Autism elopement at school
If your child elopes at school, it belongs in the IEP in writing. A plan that lives in a teacher’s head is not a plan.
Colorado has a recent ruling that shows exactly what happens when supervision is written down and then not delivered.
In November 2025 the Colorado Department of Education found a district out of compliance because a supervision accommodation was in the IEP and staff did not implement it.
A Colorado ruling worth knowing about
In November 2025, the Colorado Department of Education decided a state complaint against Pueblo County School District 70. The case involved a six-year-old whose IEP required adult supervision because of eloping.
During recess the child left through a playground gate. They were unsupervised for seven to ten minutes and were found by a neighbour, not by staff.
CDE found the district failed to implement the supervision accommodation, though it did not rise to a denial of a free appropriate public education. The district had to assign staff to monitor gates and equip them with radios.
We are citing this because it is public, recent and Colorado. It is not a Budding Futures case and we have no relationship with that district.
What to get in writing
| Ask for | Why it matters |
|---|---|
| The supervision level, stated specifically | "Adult supervision" is vague; who, where and how close is not |
| Recess, transitions and arrival covered by name | These are when elopement most often happens, and generic wording skips them |
| A functional behavior assessment | Establishes why it happens, which is what a real plan is built on |
| Physical details of the building | Gates, exterior doors and fence lines are where plans quietly fail |
| How incidents get reported to you | Without this you find out only when something serious happens |
Colorado also requires transition planning earlier than federal law does, starting with the first IEP written when a student is 15. Safety and independence goals belong in that conversation too.
Why school elopement often differs from home
Many children who never bolt at home run at school. The setting is louder, the demands are constant, and transitions happen all day.
That usually points to escape as the function. A plan that works in your living room will not automatically transfer, which is why the assessment has to look at the school day itself.
Parents feel this gap sharply. One wrote, after a child in their district died: "It is the school's responsibility to provide the accommodations they need!!"
How Budding Futures fits in
We provide ABA in homes across Colorado and inside school settings where we are granted access. When a child needs support during the school day, we reach out to the school and work to get in.
Some Colorado schools welcome that and some make it difficult, and we would rather tell you that plainly than promise access we do not control. What we can always do is the assessment, the plan, and the parent coaching that carries across settings.
Rachel Blackburn, BCBA leads that clinical work, described further on our elopement page. Our RBTs complete 40 hours of training plus a competency assessment, and a BCBA supervises at roughly 20%, about four times the field minimum.
Frequently asked questions from parents
Q: Should elopement be in my child’s IEP?
A: Yes, if it happens at school. Put the supervision level, who is responsible, and what happens during transitions and recess in writing.
Q: What happens if the school does not follow the plan?
A: You can file a state complaint with the Colorado Department of Education. A 2025 complaint over an elopement found the district failed to implement its own supervision accommodation.
Q: Can my child get a one-to-one aide for elopement?
A: It depends on the assessment and the team decision, not on a parent request alone. Documented elopement incidents and a functional behavior assessment are what usually move that conversation.
Q: Can Budding Futures work with my child at school?
A: Sometimes. We provide ABA inside school settings and we do the outreach, but the school decides whether to grant building access. Some Colorado schools welcome it and some make it difficult.
Q: Who is responsible if a child elopes at school?
A: The school is responsible for implementing the supervision written into the IEP. The Colorado ruling makes that concrete rather than theoretical.
More on elopement and staying safe
ABA Therapy for Elopement in Colorado
How Budding Futures assesses why a child bolts and builds the safety plan.
What to do if your child elopes
The first ten minutes, and what responders need to hear.
What is autism elopement?
What the widely quoted 49% figure actually measured.
Sources
Colorado Dept. of Education, SC2025-607
State complaint decision, 14 November 2025. District failed to implement a supervision accommodation.
34 CFR 300.320(b)
Federal IDEA transition planning requirement, effective by age 16.
Anderson et al., Pediatrics 2012
Elopement occurrence and family impact, including school-setting elopement.
Elopement happening at school?
We can assess why it is happening and help you get the right supervision written into the plan. Tell us what the school day looks like.