Baltimore Lab School (BLS) is a nonpublic special education school for children diagnosed with

learning disabilities Learning disability, learning disorder, or learning difficulty (British English) is a condition in the brain that causes difficulties comprehending or processing information and can be caused by several different factors. Given the "difficulty ...

and

ADHD Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is a neurodevelopmental disorder characterised by symptoms of inattention, hyperactivity, impulsivity, and emotional dysregulation that are excessive and pervasive, impairing in multiple ...

in grades 1–12. It is located in

Baltimore, Maryland Baltimore is the List of municipalities in Maryland, most populous city in the U.S. state of Maryland. With a population of 585,708 at the 2020 United States census, 2020 census and estimated at 568,271 in 2024, it is the List of United States ...

, in Goucher Hall, one of the historic

Old Goucher College Buildings Old Goucher College Buildings is a national historic district in Baltimore, Maryland, United States. It is an approximate 18-block area in the middle of Baltimore which developed in the late 19th and 20th centuries. The neighborhood is characteri ...

. The school was founded in September 2000 as a division of its parent school in

Washington D.C. Washington, D.C., formally the District of Columbia and commonly known as Washington or D.C., is the capital city and federal district of the United States. The city is on the Potomac River, across from Virginia, and shares land borders with ...

, The

Lab School of Washington The Lab School of Washington is a small (grades 1–12) independent school in Washington, D.C. for students with language based learning differences like dyslexia. The Lab School was established in 1967 by Sally Smith. Kim Wargo has directed th ...

. Both schools were founded by Sally L. Smith, a nationally recognized leader in

special education Special education (also known as special-needs education, aided education, alternative provision, exceptional student education, special ed., SDC, and SPED) is the practice of educating students in a way that accommodates their individual di ...

, who then continued as their administrator until her death in 2007. BLS offers its students and the public clinical services, including speech-language therapy, occupational therapy, and counseling services. Individual or small group related service sessions are offered on an outpatient basis or through pull-out or push-in services for an extra fee. All students are able to benefit from these on-site specialists through services integrated into the classroom. In addition to related services and specialized instruction, students may be provided intervention by working with reading specialists and math specialists. BLS offers a low student-to-staff ratio, multi-sensory curriculum, and an arts-integrated methodology. BLS is a training site for interns from Loyola University,

Towson University Towson University (TU or Towson) is a public university in Towson, Maryland, United States. Founded in 1866 as Maryland's first training school for teachers, Towson University is a part of the University System of Maryland. Since its foundin ...

Goucher College Goucher College ( ') is a Private university, private Liberal arts colleges in the United States, liberal arts college in Towson, Maryland, United States. Founded in 1885 as a Nonsectarian, nonsecterian Women's colleges in the United States, ...

, and

Maryland Institute College of Art The Maryland Institute College of Art (MICA) is a Private university, private art school, art and design college in Baltimore, Maryland. Founded in 1826 as the Maryland Institute for the Promotion of the Mechanic Arts, it is regarded as one of ...

. These students complete an internship under the supervision of Baltimore Lab's teaching staff. Baltimore Lab School faculty members are invited to speak at local universities and professional conferences. The school also offers after-school activities and sports, such as indoor rock-climbing, tennis, track and field, basketball, and swimming, as well as many field trips to further enhance the learning experience of students. BaLS also partners with the

Chesapeake Bay Foundation The Chesapeake Bay Foundation (CBF) is a non-profit organization devoted to the restoration and protection of the Chesapeake Bay in the United States. It was founded in 1967 and has headquarters offices in Annapolis, Maryland. The foundation has ...

to organize a multitude of outdoor learning experiences for students of all ages and is a certified Green School. In March 2014, Baltimore Lab School began operating fully independently from Lab School of Washington. The building that houses the school was purchased from Washington Lab.

References

External links

Official Baltimore Lab School WebsiteLab School of Washington Website
{{DEFAULTSORT:Baltimore Lab School Private schools in Baltimore Special schools in the United States