Applications for the 2025-2026 school year are now closed.


To qualify for admission for the 2025-2026 school year, children must:

  1. Live in East Baton Rouge Parish School District

  2. Qualify for Special Education in Louisiana

  3. Have an evaluation from their local public school district

  4. Be entering Kindergarten, 1st Grade, 2nd Grade, or 3rd grade (students entering Kindergarten must be five years old by 9/30/2025)

    The deadline to apply was January 31, 2025.

If assistance is needed completing the application online, please contact the school at 225-343-4232 ext. 2000 or email xbindon@emergeschool.org. If any family is unable to complete the application online, please contact the school at the number above and the school will assist in completing the application. A paper copy can also be made available.

Students are chosen randomly through a lottery procedure. Once the lottery is complete, the school will send notifications to each student that has submitted an application and will be notified of their status.




 

Guiding Principles

  • Compassion and Respect

    • Early and greater access to multidisciplinary services is key to the academic, social, and personal growth of autistic students with high support needs.

    • We believe in the potential of all students and hold them to appropriately high expectations regardless of the nature of their disability.

    • High-quality services shall not be dependent upon a family’s financial situation.

  • Quality and Accountability

    • Safety and overall well-being are our first priorities and we use the most positive, least restrictive approaches that are safe and promote a nurturing learning environment.

    • Play and learning are the work of children and all diverse learners deserve equitable access to meaningful opportunities to play and research-based educational practices to succeed in and out of the classroom.

    • Students learn best when provided with multiple means of engagement through a variety of group and individual learning experiences that are tailored to their needs and interests.

  • Collaboration and Innovation

    • By fostering a culture of open and continuous collaboration between families, educators, and therapists, we offer a robust, multidisciplinary approach to learning.

    • The school contributes to the discovery and development of innovative educational and therapeutic services that support excellence in the area of autism and education.

    • We believe addressing behavior that interferes with engagement is an opportunity for learning.

  • Empowerment and Growth

    • Engaging parents in the educational process and informing them of their rights equips them to advocate for their children and have a voice in their child’s development.

    • We use a strengths-based approach to learning by encouraging talents, celebrating successes, and building self-esteem.

    • Functional communication, self-regulation, and independence are the keys to Self-advocacy and lifelong fulfillment.

The Bloom Program at The Emerge Center

If your child is not yet old enough to attend the Emerge School for Autism, The Emerge Center Bloom program may be another option. Click here for more information.

If you have any questions, please contact Dr. Jane Morton via email at jmorton@emergela.org.