The Profile of a Bridge Student

While the characteristics of a “typical” Bridge student will vary depending upon age, development, and each student’s unique strengths and areas of need, there is a broad profile within which each student functions. First, students entering Bridge at the middle school level must have the skills and dispositions to successfully participate in two grade-level academic classes with support. Normally we recommend the Science and Social Studies classes. This requirement is relative to grade level; the minimum being two classes for students entering at the sixth grade level, three for seventh grade, and four for eighth grade. All high school level Bridge students are fully mainstreamed.

Typical Bridge students also have a diagnosed language-based learning disability. While Bridge students may have struggled with various aspects of their learning, they are generally students who have an active disposition and are eager to seek out the help and support that they need to become more successful. Bridge students also can be quite strong in academic disciplines which are less language and/or math-focused. In fact, a number of our current Bridge students are enrolled in Deep Learning Initiative (DLI) courses across disciplines.