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Four autistic children seem to be thriving in a new — and extremely expensive — public school at the University of New Mexico Children's Psychiatric Hospital.

Four fourth-graders attend four hours a day at an annual cost projected at $88,000 per student. That's eight times more than the usual expenditure for intensive special education services.

Albuquerque Public Schools is paying the bill from its $190 million special education budget.

But the huge investment is paying off, judging from the progress students are making, said Diana Spriggs, the hospital's education director and principal of the school.

"Observers say, `I can't believe that's the same kid' they knew in public school," she said.

"For the most part, I think the (students') families are thrilled. The feedback on a daily basis has been good."

Progress has been observed in the students' newfound willingness to cooperate and communicate, Spriggs said.

"They are calm. They are all in the same room. There is interaction between students, even with one who could not tolerate other kids. Now he's with the group all day."

Two of the students are still nonverbal, but they are communicating through pictures and "they will lead us to what they want," Spriggs said. "This is really nice to see."

The children selected for the new school have the greatest need for intensive services and were unsuccessful in their home schools, said Costa Pavlakos, special education coordinator for multiple disabilities and autism.

The parents of one of the four students are named plaintiffs in a federal lawsuit seeking improved services for all autistic children in Albuquerque Public Schools.

There are 348 autistic children scattered at 31 APS sites for intensive support and in numerous neighborhood schools, district officials said.

The lawsuit was filed on Sept. 7. The new school opened Sept. 27.

Albuquerque Public Schools officials say the school was not created in response to the lawsuit.

"We were working on this all along," said Pavlakos.

Initial discussions with UNM took place in December 2006, he said. The contract for services signed with UNM includes staff salaries, training, supplies and the use of three classrooms.

The school operates year-round. The children will have 260 days of school, four hours daily, compared with 180 days of 6 hours for traditional students in the district.

Spriggs said the $352,000 contract was based on projected costs and that actual costs might be less.

"We're not sure if it will cost that much," she said.

Pavlakos said the services for the neediest autistic children "don't come cheap. There are other students we spend that much on, but this is among the most expensive."

A teacher and three mental health technicians are supported by a nurse, a speech and language pathologist, a occupational therapist, a therapeutic recreation specialist, a psychologist, art and music teachers and a pet therapy program.

The school district provides bus transportation to and from the school.

Advocates for improving services to autistic children are encouraged by the new school.

Larry Fuller, associate director for Parents Reaching Out, said he's not surprised the autistic children are making progress.

"I've seen some phenomenal results with significantly disabled children. It's a matter of getting the right training in place for the staff," he said.

"Progress is seldom about the children. It's almost always about the adults in their lives."

Fuller said the school district should be praised for starting the school despite the high cost.

"If that's what it is, that's what it is," he said.

Fuller said the growing numbers of autistic children — one out of every 150 children are autistic — "should be something every school district, every citizen is concerned about because it affects everybody."

The attorney representing the families of autistic children said the opening of the school goes to the point of the lawsuit that services are lacking in the district.

"APS' decision to fund education for these students by placement at UNM highlights both the needs of our community's children with autism and the absence of infrastructure within the public schools to provide for their education," attorney Gail Stewart said.

Two additional children will be enrolled in the school after a retiring teacher is replaced, he said.

Spriggs advertised in Sunday's newspaper for teacher applicants. She will be the teacher until a replacement is hired.

Spriggs said the new school was designed to serve autistic children until they are ready to return to their neighborhood schools.

"Our goal is not to keep the kids here," she said. "The goal is to get them back."