The Christian Science Monitor – Cathaleen Chen
“For most of his academic career, Cullen excelled in math and computer science but struggled socially – that is, until he enrolled in a new Los Angeles private school that’s part of a nonprofit network. “It’s been a big change,” his mother, Terry Whiteside, told CNN Money. “Before he wouldn’t talk much about his day. Now he comes home and has conversations with me about what he did at school.” And here’s the kicker: Cullen has been diagnosed with autism. His school, STEM3 Academy, focuses on serving students with special needs, including those diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder, ADHD, and learning disabilities. As STEM3 joins a growing number of public, charter, and private institutions that focus on science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) fields, education researchers have found that such specialty schools have exceptional benefits for not only those with special needs but also minority and female students.”(more)