POAC-NoVA approved the following goals for the organization at the October 2007 meeting of the Board of Directors:

1. Serve as a clearinghouse for research-based methodologies for instructing students on the autism spectrum

2. Training public and private school educators and parents in ABA/VB and other research-based instructional methodologies

3. Advocate for and influence the successful implementation of ABA/VB and other research-based instructional methodologies for students on the autism spectrum

4. Advocate for improvements in the services delivered to students on the autism spectrum

Parents Of Autistic Children of Northern Virginia (POAC-NoVA) and its predecessor organization has worked since 1996 to improve the quality and quantity of education for students with autism within the Fairfax County Public Schools (FCPS). These successful efforts culminated in the School Board's approval of the enhanced autism program for an estimated 600 students with autism in the pre-school and elementary-school grades starting with the 2004-2005 school year. In the end, an unprecedented $3M was allocated for hiring and training additional educators specifically for this program. Since then, we have had at least five parent representatives at each of the quarterly working meetings with the FCPS staff to ensure that parental concerns for this program continue to be sufficiently addressed and understood.

POAC-NoVA also holds a monthly parent support group and information meeting to provide to parents a forum to frankly talk to other parents who have been dealing with this condition for some time. We have found that one of the best sources of information have been other parents, who truly understand how autism affects not just one child, but the entire family. We would be happy to meet you at one of these meetings.