Why students with disabilities are going to school in classrooms that look like Staples and CVS

The Phoenix School of Discovery is an alternative school designed for students with learning and social challenges, with roughly half of students on an individualized education plan, or IEP. The school prioritizes hands-on learning, has multiple teachers in each classroom, and offers accommodations like sensory-friendly lighting and a space for “quiet lunch” for students who find the traditional cafeteria over-stimulating.

Camp K in Utah provides job counseling and training for teens with special needs, helping them to bridge the gap between high school and the professional work force.

The Loop-Delaware organizes free community events for children and teens with disabilities and their families, with the goal of creating a space where attendees can form connections and find structure outside of the school schedule. The events routinely draw about 30 people and parents say they have seen the group make a difference in how their children interact and build relationships with peers.

Pre-employment transition services are designed to support high school students with documented disabilities by helping them explore potential careers, gain valuable work experience, and develop crucial life skills they’ll need to succeed in the workplace. For one student in Utah, participating in the program helped him secure a job on the path to becoming a mechanic after graduation.

The Wisdom Hub Nursery and Primary School enrolls students alongside those who are differently-abled, allowing them to learn in the classroom together. The combined classroom approach teaches students to embrace diversity, nurturing an inclusive educational environment where each child can thrive. The Wisdom Hub opened in 2013 and has since seen over 300 children with special needs cross into secondary school.

Washington state's ClimeTime program trains educators to teach about climate change and environmental justice in a way that explores local impacts and gives students tools for taking action. Roughly 98 percent of teachers who participated in 2021-22 said ClimeTime made them feel more prepared to tackle climate change in the classroom.

The Harbor School, a public high school located on Governors Island, prepares students to work in maritime fields and exposes them to public service careers such as the Coast Guard. They get the opportunity to do hands-on work in the community, including through a project to study the health of New York Harbor and a program that aims to re-establish the harbor's oyster population.

At Lovecraft, adults with disabilities have the opportunity to create and sell their art while learning important life skills such as communication in the process. The organization has served 40 adults since opening in 2018.

Indiana's Crossing the Finish Line program leverages COVID-19 relief funding to cover the cost of college-level credit for high school students. The program targets students who are only a few credits away from completing the state's College Core curriculum or receiving a technical credential.

In Wilmington, Delaware, high schools are hosting college fairs featuring historically black colleges and universities (HBCUs) to introduce students to institutions of higher education that they might not otherwise know about.