Class Size for an Autism Specific Class - Survey

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I teach in an Autism Specific class in California. This is a new program in our district. Since California does not have any limit on the number of students that can be in a Special Day Class, I am getting overloaded. I am also a parent of a child on the spectrum, so parents request that their child be put in my class. While I would love to take everybody, my ability to focus on the true needs of my students, decreases with every student that is added to my program.

In an attempt to convince the "power's that be" to limit the number of students in an Autism Specific class, I am trying to gather data about the average size of Autism classes throughout the United States.

Can you answer the following questions?

What state are you in?
Does your state have a legal limit on the number of students allowed in an Autism class?
If it doesn't have an Autism specific limit, does it have a limit on Moderate/Severe class size?
Are there conditions like adding aides per amount of students?
How many students are actually in your child's class?
Grade your child is in?

I have spent hours online trying to find the education codes for all of the states and I can't find them all, or the ones I find are 20 years old, so I could really use some help.

Thanks

Hi,

I live in Southern California. I have autism and spoke for the staff of an autism class before. I was wondering where the school is that you are located. Are you in Southern California?

I can't answer your other questions, but perhaps I can help out in some way.

What state are you in?
NY
Does your state have a legal limit on the number of students allowed in an Autism class?
I don't think so. Average size ranges from around 9 to 36, at least in 2008.
If it doesn't have an Autism specific limit, does it have a limit on Moderate/Severe class size?
15:1, 12:1:1, 6:1:1, 8:1:1, 12:1:4, taken from http://www.nysut.org/bulletins_6021.htm that's for special ed, at least.
Are there conditions like adding aides per amount of students?
1 to 1 attention. every kid gets their own aid.
How many students are actually in your child's class?
6
Grade your child is in?
I work in a school for autistic children. the classes are tracked, because services can be organized better.

Well, this didn't really work. Does anyone have any idea of how I can get this information easily?

Sorry for the lack of helpful information.

You are asking for some pretty specific data. Are there any national level associations specifically for special ed teachers? An organization like that may either keep a database or have resources that would point you in the right direction.

I have no idea on any of the questions you asked, but the question the thread title implies has a simple answer: very very small. The smaller the class, the fewer troublemakers there are likely to be and the easier it is to hear the teacher.