Searching for a Specialized School
1 in 64 children in Arizona are diagnosed with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD). Diana Diaz-Harrison, an Arizona mom, discovers her son Sammy is diagnosed with autism and searches for a school to meet his needs.
Arizona’s 1st Autism Charter School
Frustrated with the lack of quality school choices for children with autism, Diana Diaz-Harrison organized a group of parents and professionals to form a non-profit corporation with the sole purpose of starting Arizona’s first charter school focused on children with autism. Arizona Autism Charter Schools, Inc. was approved by the State Board for Charter Schools in 2013.
Our First Students Enroll
AZACS opens its doors in the fall serving 90 students in grades K-5!
AZACS Approved for Middle School
AZACS received approval from the Arizona State Board for Charter Schools to expand to Middle School grades. AZACS becomes the only K-8 charter school in Arizona focused on students with autism. AZACS opens a second campus in Central Phoenix.
State Officials Notice the Impact
Shortly after the first day of school, AZACS held its Grand Opening Ribbon Cutting event with a very special guest, Arizona Governor Doug Ducey!
AZACS Builds a Playground with KaBOOM!
AZACS was the proud recipient of a KaBOOM Playground grant. Volunteers from Fairytale Brownies and other community groups built a state of the art playground on our campus.
AZACS Grows to High School Grades
AZACS was approved to serve High School grades by the Arizona State Board for Charter Schools, making AZACS the first K-12 charter focused on students with autism in the southwestern U.S.
Online School
After the pandemic, dozens of families requested to continue in AZACS online programs. AZACS opened a fully accredited online school in 2021 offering specialized services to students across Arizona.
West Valley Campus
AZACS opened a new campus in the West Valley, in Peoria, Arizona.
Tucson Campus
AZACS expands its network with a new Tucson Campus.