Brookline SpEd Programs

Located at the Lincoln School, the ALC services students with complex academic and medical profiles. The ALC serves students in grades K-8 who have a wide range of disabilities including developmental, physical and intellectual disabilities.

Note: this is a SEPAC edited description of this program. Click here for the official Public Schools of Brookline description of the ALC.

LAHB is based at the Driscoll School and serves students with disabilities (like dyslexia) that impact their ability to read and may cause difficulties with spelling and writing. Students in this program do not have other significant disabilities. The LAHB program provides specialized teaching using evidence based teaching methods. Students in the program receive support both in small groups and within the general education setting. Speech and language services are integral to this program. Consultation is also provided to the LAHB program through Landmark School Outreach.

Note: this is a SEPAC edited description of this program. Click here for the official Public Schools of Brookline description of LAHB.

RISE is provided for K-8 students at Runkle School and also for BEEP and BHS students at those locations. RISE uses a team approach to meeting the needs of students with Autism or other similar disabilities. These students receive academic teaching, social skills training, behavioral intervention and speech, occupational therapy and physical therapy as needed for each student. Depending on the student, services may be in a full inclusion general education classroom or in a substantially separate classroom and many options in between. An important focus of RISE is to increase independence with a variety of skills including daily living, social skills, behavior management, communication, and executive functioning.

Note: this is a SEPAC edited description of this program. Click here for the official Public Schools of Brookline description of RISE.

TLC is based at the Coolidge Corner School. The TLC supports students with a history of emotional disabilities and behavioral challenges which impact learning and who need more support than can be provided in their neighborhood school. The TLC provides (depending on the individual needs of each student): direct instruction in a separate classroom, support in a general education classroom, and positive behavior intervention plans. Students may also learn specific relaxation techniques and may receive counseling. Teachers at the TLC have additional training in emotional and behavior regulations skills, positive behavior supports and deescalation strategies. The program also has a dedicated social worker who provides individual and/or group counseling services to TLC students.

Note: this is a SEPAC edited description of this program. Click here for the official Public Schools of Brookline description of the TLC.

Brookline High School offers a continuum of highly individualized services that support students' post-secondary goals and vision. These services may include career development classes, travel training, and employment support. 

The CBC serves high school students in grades 9-postgrad who have a wide range of disabilities including developmental, physical and cognitive disabilities. The goal of classroom instruction is to teach functional academics that can be used in real-life situations. Each student will receive the appropriate amount of 1:1 instruction throughout the day to optimize learning.

The ExCEL program is a substantially separate therapeutic learning environment where community building and self-discovery are emphasized in order to improve student academic behavior and performance. Students will be active participants as they learn the skills needed to be successful in both academic and social settings. The ExCEL program is designed for students who benefit from daily structure, clear behavioral expectations, consistency, and a smaller community.

Pathways to Social Communication, Integration and Inclusion is a program that provides a continuum of services to students who benefit from instruction in social communication, self-regulation, navigating the social world and managing the multiple academic and personal demands high school students face. The goal of this program is to help students become socially competent and successful learners who are engaged in the larger community.

Transition Services are designed to help young adults with disabilities obtain and maintain employment by facilitating career exploration activities (i.e.  informational interviews, job shadowing opportunities and/or internships), identifying skills and interests, developing a range of career options, and ultimately securing employment in the community.

Winthrop House, an off-site component of Brookline High School, provides a therapeutic Special Education alternative for students whose social and/or emotional problems has hindered success in a traditional setting.  The goal of Winthrop House is to break the cycle of difficulties some adolescents experience in school.  With its low student-teacher ratio, the program provides students individual support in an emotionally and physically safe environment, helping students build self-esteem, work toward academic potential, and experience positive peer interactions.