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Therapeutic & Alternative Boarding Schools In Massachusetts
It can be stressful when a troubled teen needs full-time care beyond that which a parent can provide. Selecting an alternative or therapeutic boarding school is an overwhelming process and it can be difficult to know where to start. Help Your Teen Now is a resource agency and advocacy group for parents just like you. Our mission is to take the guesswork out of selecting a facility and provide reputable information for those seeking the best treatment option for their child. Our knowledgeable team is here to answer your questions and guide you through the process. We want you to feel confident in your chosen facility, and we are committed to helping you get there. Call us today to discuss our free services.
Massachusetts Regulatory Laws
There are no requirements for Accreditation, Registration or Licensing for private schools in Massachusetts. Approval is mandatory and requires proof that nonpublic schools equal the instruction, curriculum and progress of public schools. Mass. Gen. L. Ch. 76, §1. Private schools do not require official certification for their teachers.
There is no official mandate for the curriculum of a nonpublic school in Massachusetts, however, it is generally understood that courses should be taught with “thoroughness and efficiency” Mass. Gen. L. Ch. 76, §1.
Nonpublic schools are required to educated all students on the statewide anti-hazing policy (Mass. Gen. L. ch. 269, §19)and criminal background checks shall be performed on all employees and volunteers with access to students. Mass. Gen. L. ch. 71, §38R.
Reference: http://www2.ed.gov/admins/comm/choice/regprivschl/regprivschl.pdf
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Educational Recources
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Massachusetts Regulatory Laws
There are no requirements for Accreditation, Registration or Licensing for private schools in Massachusetts. Approval is mandatory and requires proof that nonpublic schools equal the instruction, curriculum and progress of public schools. Mass. Gen. L. Ch. 76, §1. Private schools do not require official certification for their teachers.
There is no official mandate for the curriculum of a nonpublic school in Massachusetts, however, it is generally understood that courses should be taught with “thoroughness and efficiency” Mass. Gen. L. Ch. 76, §1.
Nonpublic schools are required to educated all students on the statewide anti-hazing policy (Mass. Gen. L. ch. 269, §19)and criminal background checks shall be performed on all employees and volunteers with access to students. Mass. Gen. L. ch. 71, §38R.
Reference: http://www2.ed.gov/admins/comm/choice/regprivschl/regprivschl.pdf
Educational Recources
Statistics for At-Risk Massachusetts Teens
ADD/ADHD
- 9.6%
9.6 percent of children between 4 and 17 are diagnosed per year. (Center for Disease Control and Prevention, 2011 Study).
TEEN PREGNANCY
50th
Massachusetts ranks 50th in the country for teen pregnancy with 1,944 babies born to women under 20. (Center for Disease Control and Prevention 2018)
http://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/preview/mmwrhtml/mm6006a6.htm?s_cid=mm6006a6_e%0d%0a
TEEN SUICIDE
48th
Massachusetts ranks 48th in the nation (Suicide rates: a state by state look. 2018)
http://www.suicidology.org/c/document_library/get_file?folderId=262&name=DLFE-629.pdf
SUBSTANCE ABUSE
- 31%
Approximately 31 percent of adolescents in Massachusetts, age 12-17, drink alcohol on a regular basis and 16 percent binge drink. 38 percent regularly use marijuana and 4 percent use other types of illicit drugs. (Center for Disease Control and Prevention 2018 Study.)
VIOLENT CRIME
1314
In 2018, the U.S. Department of Justice reported the following juvenile arrest rates for Massachusetts: 66 for Aggravated Assault, 16 for Robbery, 113 for Larceny, 24 for Drug Abuse and 13 for weapons violations. (Washington, DC: Federal Bureau of Investigation, 2018)
GRADUATION RATES
- 88%
Massachusetts had a 88 percent statewide graduation rate for the 2015-2016 school year. (U.S. Department of Education. 2015-2016)
http://www.governing.com/gov-data/high-school-graduation-rates-by-state.html
Summary
We Can Help!
There are many factors to consider when selecting an alternative or therapeutic boarding school for your teen. Call us to get started with a free evaluation of your child. This will help us direct you toward the resources that are most pertinent to your needs. We want you to feel confident in the groups and services we recommend, and we assure you that we are not affiliated with them in any way. Our advice is based on nearly a decade of advising families just like yours. Whether you have questions about paperwork or specific facilities, we are on hand to help you. You no longer have to walk this difficult path alone. Let us be your advocate and take the first steps toward healing your family.