Resources

The Association of Boarding Schools (TABS)
TABS is a voluntary membership organization of more than 300 schools in the United States, Canada and abroad. This is a comprehensive website about traditional college-prep boarding schools as well as schools with a special educational focus.

Children and Adults with Attention Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder
CHADD is a nonprofit, membership organization serving individuals with AD/HD and their families. CHADD has over 16,000 members in 200 local chapters throughout the U.S. Chapters offer support for individuals, parents, teachers, professionals, and others.

Independent Educational Consultants Association
The umbrella organization for educational placement advisers, this website explains the benefits of using an educational consultant and offers advice for parents.

Independent Educational Consultants Association Foundation
Founded in 1996 to support the mission and expand the role of the Independent Educational Consultants Association, the IECA Foundation’s mission is to identify and support programs that have significant impact on students and their educational environments.

Learning Disabilities Association of America
Since 1963, LDA has provided support to people with learning disabilities, their parents, teachers and other professionals.

National Association of Therapeutic Schools and Programs (NATSAP)
This website includes a number of articles plus a searchable directory of schools and programs designed to help teens with emotional and behavioral difficulties. NATSAP is not a referral or placement agency and does not provide oversight of its members’ programs.

National Association of Independent Schools
The website for the membership organization representing 1,300 schools and programs in the United States and abroad. Includes a “Parents’ Guide” link.

Independent Schools Association of the Southwest
ISAS is a member in good standing of the National Association of Independent Schools Commission on Accreditation. This nonprofit  membership association of independent schools includes schools located in Arizona, Kansas, Louisiana, New Mexico, Oklahoma, Texas and Mexico.
         
Secondary School Admission Test
The place to register and prepare (and then check scores) for the Secondary School Admission Test. Students and school administrators use the SCCA List to locate independent day and boarding schools with current admission and program openings.

Books and Internet Resources
(parent recommended and updated regularly)

Family IQ
Comprehensive online and audio CDs and other resources to help address parent/child and family relationships. Fee-based resource. Free newsletter.

What It Takes To Pull Me Through
(Why Teenagers Get In Trouble—And How Four Of Them Got Out)
David L. Marcus
A year in the life of a therapeutic boarding school, The Academy of Swift River, by award-winning journalist David Marcus
http://www.davemarcus.com/

Teens in Turmoil
(Avoiding and Coping with Crisis)
Carol Maxym and Leslie B. York
Written by a psychotherapist and an educational consultant, this book offers practical advice and seemingly real-life scenarios for families experiencing severe distress. 

Shouting at the Sky
(Troubled Teens and the Promise of the Wild)
Gary Ferguson
There aren’t many books about the wilderness program experience. Here is one that poignantly profiles the lives of kids attending Aspen Achievement Academy over the period of several months when the author tagged along as an observer and storyteller.