Student Profile
Edison High School is dedicated to meeting the unique educational needs of teens with learning disabilities/differences (LDs). We serve academically capable students who have LDs such as Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD—inattentive and combined types) or specific learning disorders (SLD) Reading (including Dyslexia), SLD Writing (including Dysgraphia), SLD Math (including Dyscalculia), Executive Functioning Challenges, and Language, Auditory, Visual and Nonverbal Learning Disorders (which can impact interpreting nonverbal cues like facial expressions or body language).
Our two most common LD’s are dyslexia and ADHD (inattentive, hyperactive, or combined). We are unable to serve students whose primary difficulty is emotional, behavioral, or psychological.
All of our students have difficulty with learning, and many have not been successful in a regular school environment. We understand that the educational journey of our students includes challenges and our goal is to work with them to find success in the classroom and beyond. Students who fit our profile are willing to follow school rules and engage in classwork and homework assignments. Each student and family are interviewed prior to admission and evaluated by staff to ensure a good match.
Student Supports
The supports we provide to our students reiterate the values of self-advocacy and community. They are built in to students' academic schedule to illiminate the need to seek out such supports on their own.
By design, Edison's daily schedule has a unique feature built right in: eighth period. Available four times per week, eighth period is a chance for every student to visit teachers in their classrooms to get some extra help.
This support program allows a student who needs a question answered, or who just didn't understand part of a lesson or a homework assignment, to directly follow-up. It also provides another avenue for teens to build collaborative relationships with the adults at school. Eighth period fosters an environment where asking for help and checking in are expected and encouraged, not a reason to feel bad. While the program is voluntary for most students—and many take advantage of it—students with low grades may be required to attend. In addition, parents who are struggling with interactions around homework at home may also require their child to attend.
Every Edison student is a member of an Advisory Group that meets daily. The primary purpose of the group is to build a supportive atmosphere in which students can work on organizational, transitional and social issues. In addition, each student has the opportunity to develop strong and constructive relationships with her/his advisor and other students, and gain transitional skills for successful engagement in future academic or employment opportunities.
Advisory Groups consist of a faculty advisor and mixed age students, allowing older students to model behaviors and mentor younger ones. The younger teens learn from older ones that it is okay to talk about their learning differences/disabilities. In Advisory Group, many students begin to understand that they don't have to "hide," or feel shame about, their learning issues or medication; they learn how to accept themselves.
Each afternoon, students meet with their Advisor and other group members to review the day and homework assignments, organizing for the evening's school work and gathering the materials and information that they need. Each Edison student has a standard binder and planner that is used and checked daily. Over time, students develop solid planning and organizational skills that apply to many situations.
We work hard to help our students develop academic skills and increase knowledge in many subjects; social skills are a "subject" known to be a strong predictor of future success. On Fridays, each Advisory Group has curriculum that focuses on the development of social, transitional and self-advocacy skills and attributes that have been proven, through both our experience at Edison and academic research, to not only help students manage their learning difference, but also be successful throughout their lives, professionally and personally. These areas include goal-setting, self-awareness, perseverance, emotional coping strategies, support systems, and proactivity; past Advisory Group topics have also covered active listening, explaining a learning disability, and mindfulness.
Edison High School has three counselors on staff, including an art therapist, who are available to both students and parents. Two are Licensed Professional Counselors (LPC) and one is a Licensed School Counselor (LSC); all hold Master's degrees. They are highly trained individuals with a small number of students in their care and have significant experience working with the learning differenced population. As a result, our counselors are deeply familiar with the challenges and opportunities regularly faced by our students.
Our principal, teachers, and counselors have an open door policy, and welcome hearing from our parents and students at any time. As a school community, we engage in purposeful activities that allow students to get to know not only each other, but the staff as well. As a result, Edison students feel comfortable seeking out counselors and teachers for help and advice on a regular basis.
Frequently Asked Questions:
Currently, Edison enrolls approximately 140 students. We accept 35 freshman each year. Should space become available during the school year, we contact families who are on the waiting list.
Most of our incoming students are freshmen, but we do accept sophomores and juniors if space is available. We do not offer admission to incoming seniors.
Edison is a four-year high school. Most of our students attend all four years and graduate from Edison High School.
Tuition for the 2023-24 school year is $27,460. There is a $500.00 deposit due upon acceptance.
Yes. Financial aid awards are determined by an independent service called FACTS and are based on financial need. The average award is approximately 50% of tuition. About 30% of our students receive financial aid.
Because our school is based on a social model of learning, Edison High School may or may not be an appropriate placement option for students diagnosed ASD. All students are expected to attend five rotating classes per day, participate in social activities, socialize appropriately in and out of class and produce classwork and homework. We do not accept students needing a higher level of support, such as 1:1 aids. If you feel that your student can meet the above criteria, we will welcome an application.
In order to ensure best placement for students at Edison, we prefer a current diagnosis and documentation of their learning differences or executive functioning issues. In order to keep our small class sizes, we have a limited amount of available spots each year. Having current academic and psychological evaluations help us determine if a student fits the Edison profile.
We are located on the campus of Jesuit High School in Portland. Click here for a map and directions.
Edison counselors collaborate with families, teachers, administrators, other school staff and outside providers for students' social, emotional and academic achievement and success. They adhere to the ethical, legal and best practice standards determined by the American School Counselor Association (ASCA.)
We provide instruction in the structure of English for those who we determine need intensive reading instruction. Our Orton-Gillingham Academy trained tutors teach the Approach with fidelity, providing our students with the gold standard of instruction for students with dyslexia. In the classroom, support is provided by our classroom teachers who are knowledgeable about the support our dyslexic students need. Our teachers have completed the state approved Orton-Gillingham Classroom Educator dyslexia training. Additionally, support is provided during 8th period for those students who need extra help with intensive reading or writing assignments.
