Kennedy Krieger School, Southern Maryland Campus is a nonpublic special education day program in California, Maryland, operated by Baltimore-based Kennedy Krieger Institute. It opened for the 2023 to 2024 school year and is the fifth Kennedy Krieger school in Maryland, joining three campuses in Baltimore and one in Prince George's County. The school sits in an unused building at the University System of Maryland at Southern Maryland (USMSM) under a 15-year lease, and was created to serve students from St. Mary's, Calvert, Charles, and surrounding counties who previously had to travel north for this kind of program. It has capacity for up to 45 students with autism spectrum disorder. The campus serves students in grades K to 8 who are working toward a high school diploma, and students ages 5 to 21 who are seeking a certificate of completion. Students are publicly funded and referred from their local school systems, which also provide transportation. The program runs on an 11-month schedule. Instruction follows standards and curricula set by the Maryland State Department of Education, with ongoing work in reading and English language arts, mathematics, science, social studies, physical education, health, music, fine arts, and career development. Teaching draws on evidence-based interventions including TEACCH, Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA), discrete trial, Pivotal Response Training (PRT), incidental learning, augmented communication, picture exchange communication (PECS), sensory diets, and vocational training. Progress is tracked through Maryland state assessments (MCAP, MISA, and the Dynamic Learning Maps assessments), benchmark testing, and IEP goals, with IEP reviews at least quarterly and report cards shared each quarter. Related services are written into each student's IEP and delivered in pullout, push-in, or consultative formats. They include speech and language pathology, occupational therapy, physical therapy, expressive therapy in art or music, and counseling and mental health services. A separate behavior services team works alongside classroom and related-services staff, using Functional Behavioral Assessments to build Behavior Intervention Plans focused on proactive strategies, and all staff are trained in safe crisis management. School mental health case managers coordinate the multidisciplinary team and act as the family's point of contact. Students also take part in extracurricular activities such as musical performances, career days, community-based trips, and themed assemblies. All five Kennedy Krieger School Programs are accredited by the National Commission for the Accreditation of Special Education Services (NCASES). Families interested in enrolling work through the Office of Admissions, Compliance and Transition (ACToffice@kennedykrieger.org).
