Bridge High School was established more than 30 years ago in Downers Grove, Illinois, specializing in providing quality educational services for secondary level students with pervasive disabilities, primarily autism. This program provides an alternative, functional, community-based curriculum to students who typically have not had success in their home schools.

Bridge High School staff work closely with students and parents to assist in developing viable plans to facilitate successful transition to adulthood. The approach is not “one size fits all,” but is an individualized and exploratory approach. This is true for higher functioning individuals who are exploring work interests and aptitudes, as well as for students who require a more individualized approach to ensure the acquisition and development of adaptive behaviors.

Bridge curriculum assures learning across these key domains:

• Functionally oriented academic classes provide for instruction and completion of courses, aligned with common core learning standards for Illinois and in accordance with home school requirements, for earning a high school diploma.

• Regularly scheduled community instruction ensures the application of school learning to real world settings such as retail stores, banks, libraries, and the YMCA.

• Participation in life skills classes teaches consumer, homemaking, household management, personal maintenance, and leisure skills.

• Vocational classes instill and develop basic work sensibilities and behaviors (soft skills) crucial for successful community employment, through daily paid work activities in school.

• Community vocational activities, including on the job evaluations, assure individualized exploration of work aptitudes and preferences, along with opportunities for basic work experience at real places of business.

• Social-emotional learning classes and related activities help students increase self- awareness, social problem solving abilities, emotional self-regulation, and other social competencies necessary for successful relationships.