Our Education Services
Project Hope Foundation has its own school program, Hope Academy, accredited by the South Carolina Independent School Association (SCISA). We serve students from kindergarten through high school in classrooms designed specifically for students with autism, implementing Applied Behavioral Analysis (ABA) strategies to maximize progress. Our teachers are trained in ABA and supported by both an Education Coordinator and a Board Certified Behavior Analyst.
Hope Academy is a year-round program, running September – August, with breaks during each quarter. Our school day is 8:30-4:30, Monday through Friday. Our classrooms are housed at our Landrum, Spartanburg, and Woodruff campuses. Bus transportation to our Landrum and Woodruff campuses is available from centralized drop-off spots.
We celebrate and promote strengths while addressing any pertinent challenges. Our school day includes time intentionally addressing social interaction, self-regulation of behavior, and adaptive skills. We recognize that transitioning into adulthood is often particularly challenging for the autism community. To help that process, we begin Pre-Employment Transition Services (focusing on skills related to future employment success) for all students at age 13 and begin discussing future support needs with our Adult Services when students reach age 16.
Our academic framework is structured into tiered classrooms to complement the need for ABA therapy, allowing each student to benefit from an individualized day. Our therapy and education programs work together with shared goals and team interaction. Students may transition from one tier to another to meet their current needs.
The following table provides general information, which may be adjusted for individual students:
For more details about these groupings, please watch the brief video below:
Hope Academy is tuition-based, requiring enrollment in the FACTS software system for tuition collection. Families may apply for scholarship assistance through the state program, SC Educational Credit for Exceptional Needs Children, administered through the SC Department of Revenue. Tuition reflects our extremely low student-to-teacher ratios and the unique structure of integrating therapeutic and educational programs.
In addition to our own educational program, we provide therapeutic support to students in local private/public schools across the upstate (as applicable to individual clients and external school entities).
Hope Academy’s mission is to provide supportive classes that develop and celebrate each child's academic, behavioral and social successes.
Helpful links
Enrolled Students Only
Admissions Process
Admission to education classrooms has several paths:
If you are receiving therapy services from Project Hope Foundation, referrals are made from your Supervisor.
If your child has an autism diagnosis but you are not yet receiving services from us, we welcome you to complete an application for services. However, space is limited and clients in our therapy program receive priority admission. If you are not yet receiving ABA therapy for your child, please refer to our therapy program.
Education Staff
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SC Tax Credit
South Carolina Educational Credit for Exceptional Needs Children
South Carolina currently offers an Educational Credit for Exceptional Needs Children tax credit, a dollar-for-dollar tax credit, for individuals and corporations. Applicants are required to make a donation to Exceptional SC, a 501(c)(3) entity authorized by the South Carolina state legislature.
Visit www.exceptionalsc.org for more information.
How to Make a Donation – Go to https://exceptionalsc.org/donate/
How to Apply for the Credit - Parents are fully responsible for completing all application steps for this scholarship. Hope Academy is a beneficiary of the scholarship funds from the state but is a separate entity and not affiliated with the scholarship program in any way. Visit www.exceptionalsc.org for more information about applying for the scholarship.
This information has been provided by Project Hope Foundation, Inc., a 501(c)(3) public charity located throughout upstate South Carolina, which provides a lifespan of services to the autism community, including Hope Academy, an exceptional needs school for children with autism that is located in Greenville, SC.
While Project Hope does not directly benefit from your donation, we are providing this material to help facilitate full utilization of the scholarship funds. These scholarships are vital to our ability to provide future services to the children.