Publication Date

Spring 2026

Degree Type

Dissertation

Degree Name

Doctor of Education (EdD)

Department

Education

Advisor

Arnold Danzig: Ferdinand Rivera; Paulette Cobb

Abstract

Almaden Country Day School (ACDS) is a small, independent private school located in the Almaden Valley neighborhood of south San Jose, California. Currently serving over 400 students, the school has been in operation for over 43 years. Nan Hunter, its founder, set out to build a school community that could “discover the gifts in every child.” As part of this mission, the school sought to support neurodiverse students with accommodations as part of its general education program. In September of 2017, the school’s leaders committed more deeply to this aspect of the school’s mission when they opened The Learning Center (TLC), an instructional program specifically aimed at supporting students with language-based learning disabilities (LBLD) like dyslexia and dysgraphia. This dissertation sets out to analyze the experiences of students (as told by their parents) in the TLC program in order to identify the ways the program supports their children’s needs for learning support. It documents the journey of the TLC program itself from its beginnings, highlighting the inclusive aspects of its instructional program, particularly in regard to science. It highlights the instructional practices and administrative procedures put in place that improve the trajectory of the students exiting the program as they fully transition into general education during their time at ACDS or as they move on to high school.

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