ALC was founded in 1982 as an early intervention program, and redefined its mission in 1998 as research revealed that the best education for children with special needs is through an inclusion program.
The Adaptive Learning Center is one of the few inclusion programs in the state of Georgia due to its unique system of community partnerships with 11 outstanding Atlanta schools.
ALC Leadership
Charles C. Schoen, IV
Executive Director & Development Coordinator
Charles joined ALC in March of 2010. Charles’ background spans both the corporate and non-profit communities as well as having a personal connection to ALC.
His business background includes banking, insurance and packaging. He has co-chaired the Annual Fund for Holy Innocents Episcopal School; served on Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta’s Board of Directors for its Annual Fund and was a loaned executive for the United Way. On a personal note, Charles is an ALC alumni parent. His son, Charlie was in ALC’s first Inclusion Program at Shirley Blumenthal Park from 1998 through 2001.
Charles has a passion for the ALC mission and certainly knows first hand what ALC means to the community.
Mary Rose White
Program Coordinator
Mary Rose White received a Bachelor’s in Special Education from the University of Mississippi. She went on to receive her Master’s degree in Special Education and served as a Research Assistant at Vanderbilt University. Throughout her various experiences in the field she has gained training in Applied Behavioral Analysis, Social-Emotional Learning, and best practices in Preschool Inclusion.
After serving as an Inclusion Specialist for 4 years she became the Program Coordinator for ALC in 2020. In her role as Program Coordinator she oversees the daily planning and implementation of the preschool inclusion program.
Susan S. Danser
Business Manager
Susan has over 20 years of experience working in medical and educational business offices. Susan has a bachelor’s degree in Marketing and a master’s degree in Human Resources from Kennesaw State University.
Susan has been with ALC since 2003.
Adaptive Learning Center
2022 – 2023 Board of Directors
President
David Stephenson
Managing Director, Regions Securities
Secretary/Treasurer
Sandy Bowen
Executive Vice President, Southern First
Darrick Graham
Executive Director, Essential2Life
Lee Hord
US Bank Commercial Real Estate
Jennifer Kovanis, MS OTR/L
Practice Administrator, Premier Children’s Therapy Center
Tyese Lawyer
Chief Executive Officer, Our House
Anna Muir
Executive Director and Founding Leader, Stella & Dot
Ted Sullivan
Vice President, Communications and Media Industry Leader, SAP America, Inc.
Susan Tauber
Founder, Adaptive Learning Center
Ed Waits
Financial Advisor, Coggins-Waits Financial Group, Wells Fargo Advisors
Common Questions
Special Education programs are in tremendous demand in communities all across America. In fact, one in five people has a learning disability and autism is the fastest growing serious developmental disability in the U.S.
Attending preschool – which is critical for future success – is often out of reach for young children with learning challenges or disabilities. Despite growing demand, typical preschools often lack the capacity to provide individualized care, and special education preschools can sometimes limit children’s social development.
We are one of the few organization in Georgia that fully integrates children with special needs into typical preschools – with individualized support from special education teachers. Our partnerships with some of Atlanta’s finest preschools enable children to learn and play alongside their peers in a warm and caring environment. In classes with 90 percent or more typical children, children with challenges or disabilities learn not just basic academic skills; they discover important life lessons through interactions with other children and adults.
Following a thorough interview process, our staff develops customized therapy education plans that outline specific and attainable goals for each child. Using the latest strategies and intervention standards, our support teachers take a holistic approach to meeting each child’s individual needs. The ALC teacher tracks the children’s progress daily and also keeps the parents informed via daily email notes. In addition, parents receive valuable guidance and documentation that helps them plan for elementary school and beyond.
With its individualized care and high education standards, ALC has been a tremendous value to families and communities for over 35 years. On average:
Special Instruction in nine inclusive, accredited, typical preschools
ALC serves children ages Birth – 6 years.
ALC serves children with a wide range of developmental delays and differences, such as sensory processing disorders, speech and language delays, autism spectrum disorder, cerebral palsy, Down syndrome, Fragile-X, and other developmental and at-risk conditions. Children do not need a diagnosis to be served by ALC.
Staff-to-child ratios meet NAEYC standards and surpass state licensing standards. The ALC staff to child ratio never exceeds 1:2. In the preschool depending on the age of the child, ratios typically are 3:15 for younger preschoolers and 2:15 for older preschoolers. These ratios do not include ALC facilitators assigned to each classroom. Children with challenges comprise about 10% of the enrollment of each inclusive classroom.
Fees from tuition cover less than 50% of the cost of providing services. The remainder is raised through contributions from individuals, foundations, corporations, government grants, and fundraising events. ALC is a 501(c)(3) not-for-profit agency. All contributions are tax deductible.
All financial aid is need based. Financial aid applications are handled through School and Student Service for Financial Aid (SSS). Parents who wish to apply for financial aid should apply online by completing the Parents’ Financial Statements (PFS) online at http://sss.nais.org/Pages/default.aspx
Along with completing the on-line application, you will need to submit the following documentation:
If the Scholarship Service indicates that you qualify for financial aid, ALC’s Financial Aid committee will make a decision regarding the amount The Adaptive Learning Center is able to offer. We are often unable to match the total need indicated by the Scholarship Service. It is our policy to offer smaller amounts to aid as many families as possible. Families receiving scholarship are expected to contribute volunteer hours throughout the program year.
The Adaptive Learning center also now works with Your Tuition Solution, which provides low fixed-rate education plans. To learn more about the program and to apply, please visit https://secure.yourtuitionsolution.com. When prompted to select your school, enter our zip code: 30144 (our business office address).
Your Tuition Solution is offered by Springstone Financial, LLC. Please call 800-920-9777 for further information regarding their services.
The preschool program hours vary depending on location. Please refer to the individual preschool partner websites for schedules.
Please request an application and we will evaluate your child’s situation and how we may be able to meet their needs.
