Kennedy Krieger School - Powder Mill Campus

The Pathways School - Edgewood is a nonpublic special education day program at 4600 Powder Mill Rd, Suite 100 in Beltsville, MD. It is one of three therapeutic education programs run by The Pathways Schools across Maryland's Anne Arundel, Baltimore, and Prince George's counties, all approved by the Maryland State Department of Education (MSDE) and the District of Columbia's Office of the State Superintendent of Education (OSSE) to operate nonpublic full-day programs. The Edgewood program moved into the Beltsville building and consolidated with the Horizons program at the start of the 2023-2024 school year. Each Pathways school is kept small, with no more than 40 students, and Edgewood specifically serves up to 36 middle and high school students, ages 13 to 21, in grades 6 through 12. Students are admitted with an emotional disability as the primary disability, and the school also considers secondary diagnoses including specific learning disabilities, mild intellectual disability, traumatic brain injury, and autism spectrum disorders (including Asperger's). Placement runs through the student's Local School System (LSS): referral packets go to the Pathways Admissions Coordinator, the program principal reviews records and interviews the student and family, and an IEP meeting is scheduled once a student is accepted. Edgewood offers both a school-based track, with small structured classrooms using individualized behavior management and no restraints or seclusion, and a community-based track, in which Community Support Staff transport students to receive instruction in a range of off-site settings. Academics follow county curriculum through individual and small-group instruction, and students can earn a Maryland or District of Columbia high school diploma or a Certificate of Program Completion. The program also prepares some students for the GED, a return to a less restrictive school placement, or post-secondary education and career training. Therapeutic and related services include individual and group therapy, social skills counseling, specialized support groups, family support, mindfulness education, Right Response restraint-free crisis management, and speech and occupational therapy in a trauma-sensitive setting. Transition and vocational support is a central part of the program, with vocational assessment, career exploration, job development and coaching, internships, work crew experiences, Pre-ETS, a Young Entrepreneurship Program, and links to colleges, vocational programs, employers, and adult service agencies. The Beltsville campus is also an approved SAT and ASVAB testing site.

4STEPS Therapeutic Riding Program is a nonprofit therapeutic riding center on the Eastern Shore of Maryland, located in the Wicomico Forest at 5367 Sixty Foot Rd in Parsonsburg. Sandy Winter founded the program in 2002, and it operates as a 501(c)(3) charitable organization and a PATH International Member Center. The program serves children and adults with disabilities, including developmental, emotional, and physical challenges, using therapeutic riding and equine assisted activities. The farm setting includes an outdoor arena, a covered arena, and sensory trails, so sessions can run year round and move outdoors for trail rides through the forest. Programs cover both mounted and unmounted work. Therapeutic and Recreational Riding focuses on horsemanship and basic riding skills while working on muscle strength, coordination, balance, stamina, self confidence, and social interaction. Equine Assisted Learning and Horsemanship offers unmounted, experiential activities on the farm. The HORSEPOWER Empowerment Program uses horses for communication, problem solving, team building, and emotional growth, built around its four parts of Healing, Learning, Growing, and Riding. Equi-Thera-Play pairs horses with sensory stations, crafts, and outdoor play and is geared toward children, with an emphasis on social skills and engagement that fits families navigating autism. The center also runs HORSEPLAY, an adaptive summer camp, and Operation Charlie Horse, which provides riding lessons, trail rides, and seasonal trail ride socials for veterans, active and retired military, and their families. Private, one-on-one lessons are available for participants who prefer individual instruction, and programs can be tailored to individual needs. Summer camp cost varies according to available funding, so families should Submit an inquiry through Special Needs USA to ask about program availability, eligibility, and scheduling. Instruction comes from certified therapeutic riding instructors, including PATH Intl Certified Therapeutic Riding Instructors (CTRI) and CHA-certified instructors for riders with disabilities, supported by a trained volunteer team that helps keep sessions safe. Every participant completes an application and health history before riding. The 2026 spring session runs from March 3rd through May 23rd. The program can be reached at giddyup4steps@aol.com.