South Coast Educational Collaborative: Nurturing Growth and Success for Diverse Learners

The South Coast Educational Collaborative (SCEC) is dedicated to offering high-quality educational programming for students of all ages with a wide array of abilities and challenges. Established in 1974, SCEC serves as a vital resource for member school districts, providing specialized educational programs and services that might be difficult for individual districts to offer independently.

Comprehensive Programs and Services

SCEC day school programs address the educational needs of students with a wide array of abilities and challenges. Integrated classrooms are provided in public school settings for elementary through high school students, ages 3-22 years. All SCEC programs focus on high-quality instruction using evidence-based practices.

SCEC offers a diverse range of programs tailored to meet the unique needs of students across various age groups and ability levels. These programs include:

Day Programs: Addressing the needs of students with social-emotional, behavioral, and cognitive challenges.
Integrated Classrooms: Providing inclusive learning environments within public school settings for students from elementary through high school.
STEAM Program: Integrating science, technology, engineering, arts, and mathematics to promote deep learning and critical thinking skills.
LIFE Academy: Preparing adult students with disabilities for independent living and community integration.

205 - Day Programs: Fostering Social-Emotional Growth

The 205-day programs are designed for students with social-emotional and behavioral challenges. The goal is to affect academic and social-emotional growth through specialized counseling, academic instruction, and brain-based therapeutic supports so that students will successfully transition to a less restrictive educational setting. These nine classrooms have an average enrollment of 8-10 students and a 1:3 staff-to-student ratio. The mission is to offer students cutting-edge services that are based on brain-based therapeutic researched best practices. Professional development in curriculum and brain-based therapeutic supports is a priority to do this effectively.

220 - Day Programs: Supporting Students with Complex Needs

The 220-day programs serve a population of students with diagnoses of autism spectrum disorder, moderate to severe cognitive impairments, sensory processing and communication impairments, neuromotor deficits and/or medical and psychiatric needs. Some students have social-emotional diagnoses as well as cognitive impairment. These classrooms have an average enrollment of 10 students, and students are provided with a 1:2 staff-to-student ratio. The mission is to offer students cutting edge services that are based on brain-based researched best practices by engaging students in meaningful instruction aligned with the Massachusetts Curriculum Frameworks and supported by adapted curriculum materials. The desired outcome of instruction is increased potential in the areas of self-regulation, social skills development, communication and cognitive development with the ultimate goal of placement in a less restrictive school setting.

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Integrated Classrooms: Fostering Inclusion and Transition

SCEC’s integrated classrooms are located in public school settings across the South Coast region. These integrated programs are a less restrictive alternative to most private school or public day settings. Students enrolled in integrated programs attend academic, music, arts and/or physical education classes with their district peers, and also join those peers during nonacademic times such as lunch, assemblies or after-school sports. If behavior or other factors preclude that involvement, students from the district school participate in SCEC classroom instruction using a reverse inclusion model.

Experiences in the community are an essential component of the curriculum at every SCEC site. Transition planning is a key component of the education for every student throughout his or her academic career at SCEC. It is the goal of every SCEC program to prepare students to transition back into their own public school district with support from the SCEC team as needed to ensure the student’s success. As students approach their fourteenth birthday, transition planning becomes more formalized and intensive. Focus is placed on preparing students for life after public education as necessary for success in today’s society. Instruction expands to include positive work habits and independent living skills.

STEAM Program: Cultivating Innovation and Problem-Solving

The South Coast Educational Collaborative STEAM Program provides research based educational services to students and staff in grades K-12. These services include Project Based Learning, Placed Based Learning and work in science, engineering, arts, and mathematics. STEAM is a philosophy that emphasizes the Deep Learning principle of exploring the subject matter in an integrated fashion to work on real world problems. The SCEC STEAM Program also works to develop the six “C’s” of Deep Learning; critical thinking, communication, collaboration, and creativity, citizenship, and character, skills that are vital for success. STEAM services are individually adapted to those students with moderate to severe developmental delays, adaptive behavior challenges, language delays, and/or behavioral/emotional issues interfere with their success in a school setting. The STEAM program offers professional development opportunities for staff inside the classroom and in workshops.

