The Green Tree School is a state-licensed non-profit school established in 1957 for children with special needs. Located in the historic Germantown area of Philadelphia, it serves up to 250 special-needs children annually. Committed to helping children with autism spectrum disorders, emotional disability and preschool developmental delays, the school offers an early-intervention program in which nonverbal children are able to interact with others and learn to communicate. The program lasts 10 months, with a typical school day from 8:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. There are only 10 children per class, taught by a certified special-education teacher and an assistant in areas such as social skills, self-help skills and creative expression. Each classroom is equipped with child-friendly computers with touch-screen monitors and educational games.
The Allegheny Valley School (AVS) operates many schools around Pennsylvania, with one campus located in Philadelphia. Established in 1960, it is a private, non-profit school that cares for children with special needs, suited for students with developmental disabilities as well as nonverbal children. Aside from personalized services such as communication programs and vocational training, the school also offers on-campus living arrangements in which students have the option of 24-hour nursing care. As of 2011, AVS's Philadelphia campus serves 128 students who receive comprehensive residential services.
The Woodhaven School is a licensed private academic school under NHS Human Services, funded by the federal government. NHS is one of the largest service providers for people with special needs in the United States, and Woodhaven is dedicated to helping and educating people with developmental disabilities. Located on a 72-acre campus in Northeast Philadelphia, it provides a home for students who have difficulty adapting to normal schools, with training and instruction for students in the areas of language and speech, occupational therapy, music, art, therapeutic recreation and physical therapy.
Archbishop Ryan High School serves students who have hearing and learning disabilities, providing their spiritual, academic, social and emotional needs. The school is under the auspices of the Archdiocese of Philadelphia's Office of Catholic Education and has a special program for secondary students called Bonaventure, which offers speech therapy and hearing-consultation services as well as a full academic program.