Since their founding in 1976, the Y.A.L.E. Schools have offered specialized education programs to young children and adolescents in southern New Jersey. Y.A.L.E.'s mission is to provide a safe, structured, enriched environment that meets each student's educational needs and helps each student develop the knowledge and skills needed to perform as a self-sufficient and responsible citizen. We believe that by meeting each student's academic and social needs, we help prepare students to succeed in the community. To make our goals a reality, our curriculum systematically emphasizes the development and generalization of learning, social, and community skills. Our philosophy is to systematically use applied behavior analysis to help students make meaningful academic and social progress and to help them become more productive and independent. We use ongoing, direct, data-based measures to carefully monitor children's progress and adjust academic programs to match each child's current needs and levels of performance. We also use a variety of instructional strategies to teach students to understand and properly respond to various social cues and social situations.
