Oliver Lauredo at the Deering Estate's public fishing pier. DONNA E. NATALE PLANAS/MIAMI HERALD STAFF Chapter 2 gallery

Facing a growing number of dissatisfied parents of disabled students -- particularly autistic kids -- Miami-Dade County school officials plan to create an Autism Task Force to advise the district.

Officials want to set up a committee of parents, advocates and national experts to recommend a program that uses "the best practices from around the country" in creating tailored curricula for such students.

"We're seeing an increase in the number of autistic students, " said board member Evelyn Greer, who spearheaded the initiative. "We want to look around the country to see what models work best in addressing their needs."

In Miami-Dade, the number of autistic students identified in the school system grew from 1,446 in 2005 to 1,700 in 2007. Broward's numbers have risen by 300 annually over the last four years to about 2,400 currently, officials said.

Nationwide, one in 150 children has autism, according to a study released earlier this year by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in Atlanta.

Broward officials have already implemented an advisory board that identifies schools with significant numbers of autistic students in order to provide services such as speech and language therapy, said Gary Grigull, curriculum supervisor for autism.

OLIVER'S CASE

The decision to create a task force in Miami-Dade comes on the heels of the year-long legal battle surrounding 15-year-old Oliver Lauredo, recently profiled in The Miami Herald. The article, published June 12, also reported on the increase of administrative claims filed by parents of disabled students.

In Miami-Dade, the number of claims jumped 120 percent over two years, to 64 in 2006. Broward's claims spiked from three in 2002 to 59 in 2003; they have averaged 38 a year since then.

Oliver, who has Asperger syndrome, has been home-schooled the past year while his family fought with the district over his individualized educational plan, or IEP.

Oliver had been attending Palmetto Senior High, but his parents argued that another school, MAST Academy on Virginia Key, has a smaller setting and is more suitable. The Lauredos said Palmetto's larger campus and student body agitated Oliver's condition -- a claim supported by doctors.

School officials say they have created an appropriate place for Oliver at Palmetto Senior and have declined the transfer request.

Greer, who represents the district, says she's sympathetic -- to a point.

"No one disagrees that their son needs special-needs . . . but MAST Academy just doesn't seem to be the right place, " said Greer.

Greer believes the task force will develop ways to find seats in any classroom for Oliver and others like him.

"We don't want to be in conflict with parents . . . so we have to come up with settings that best serve these kids, " she said.

But Oliver's mother is wary that the task force will only be a "quick fix."

"The programs need to be comprehensive, and they have to be all-inclusive, " said Susan Lauredo.

For kids with autism -- a range of neurobiological disorders that impairs the understanding of nonverbal cues -- experts believe the greatest challenge for educators is social inclusion.

"The deficit they face isn't necessarily academic. The social deficits may be the most devastating, " said Dr. Peter Gerhardt, head of the Scientific Council Organization for Autism Research based in Virginia.

FUNDING CHALLENGE

Greer says there are other challenges. The average cost of IEPs for autistic students ranges from $15,000 to $50,000 per child annually, compared with $6,600 for the average student.

"Coming up with specialized programs for these kids will absolutely take money from other kids, " said Greer. "Some parents will be unhappy."