Because Every Child Deserves A Bright Future!
True ABAlities Preparatory School (TAPS) is a private school in Cary, NC, that currently serves neurodiverse learners across the Triangle Area between the ages of 4 and 18 and long-term will serve ages 2-22.
Empowering our learners through individualized educational plans
The singular focus of True ABAlities Preparatory School is to empower our learners by helping them obtain the foundational skills necessary to become their most capable, happy, and productive selves.
We create an individualized curriculum based on each learner’s learning profile and areas of developmental need. TAPS provides tailored instruction that will make a meaningful impact by helping them form reciprocal friendships and mature emotional relationships, conduct successful collaborations, engage in flexible, adaptive thought, and master the problem-solving abilities necessary for job attainment and success in our 21st-century world.
What makes us different from other schools?
We use proven teaching STRATEGIES & techniques to find the best learning process for each learner.
TAPS uses a teaching framework that is consistent across all programs and all teachers. It is the basis for how we create effective learning environments, implement key tools to help learners acquire knowledge and develop foundational skills from which to build on, and collect and analyze data to inform us of the progress being made.
Our classrooms are led by dedicated, innovative teachers dual trained in Special-ED & ABA
We understand that great teachers are invaluable to any school, so we take the hiring and training of our teachers very seriously. When considering a new teacher for TAPS, we look for our candidates’ specific personal and professional qualities. Our teachers, who possess a wide range of experience with children of all abilities, must have education and ABA training. Our current lead teachers all hold at least a master’s degree and are currently working towards becoming a board certified behavior analyst.
Upon starting with TAPS, every teacher begins the process of becoming a BCBA if they aren’t already one. All our teachers take cognitive aptitude tests and an ABA knowledge exam. In addition, all candidates must submit videos of themselves working with children directly, as well as lesson plans and programming they have created or worked with. Finally, TAPS teacher candidates go through extensive on-site evaluation and observation.
We utilize low learner-to-teacher ratios in our classrooms
We maintain a 3-to-1 learner-to-teacher ratio average in the school. We have a maximum of 8 children per classroom in the Social Emotional Learning Program and a maximum of 6 children in the Functional Communication Learning Program.
This allows our teachers to give their focus and attention to each child as much as they require and allows our teachers the ability to adapt their teaching to the specific learning styles and needs of each learner.
EVERY learner has their own tailored learning program
Our programs offer personalized learning plans that include individualized curriculum based on each student’s learning profile. Throughout the school year, we continuously collect data to track learning progress in real-time, and adjust plans accordingly.
In addition to academics, there is daily outdoor time and weekly community-based learning outings. Our programs also employ weekly specials for art, physical education, cooking, library, and music.
We also work with our learners to develop important life skills that will lead to greater independence.
We cherish involvement from our learners’ families as we all work together to brighten their future through learning
Educational opportunities are everywhere and always, so collaboration between TAPS and our learners’ families and any outside professionals is critical. We all learn best when we are engaged and interacting with something that is meaningful to us. Often the best opportunities for this occur outside the classroom, which is key to integrate their knowledge and skills into real-world applications.
TAPS begins our collaboration with our learners’ families and any outside therapeutic providers so we can accurately understand a child’s strengths and challenges, develop meaningful and realistic goals that align with your family’s needs and values, and ensure our teaching procedures include a plan for those skills to be demonstrated across relevant settings and people ensure our teaching procedures include a plan for those skills to be demonstrated across relevant settings and people.
This means that in addition to using assessments to guide our individualized learning plan, we consider your priorities as a parent. For example, we want your child to actively participate in activities that are important your family, including visits to church, sporting events, concerts, the local library, vacations, and more.
From day one, we focus on planning for your child’s future. The ultimate goal is that each learner has developed the skills necessary for employability and to thrive in the most independent living situation possible.
LEARNERS WE SERVE
What DIAGNOSES DO WE SERVE?
We serve a neurodiverse learner population. Some learners have formal medical diagnoses that can run the gamut, from ASD to OCD, ODD, GAD, SAD to rare genetic disorders. Other learners may not have a diagnosis but simply do better in a small, hands-on learning environment.
What level of “functioning” do you serve?
We try to steer clear of the language of low functioning or high functioning as they have negative connotations and can be very misleading. All of our learners are functioning at their highest capability and are acquiring new skills. We serve learners with varying levels of support needs and varying levels of language.
“When you go to your kiddos parent teacher conference and could cry tears of joy at their progress.”
“When you go to your kiddos parent teacher conference and could cry tears of joy at their progress.”
"True ABAlities has given our son the ability to communicate not only with our family, but with others in the community."
"True ABAlities has given our son the ability to communicate not only with our family, but with others in the community."
"It is so exciting to see the joy on his face as he finds his independence."
"It is so exciting to see the joy on his face as he finds his independence."
Non-Discrimination Policy
True ABAlities Preparatory School (TAPS) is built on the importance of inclusivity that recognizes and values the inherent worth of every person. TAPS fosters tolerance, sensitivity, understanding, and mutual respect, and encourages each individual to strive to reach their own potential. TAPS believes that diversity among its many members strengthens the community, stimulates creativity, promotes the exchange of ideas, and enriches all lives.
True ABAlities Preparatory School shall admit students of any race, religion, color, creed, sex, age, national origin, genetic information, disability, and any other bases protected by federal and state civil rights law, to all the rights, privileges, programs, and activities generally accorded or made available to students at the school. Further, True ABAliities Preparatory School shall not discriminate on the basis of race, religion, color, creed, sex, age, national origin, genetic information, disability, and any other bases protected by federal and state civil rights law in administration of educational policies, admissions policies, scholarship and loan programs, and other school-administered programs.