About The Pathway School

A nonprofit special education school, Pathway builds academic, social, and life skills

The Pathway School is a nonprofit special education school licensed by the Pennsylvania Department of Education. Founded in 1961, Pathway serves students with Autism Spectrum Disorders, Intellectual Disabilities, serious emotional disturbances and other neurological impairments. Pathway’s programs are licensed by the Pennsylvania State Board of Private Academic Schools and approved by the Pennsylvania Bureau of Special Education to serve students ages 5–22.

Mission: Promote Success and Independence

The mission of The Pathway School is to build academic, social, and life skills in students with special needs to promote their success and independence after Pathway.

Watch the video below to meet our students and learn why they love The Pathway School!

Video from Pathway’s 2023 fall fundraiser, The Pathway Experience

History: Among the first schools of its kind

At its founding in 1961, Pathway was among very few schools in the Greater Philadelphia area designed exclusively for learning disabled children by unifying the disciplines of psychology, psychiatry, medicine and social work with education.  Since then, Pathway has increased enrollment and staff who support the students, developed a vibrant learning environment on a 12-acre campus in Montgomery County, and solidified its reputation as a leader in innovative, high-quality programs and services.

A Message from Pathway's President & CEO

Dear Pathway School Community:

This is one of my favorite times of the year—the beginning of a new school year. This time is filled with hope and excitement and anticipation. We look forward to welcoming back our returning students, and we look forward to greeting and getting to know the 19 students who have recently enrolled at Pathway. We look forward to seeing how much our returning students have grown over the summer, and we look forward to learning about our newest students.

We also look forward to welcoming back our returning staff and faculty. This year we have eight coworkers who are celebrating more than thirty years at Pathway. Thirty years at any workplace is an accomplishment, and we (I) are grateful for their dedication to our school and our students.

Pathway is also welcoming 17 new co-workers this autumn. Several have filled positions held by staff who have chosen to move on with their career, and a handful are filling newly created positions.

The upcoming school year looks to be an exciting time at The Pathway School. I’ll look forward to seeing many of you at our Back to School event in late September.

Yours Sincerely,

David J. Schultheis
President & CEO

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