The Pyramid Autism Center (PAC) is a California Department of Education State Certified Non-Public, Non-Profit School founded in 1998 that is dedicated to serving the needs of children and families touched by autism. The PAC school utilizes the Pyramid Approach to Education developed by Dr. Andrew Bondy, a world-renowned leader in autism education and research. Whereas many approaches place an initial emphasis upon controlling the behavioral difficulties of these students, the Pyramid Approach grows out of a conviction that children are always ready to learn- the question is: are teachers ready to teach? Our emphasis is upon creating functional activities that stress the use of powerful and on-going reinforcement systems while assuring children can effectively communicate and understand what we expect of them. When such systems are in place, issues associated with behavior management can be effectively addressed. Our view also reflects that the key to long-term behavior management change is the development of alternative skills that serve the child’s needs.