May Institute

Educational Services at our Autism Schools

May Institute is one of the largest providers of private schools specifically serving children with autism. Our four May Centers for Child Development in Massachusetts and California offer full-day, year-round educational services to children and adolescents with autism spectrum disorders (ASD) and other developmental disabilities. The May Center in Randolph, Mass., also offers residential living in one of our community-based homes.

May Center schools are nationally recognized as leaders in “best practice” education for children with developmental disabilities. Our students are surrounded by caring, highly trained professionals seeking to improve the quality of life of the students in their care. Our teachers work with students in small groups or one-on-one, combining best practices from the fields of applied behavior analysis (ABA) and special education. Classroom activities emphasize all areas of a child's development, including communication, language, social skills, school-readiness, self-care, and play skills.

For older students (ages 15-22), the focus is on transitional skills that bolster self-confidence and foster self-sufficiency. At the Randolph and Santa Cruz locations, adolescents and young adults can participate in vocational training programs that will help them develop the critical skills they need to obtain paying jobs and achieve as much independence as possible.

As children mature, we work closely with families to prepare for the transition to adulthood. Many of these families choose to continue their relationship with May Institute, ensuring a continuation of critical services. Upon graduating from the May Center schools, as many as 70 percent of our students transition directly into our day and/or residential services for young adults.

Working together with our students and families, and calling on the considerable resources available to us, the caring professionals at the May Centers for Child Development can enable each child to reach his or her highest potential.

May Center school locations include: