HOW WE TEACH

Built for This. Not Adapted to It.

Most schools accommodate students with ADHD and ASD. They add supports. They write 504 plans. They do their best with an environment that was never designed for how these students learn.

The Craig School was built differently. Not retrofitted. Built. The pages in this section describe how that works: the academics, the behavior support, the social instruction, the physical environment, and the research that connects all of it. This is the school as it actually operates.

The Foundation

5:1

Student-to-staff ratio in every classroom.

5:1

35 Years

Of UCI research behind the TCS model

35 Years

93%

Of TCS 8th graders transition successfully back to traditional school

93%

"This school has given her confidence, academic growth, and a genuine sense of belonging."

Heather S. Miethe-Wong, TCS Parent

The Difference Is Architecture

Traditional schools are designed for a student who can sustain attention in a 25-to-30 seat classroom, self-regulate through transitions without support, pick up social expectations by watching peers, and produce consistent effort across a seven-hour day.

Students with ADHD and ASD are not failing that environment. The environment is failing them.

At TCS, the classroom ratio, the physical layout, the daily schedule, the behavior system, the social instruction... none of it is a patch applied on top of a traditional structure. It is the structure. Every page below describes a piece of that design and how it works in practice.

Working Together

What You'll Find Here

A Day at TCS

A Day at TCS

What does the school day actually look like? See TCS through the eyes of our students.

A Day at TCS
Students in Small Group

Academics

What academic instruction looks like when the environment matches the learner.

Academics
Student Support

Student Support

Support that does not wait for failure. The token economy, real-time classroom coaching, and the skill-building behind it.

Student Support
Working Together

Social Skills

Social skills are a daily class here, not an occasional lesson. All classes are led by licensed professionals.

TCS Campus Exterior

The Campus

A 14,000 square foot space in Irvine designed from an empty footprint specifically for these students.

The Campus
Research books

Research Informed

TCS has an embedded research lab called the Science of Learning Lab that guides our entire program.

Research Informed

5 to 1

Student-to-staff ratio in every classroom

93%

Of 8th graders return to traditional school after TCS

Supportive by Design.

At TCS, students are supported within the learning environment, not removed from it.

Credentialed teachers and trained support staff work together throughout the day to help students:

  • Stay engaged
  • Regulate in real time
  • Move through challenges without losing learning time

The goal is continuity, not interruption.

Student with Support

"TCS didn't change who our son is. They gave him access to who he already was."

Erin, TCS Parent

IS TCS RIGHT FOR YOUR CHILD?

TCS works best for students who are:

Capable, Not Thriving

Strong potential. Standard classrooms have never brought it out.
Capable, Not Thriving

Group Ready

Can learn alongside peers without needing 1:1 support.
Group Ready

ADHD or ASD Profile

Learning shaped by attention, executive function, or autism spectrum.
ADHD or ASD Profile

Requiring Structure

Consistent routines and predictable environments help them stay regulated.
Requiring Structure

In Grade 3 to 8

Currently enrolled in or entering third through eighth grade
In Grade 3 to 8

Struggling

A difficult school history doesn't disqualify them. It informs us.
Struggling
Working Hard at Desk

Not Sure If a Specialized School is the Right Move?

We work with students in grades 3–8 who learn differently due to ADHD, executive functioning, or other related needs.

At TCS, we start with you. Not a diagnosis. Let’s talk about your child. Who they are. What’s worked. What they need to succeed.

Fit is more important than a label.

 

Outdoor Experiences

TCS is attached to the San Diego Creek Trail and Irvine Wildlife Sanctuary

Every other week, students ride or explore the San Diego Creek Trail in a structured, supervised setting where movement, focus, and teamwork reinforce skills they are building in the classroom.

This is not recess. It is intentional learning through movement.

Outride Bike Path

See TCS in Action

Get a glimpse inside our school. This one-minute video shows how students are supported in an environment that is structured, encouraging, and built for how they learn.

See If TCS Is the Right Place for Your Child.

Choosing a school is a big decision, especially when your child has struggled before. We move at your pace. No pressure. Just a real conversation about your child and whether this environment would work for them.