Starlight Behavior Academy Becomes a Certified Autism Center™, Enhances Mesa’s Designation as an Autism Certified City™

Starlight Behavior Academy’s certification contributes to Mesa’s designation as an Autism Certified City™ (ACC).

MESA, AZ, UNITED STATES, December 19, 2025 /EINPresswire.com/ -- Starlight Behavior Academy becomes a Certified Autism Center™ (CAC), a designation granted by the International Board of Credentialing and Continuing Education Standards (IBCCES). To earn this designation, at least 80% of staff completed autism-specific training to equip them with knowledge and skills to best assist and support every student at the academy, including autistic and sensory-sensitive individuals.

"When we created Starlight Behavior Academy, our mission was clear: to blend therapies with education so that our students did not have to choose one over the other. We are committed to providing the best support possible—integrating clinic based students into classroom settings by following their lead and meeting each of their unique needs,” says Haley Palmer, director of Starlight. “This certification represents more than a milestone; it’s a recognition of our team’s dedication, passion, and commitment to continued education. It reflects the heart of what we do each day—striving to be the best we can be for our little learners.”

Palmer continues, “Becoming a Certified Autism Center™ is a powerful testament to our mission of changing the way early learners and their families are supported. We are deeply honored to receive this recognition, and we are dedicated to continuing to build brighter futures for every child who walks through our doors. We are so thrilled to celebrate this achievement with our families, partners, and community. This is just the beginning, and we cannot wait to see the impact we’ll continue to make together."

“IBCCES proudly awards the Certified Autism Center™ designation to Starlight Behavior Academy, recognizing the team’s effort to best assist their students by creating positive learning experiences and offering supportive environments for them to flourish in, leading to successful students outcomes and fostering long-term institutional growth,” says Myron Pincomb, IBCCES board chairman.

The academy’s in-clinic model combines individualized one-on-one instruction with carefully structured group integration, preparing young learners for essential social pairing and collaborative group dynamics—key components for long-term success in both school and life. Enhancing this core program are two standout features: a thoughtfully designed intentional play zone and a school readiness group center, both of which provide enriched, hands-on opportunities for growth and development.

By embedding ABA principles into the curriculum, Starlight Academy creates a well-regulated, adaptive classroom environment. Unlike traditional clinical models, its approach allows for the integration of additional strategies tailored to a range of neurodiverse profiles, including support for students with Pathological Demand Avoidance (PDA). This inclusive, responsive model ensures that every child’s unique needs are met while equipping the Starlight team with a broad and evolving toolkit.

Distinct from Polaris–which is also a CAC–Starlight offers a diverse range of specialized programs designed to provide young learners with the strongest possible foundation as they begin their educational journey.

Clinic services are scheduled based on the needs of each child. At Starlight, these clinic services are broken down into a morning session and afternoon session. However, Starlight has several models that can incorporate all-day services if it is in the best interest of the student/child including:
- Full-day clinic services
- Half-day clinic / Half-day academy
- Full-day academy Programs

Starlight Behavior Academy’s certification contributes to Mesa’s designation as an Autism Certified City™ (ACC). This designation ensures that both visitors and residents have access to a wide range of organizations that are trained and certified to better welcome and assist autistic and sensory-sensitive individuals across the healthcare, public safety, education, hospitality, entertainment, and recreation industries.

For more than two decades, IBCCES has been a leader in providing autism, sensory and neurodiversity training and certification for professionals worldwide, including those in healthcare, education, public safety, travel, and corporate sectors. As the only credentialing board offering these programs, IBCCES provides training from subject matter experts and autistic self-advocates, along with long-term support, continuous learning, onsite reviews, and renewal requirements to ensure continued growth and lasting impact.

To further support inclusivity efforts, Starlight Behavior Academy is featured on the IBCCES Accessibility App, which is free to download. This app provides individuals with a variety of disabilities real-time guidance on certified destinations, sensory-friendly spaces, and tailored recommendations. By connecting users to accessible locations worldwide, the app helps ensure seamless, enjoyable experiences for everyone.

IBCCES also provides access to resources such as AccessibilityCertified.com and AutismTravel.com, free online tools for families that list certified locations and professionals. Each organization listed on the site has met IBCCES certification requirements.

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Starlight Behavior Academy
Building on the proven success of Polaris Academy, Starlight Behavior Academy proudly integrates a comprehensive ABA Therapy program, offering both in-home and in-clinic services. ABA Therapy is widely recognized as a transformative approach in early childhood development, and at Starlight, it forms the foundation of a dynamic and supportive learning experience.

About IBCCES
Delivering the global standard for training and certification in the fields of autism, neurodiversity, and accessibility – IBCCES provides a series of certification programs that empower professionals to be industry leaders and improve the outcomes for the individuals they serve. For over two decades, IBCCES has been a global leader, setting the industry standard in autism and cognitive differences training. IBCCES works in over 111 countries and provides training in 8 languages, and its programs have been recognized around the world as the leading benchmark in training and certification.

In addition to individual certification programs, IBCCES partners with cities, destinations, and organizations on initiatives like the Certified Autism Destination™ (CAD) and Autism Certified City™ (ACC), ensuring autistic and sensory-sensitive residents and visitors feel welcomed and
safe. Destinations that achieve the CAD designation have completed a specialized program that ensures a multitude of recreation, hospitality and entertainment organizations have completed an autism and sensory-sensitivity training, certification and IBCCES facilities review process.

Meredith Tekin
IBCCES
+1 904-508-0135
marketing@ibcces.org
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