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Admissions

Admission to the Gateway School

Student and Instructional assistant look at device

Gateway School is committed to ensuring that our learning environment is appropriate to maximize the learning potential of the applicant.

Admission Criteria

Gateway School accepts a student for admission if he/she meets the following criteria:

  • 5 through 15 years of age or currently enrolled Kindergarten, or Grades 1-8

  • 5 years of age or older on September 1 if seeking admission to kindergarten

  • Formal diagnosis or FCI code for one or more of the following primary disabilities: autism, developmental delay, hearing impairment, other health impairment, multiple disabilities, and speech or language impairment

  • Present levels of academic performance: 18 months through 12 years, Kindergarten, or Grade 1-Grade 8

  • Behavioral characteristics such as tantrums, impulsivity, or non-compliance are secondary to the primary disability

  • Behavioral characteristics that may refuse admission are self-injurious behaviors, aggression towards others, or serious maladaptive behaviors (high intensity/frequency). Gateway School does not accept IEPs with restraint or seclusion.

  • Cognitive/psychological, educational, and/or speech-language assessments/evaluations for students are available for review

Please Note: Gateway School provides a language integrated education program and is not appropriate for a student who is diagnosed as emotionally disturbed and/or with severe intellectual disability. The program also is not appropriate for the student who exhibits significant self-injurious behaviors, aggression towards others, or other serious maladaptive behaviors.

Admission Process

  1. Education Director reviews referral from the Local School System (LSS), or the application for admission and student records submitted by the parent/guardian.
  2. Education Director schedules a pre-admission interview or tour with the family.
  3. Admissions candidate is invited for one or two half-day visits. During the visit, an interprofessional admissions team will observe the child in the learning environment.
  4. Gateway’s interprofessional admissions team, including but not limited to the education director, speech language pathologist, behavior specialist and/or psychologist, occupational therapist, and special educator, will meet to discuss observations, review criteria for admissions, and determine student’s eligibility for placement in Gateway School.
  5. The family and/or LSS will be informed in writing.
    1. Student meets criteria: if there is an opening in an appropriate classroom, the parent/guardian and LSS will be informed in writing. A financial agreement will be forwarded to the parent/guardian for private pay placement OR an annual cost sheet will be sent to the Local School System.
    2. If the student does not meet the criteria: the parent/guardian and/or the LSS will be informed by writing.
    3. An agreed upon start date will be determined.