Mulick Urges Less Adult Support for Students

At a Frisco, Texas conference, Auburn School District autism coordinator Patrick Mulick urged educators to reduce reliance on one-to-one adult support for students with disabilities.

Updated on Nov. 6, 2026 in Special Education

Sparse, sunlit school corridor with a single small wooden chair at a low table beside a large window, suggesting open space for independent work. — Patrick Mulick, autism coordinator for the Auburn School District, urged Frisco educators on Friday to reduce one-to-one adult support for students with disabilities. AI Illustration. Upload story photo >

Patrick Mulick, autism coordinator for the Auburn School District in Washington, presented on reducing reliance on one-to-one adult support for students with disabilities at the Transporting Students with Disabilities and Special Needs Conference in Frisco, Texas. He spoke during the conference's opening sessions on Friday.

Why it matters

One-to-one adult support can create physical or symbolic barriers that interfere with peer interaction and cause students embarrassment or discomfort. Mulick argued that fostering independence helps students build the skills they need for daily routines.

Mulick has spoken five times at the TSD Conference and has more than two decades of experience teaching students from preschool through high school. The source does not report outcome measures for the approach he described.

The players

Patrick Mulick

Patrick Mulick is the autism coordinator for the Auburn School District in Washington and a five-time speaker at the TSD Conference, with over two decades of experience educating students with disabilities.

The details

Mulick outlined a sequence of routine, predictability, reliability, trust, and safety that he said leads to student success. He advised educators to say 'increasing opportunities for independence' rather than 'remove' or 'take out the adult,' and used visual step-by-step gas pump instructions in Oregon as an example of how visuals help students with disabilities.

• Friday: Mulick presented during the TSD Conference opening sessions in Frisco, Texas.

Culture Shift

Mulick's advice to replace the phrase 'take out the adult' with 'increasing opportunities for independence' reflects the TSD Conference's ongoing push to reframe how special education staff approach student autonomy. The shift runs counter to the long-standing habit of having adults handle tasks directly for students with disabilities.

For parents and educators in Frisco and across Texas, the approach Mulick described suggests planning explicit steps to reduce a student's reliance on an adult aide over time. Teachers can begin by using visual step-by-step instructions and framing goals around independence rather than removal.

The takeaway

Building independence in students with disabilities often starts with a deliberate plan to gradually reduce adult assistance, much like removing training wheels. Framing the goal as increasing opportunities for independence can make that transition more supportive.