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Our Education Services

Hope Academy: A School Designed for Children with Autism

Hope Academy is Project Hope Foundation’s private, accredited school for students with autism, serving kindergarten through high school. Our school mission is to provide supportive classes that develop and celebrate each child’s academic, behavioral and social successes.

Our classrooms are intentionally designed to meet each student’s unique learning needs by combining education with evidence-based strategies from Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA) to help students make meaningful, lasting progress. Our teachers are trained in ABA and supported by a leadership team with expertise in both education and behavior analysis so that your child benefits from a fully integrated approach, not separate systems working in isolation.

 What a School Day Looks Like

Hope Academy operates year-round, allowing for consistency and continued progress.

        • Schedule: Monday–Friday, 8:30 AM – 4:30 PM
        • Campuses: Landrum and Woodruff
        • Transportation: Limited bus service available from centralized locations

A Personalized Approach to Learning

Our tiered classroom model allows us to match each student’s level of support and adjust as they grow. Students can move between tiers as their needs change, ensuring they are always in the right environment. What makes this model especially effective is the collaboration between:

    • Education teams
    • ABA therapy teams

Together, they work toward shared goals, creating a cohesive individualized experience for each student. Each day includes:

    • Academic instruction
    • Social skills development
    • Self-regulation and behavior support
    • Daily living and independence skills

Preparing for the Future–starting early

We begin thinking about adulthood long before it arrives.

  • Around age 13: Students begin Pre-Employment Transition Services, building skills to enhance future independence and employment soft skills
  • Around age 16: We begin individualized planning with our Adult Services team

This early planning helps families avoid the “cliff” that often comes at the end of the school years.

Tuition & Financial Support

Hope Academy is a tuition-based program. Tuition reflects:

  • Very low student-to-teacher ratios
  • Integrated therapy and education services
  • Highly individualized support

Many families use scholarship and funding options, including:

  • South Carolina Educational Credit for Exceptional Needs Children
  • Education Scholarship Trust Fund
  • Other private funding sources

Our team can help guide you through these options.

 

 

Hope Academy’s mission is to provide supportive classes that develop and celebrate each child’s academic, behavioral and social successes.

How to Get Started

There are two primary ways to begin:

  • If your child is already receiving therapy at Project Hope Foundation, your supervisor can guide you through the referral process.
  • If your child is not yet receiving services with us: you can complete an application to begin the process.

Please note: space is limited, and students currently receiving therapy services are given priority for placement.

Understanding the Admissions Process

Once we receive your application:

  1. We review your child’s needs and available placement options
  2. If appropriate, we move forward with evaluation and planning
  3. You will receive a recommendation and estimated timeline for placement

Our goal is to make this process as clear and supportive as possible.

Let's Get Started

Helpful Links

Enrolled Students Only

External Requests

→ View our Education Staff Team

Scholarship Information (SC Tax Credit Program)

South Carolina offers scholarship opportunities that many Hope Academy families use to offset tuition costs. The Educational Credit for Exceptional Needs Children program allows donors to fund scholarships through a state-approved organization.

Important notes:

  • Families apply directly through the scholarship program
  • Project Hope Foundation is not involved in awarding scholarships
  • We are a recipient school for awarded funds

For details and application steps, visit: www.exceptionalsc.org

Apply for Education Services
Request Records
Contact Our Team

We are here to help you determine whether Hope Academy is the right fit for your child.

 

Bethany Welborn-Ruhl

Vice President of Therapy & Education

Bethany joined the Project Hope family in June 2013. She has been working with individuals with autism since 2003 when she began working as a line therapist with a 2-year old boy. Since then, she has worked as line therapist, senior therapist, coordinator, and classroom teacher at several organizations, including Mariposa School for Children with Autism, the Early Autism Project, and Gwinnett County Public Schools.

Bethany enjoys working with a variety of learners on the autism spectrum. Her favorite part of her work is celebrating with the treatment team as clients master skills that make a meaningful difference in their lives and the lives of their families!

Hailing from western North Carolina, Bethany graduated with a bachelor’s degree in philosophy and psychology from Wake Forest University in 2006. In January 2011, she completed the required coursework at Florida Institute of Technology and became a Board Certified Assistant Behavior Analyst. Two years later, Bethany received her master’s degree in Special Education from Georgia State University, as well as her Board Certification in Behavior Analysis.

In her free time, Bethany enjoys spending time with her loved ones, crafting, and going to the movies.