, Nave & Hoffman (2000), Oregon Department of Education technical adequacy report: field-tested with 30 districts, 133 instructors and 478 students with moderate to severe disabilities. Reliability was high and the assessment correlated with the Vineland Adaptive Behavior Scales.
National evidence reviews
Practices in STAR, Links and SOLER align with the National Autism Center’s National Standards Project (2015) and the evidence-based practice review by Wong et al. (2013).
Arizona statewide project, 2024–25
Participating educators showed a 144% increase in discrete trial training fidelity and a 251% increase in pivotal response training fidelity.
Heart of Texas Autism Project, 2020–21
Supported 50 classrooms. Participating teachers improved implementation fidelity by an average of 132%, and 63 students showed an average 40% increase across curriculum skill areas.
Some states put extra funding behind this work
You don’t need any of this to move forward. But some states fund autism programs on their own, and districts we work with in a few of them are putting that funding to use. Your state may have programs we haven’t come across, so it’s worth a look.
Arizona AzSAP
The Arizona Statewide Autism Project (2024–25) delivered 48 assessment and coaching visits across 12 districts, trained 251 workshop participants, and supported 447 staff through online learning.
Oregon OrPATS
OrPATS (2023–25) maintained more than 60 training and implementation sites across eight regions and reached 2,021 attendees through more than 160 workshops. Ninety-two percent of 423 respondents rated their workshop as excellent or good.
Texas Statewide training
The 2025 early-childhood autism training series reached 2,159 registrants across more than 140 Texas counties, with 738 unique participants attending. Among follow-up respondents, 97% reported confidence engaging children with autism and 94% reported successfully applying strategies from the training.
Georgia GNETS
GNETS is a Georgia state program, and support is available to all 24 GNETS programs in 2026–27, representing approximately 275 classroom teams and 937 educators across Georgia. Some Georgia districts also use state special education grants, including capacity-building and disproportionality grants. Ask us how these may apply.
Indiana Statewide partnership
What began as an Indiana University Bloomington grant initiative serving about 16 districts has grown, with increased Indiana Department of Education funding, into a statewide partnership. In 2025–26 it reached 40 districts and 1,014 students, with 289 teachers supported. Districts have also used the Senator David C. Ford Educational Technology Program grant for classroom technology.
Alabama Statewide growth
In 2022, one Alabama school was using STAR's classroom program. Today, 110+ programs are implemented across 50+ sites statewide, as districts saw the impact and expanded.
Might your state have something we don’t list?
States add and change programs often, and we may not know about every one. A few questions worth asking your state agency or business office:
- Does our state fund autism or special education programs outside federal dollars?
- Is there a state initiative or pilot our district hasn’t looked at yet?
- Who on our team keeps track of state funding opportunities?
Or skip the legwork and ask us. We’re happy to help you explore what might be available in your state.
You set the priorities. We’ll help you piece the funding together.
We know this process well and we’re glad to walk through it with you. Our team can help you explore funding options, identify supporting resources, and prepare for conversations with your district’s business office.
Tell us what you’re planning
Share your priorities for next year, your state, and any sources you’re already considering. No polished plan needed.
Explore options together
We talk through the sources that may fit and share what we know, plus resources for your internal conversations.
You make the call
You decide what to fund and how to move forward. We’re here for questions along the way.
Funding decisions and awards rest with your district, your state and the funding source, so we’ll always point you to the official guidance. We can’t guarantee eligibility or outcomes.
Common questions+
Do we need a grant or special funding to use STAR?+
No. Your district budget works just fine, and we’re happy to work with whatever fits your district. Other sources are there if they help, but they’re optional.
How do districts commonly fund STAR?+
Many districts simply fund it from their district budget. Others use IDEA Part B or other federal funds, state funding, or shared-services arrangements through an ESC or co-op, sometimes in combination. Tell us your state and timeline and we can help you think through what may be worth exploring.
Can we use different sources for different parts of the program?+
Often, yes. Itemized quotes let curriculum, training and coaching each be discussed with the source that may fit. Your business office decides how each line is coded.
Does my state have funding for this?+
Many states offer their own funding for autism and special education support, separate from federal sources, so it’s worth asking your state agency. We also work with districts using state programs in Texas, Arizona, Indiana, Georgia, Alabama and Oregon. Ask us and we’ll help you look.
Can STAR guarantee funding?+
We can’t promise outcomes, since eligibility and awards are decided by the funding source, your state, and your district. What we can do is help you go into those conversations prepared.
How much does STAR cost?+
It depends on classrooms, training and coaching, and term length. Tell us what you’re planning and we’ll provide an itemized quote.
Can we use Medicaid?+
Possibly, depending on your state’s school-based Medicaid rules. Talk with your billing team, and contact us to discuss options.
How is student data protected?+
PLACEHOLDER: Product/IT to supply answer with policy link.
Let’s build your funding plan
Tell us what you’re planning for next year, even if it’s just a rough idea. We’ll help you explore potential funding sources, find resources to support your request, and get ready for your district’s budget conversations.
This page is general guidance, not legal or financial advice. Funding allowability depends on federal rules, state guidance, and your district’s approved plans. Always confirm with your business office or state education agency. STAR Autism Support does not guarantee funding eligibility, grant awards, procurement outcomes or district approvals. STAR Autism Support · Portland, Oregon.