University of Iowa and Stride Autism Centers Partner on OSERS-Funded ICORE Project to Develop the Next Generation of Behavior Analysts

Five-year initiative pairs rigorous academic preparation at the University of Iowa with intensive clinical supervision at Stride Autism Centers — building the workforce of Board Certified Behavior Analysts that Iowa families depend on

DES MOINES, Iowa, July 23, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Stride Autism Centers, Iowa's largest center-based provider of Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA) therapy, today announced its partnership with the Interdisciplinary Competency-Oriented Behavioral Education (ICORE) Project at the University of Iowa, a federally funded initiative supported by the U.S. Department of Education's Office of Special Education and Rehabilitative Services (OSERS). The collaboration will prepare a new generation of Board Certified Behavior Analysts (BCBAs) to serve children with autism and other developmental needs across Iowa and the Midwest.

Under the partnership, ICORE scholars will complete intensive supervised clinical hours in a variety of settings, including Iowa schools and biobehavioral health facilities at the University of Iowa. Scholars will also be embedded in Stride's network of clinics, gaining direct experience under the mentorship of seasoned BCBAs. Stride will also collaborate with ICORE project leadership on the design of scholar supervision evaluations, contributing to the academic and clinical infrastructure of the program itself.

“The CORE Project was designed to prepare BCBA scholars who can provide interdisciplinary, evidence-based services to provide comprehensive supports for children with disabilities,” said Dr. Seth King, Principal Investigator of the ICORE Project at the University of Iowa. “Stride's willingness to engage in supervision design alongside our faculty is a meaningful contribution to how the next generation of behavior analysts in Iowa will be trained.”

“This is what it means to lead in our field — not just to deliver excellent care for the children in our centers today, but to invest in the workforce that will deliver excellent care for kids a decade from now,” said Brad Zelinger, Founder and CEO of Stride Autism Centers. “The supervisors working with ICORE scholars in our centers are the same supervisors who have helped us grow more than 30 BCBAs from within our own ranks. We know what it takes to develop world-class clinicians, and we are proud to bring that experience to this project.”

A Rigorous Pathway Built on Evidence-Based Frameworks

ICORE scholars will receive rigorous training in schools and university clinics under the supervision of nationally recognized experts. While at Stride, trainees will receive supervision grounded in widely recognized, evidence-based methods disseminated by LeBlanc and Sellers, two of the most respected voices in modern behavior analytic supervision. Each scholar will complete a minimum of 20 concentrated supervision hours across two academic semesters, earning both restricted and unrestricted supervision hours as defined by the Behavior Analyst Certification Board (BACB). Program completers will receive an MA in Special Education with a Concentration in Applied Behavior Analysis from the University of Iowa. The program is recognized by the Association for Behavior Analysis International (ABAI).

The internship pathway also equips scholars to become Registered Behavior Technicians (RBTs), with hands-on training in discrete trial training, incidental teaching, telehealth-delivered services, and the creation of individualized behavior support plans.

Multidisciplinary, Real-World Exposure

A defining feature of the ICORE–Stride partnership is its interdisciplinary clinical environment. Beyond behavior analytic training, scholars will collaborate alongside psychologists, speech-language pathologists, teachers, and other specialists, giving them the kind of real-world exposure to interdisciplinary care that families increasingly need.

A Mission Rooted in Underserved and Diverse Communities

More than 50% of the clients served at the University of Iowa and Stride's network of clinics utilize Medicaid funding, ensuring CORE scholars gain extensive experience working with families from a wide range of socioeconomic backgrounds and Iowa's most underserved communities. Stride and the ICORE Project share a commitment to positioning scholars to work alongside families from a variety of backgrounds to develop into the kind of clinicians those families deserve.

A Pathway from Education to Career

While employment with Stride is not a requirement of the CORE Project, Stride will offer preferential employment review to CORE scholars who choose to pursue a career with the organization — creating a clear, supported pathway from academic training to clinical practice in Iowa's largest center-based ABA network.

About the CORE Project

The Interdisciplinary Competency-Oriented Behavioral Education (CORE) Project at the University of Iowa is a $1.2 million federally funded personnel preparation initiative supported by the U.S. Department of Education's Office of Special Education and Rehabilitative Services (OSERS). ICORE integrates classroom instruction with practical experiences across multiple settings. The project will prepare 14 scholars to deliver evidence-based behavior analytic services to children with autism and other developmental disabilities, with a particular focus on Iowa's highest-need communities.

About Stride Autism Centers

Stride Autism Centers is a mission-driven organization dedicated to providing evidence-based center-based ABA therapy to children with autism ages 2 to 6. With locations across Illinois, Iowa, Nebraska, and South Dakota, Stride's programs integrate structured one-on-one therapy with naturalistic group activities. These programs are designed to promote skills in communication, emotional regulation, school readiness, social interaction, self-care, and more. For more information, please call us at 515-207-5251 or visit Stride Autism Centers.

A photo accompanying this announcement is available at https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/d4494d78-ff03-48f9-a61e-0d548a2ab31f

Whitney Jones, wjones@stridecenters.com

Stride Autism Centers Clinicians Collaborate

Stride Autism Centers clinicians collaborate at one of the organization's ABA therapy centers. Through its new partnership with the University of Iowa's ICORE Project, Stride will provide supervised clinical training to graduate scholars preparing to become Board Certified Behavior Analysts.

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