Escuela inclusiva y aulas TEA : un estudio normativo sobre los centros preferentes TEA en España

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Abstract

The growing number of students with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) poses a significant challenge for the education system, which must adapt to ensure inclusive and high-quality schooling, in line with Sustainable Development Goal 4 of the 2030 Agenda. In this context, preferential centers and/or ASD classrooms have emerged, defined as mainstream educational settings equipped with specific resources aimed at creating structured, predictable, and anticipatory environments to support the learning and well-being of students with ASD. This study aims to analyze and compare the current legislation regarding this type of educational provision in fourteen autonomous communities and the two autonomous cities of Spain, through a systematic review of regulatory documents using a mixed-methods approach. The comparison was based on categories drawn from Torre and Martin’s study, including the terminology used, student-teacher ratios, student profiles, available staff resources, spatiotemporal organization, and the presence of this educational model in the institutional documents of the schools. The results reveal significant differences among the various regional regulations, highlighting a lack of nationwide coordination in the approach to educating students with ASD. This heterogeneity affects both the naming and the implementation of ASD classrooms and leads to unclear guidance on key aspects such as methodology, scheduling, and coordination with mainstream classrooms. These normative shortcomings have serious implications for educational practice, creating inequalities in the quality of support received by students with ASD depending on their region of schooling. This underscores the urgent need to establish common criteria and clearer guidelines to ensure equitable and coherent educational support across the country.