LIFE Academy: Empowering Adults with Disabilities

The LIFE (Learning In Functional Environments) Academy is an educational program specially designed to meet the needs of adult students with moderate to significant disabilities ages 18-22. This largely community-based program aims to prepare students with moderate to severe disabilities to be fulfilled, happy and productive citizens in their local communities. The program hours are 7:45-2:15 pm with a 220 day schedule. Students receive the following related services as part of their weekly programming: speech and language, counseling, occupational and physical therapy, applied behavioral analysis and health and wellness through a multidisciplinary approach. Students attending this program have satisfied their high school requirements and met state testing requirements. The majority of students attending the LIFE Academy will age out of special education with a Certificate of Attainment having participated in the MCAS-Alternate portfolio assessment process. The cornerstone of programming at the LIFE Academy is focused on Self-Determination, Self-Regulation and Transition related skills. Students participate in choice making as they learn to identify their needs, interests and skills in the arenas of Independent Living, Health and Wellness, Recreation and Leisure, and Vocational skills. The LIFE Academy campus in Swansea includes the Stoico-First Fed YMCA where students have memberships and can participate in a variety of Health, Wellness, Recreation and Vocational activities. In addition, students spend the majority of their time in community based settings where they practice life skills and explore a wide variety of adult experiences.

Key Features of SCEC Programs

SCEC programs share several key features that contribute to their effectiveness:

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Individualized Instruction: The curriculum is modified and adapted on an individual student basis to ensure all students are participating in standards-based learning.
Functional Education: In addition to academics, students receive functional education in life skills, language, socialization, independent living, recreation and leisure activities.
Inclusionary Instruction: Students throughout SCEC participate in inclusionary instruction, whether within district classrooms or community settings, to support transitional skill development as well as generalization and internalization of learned skills.
Interdisciplinary Teams: All programs are staffed by highly qualified interdisciplinary teams that include educators, therapists, clinicians, nurses and paraprofessionals who work together to ensure optimal educational experiences for each student.
Assistive Technology: SCEC day school programs are fully supported by state-of-the-art assistive technology to support learners within the classroom.
Data-Driven Instruction: SCEC uses sophisticated data collection practices to gather information on student performance in academics, social-emotional well being, self regulation and behavior. Daily analysis of collected data is used to guide instructional practices as needed to maximize student success.
Transition Planning: Transition planning is a key component of the education for every student throughout his or her academic career at SCEC.

SCEC Locations and Programs

SCEC operates programs in various locations across the South Coast region, including:

Berkley: Early Childhood & Elementary, SCEC at Berkley Middle School
Dighton: Bridge - Dighton Rehoboth High School
Freetown: Freetown Elementary School
Lakeville: George R Austin Intermediate School
Rehoboth: Early Childhood - Palmer River, Palmer River Elementary
Seekonk: Seekonk North ACE Elementary School, Seekonk North Elementary, Seekonk North K-8 School, Seekonk North High School, Seekonk North Middle School, Gallishaw High School at Seekonk High School
Somerset: Somerset Middle School, Somerset North Elementary, South Coast Middle Alternative School at Somerset Middle School
Swansea: LIFE Academy, Bishop Connelly High School

These programs cater to a diverse range of student needs, including those with autism spectrum disorder, cognitive delays, sensory processing challenges, social-emotional difficulties, and learning disabilities.

Seekonk North K-8 School: A Comprehensive Special Education Day School

Seekonk North K-8 School, an approved public special education day school, provides comprehensive educational services to children in grades Kindergarten through eight who are unable to successfully participate in the public school setting at this time.

Gallishaw High School: Transitioning to Career Success

Gallishaw High School is a school-to-career transition school providing comprehensive educational and therapeutic services for students in grades 9 through 12 and through age 22 with social, emotional, behavioral and academic challenges that have inhibited success in school. All students participate in an initial transition assessment and additional screenings.

Commitment to Equity and Non-Discrimination

It is the policy of SMEC and its programs not to discriminate, and not to allow discrimination, on the basis of sex, race, color, religion, national origin, sexual orientation, gender identity, disability, limited English speaking ability or homelessness in any of its activities.

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