REED Academy

At REED Academy, no two students are the same.

Our highly trained, dedicated staff focuses on each child’s needs, applying the highest standard of individualized and specialized education.

Our philosophy is built into our name: REED stands for Resources for Effective Educational Development, and all of our services follow the expert-endorsed applied behavior analysis (ABA) model of teaching and learning.

Walk through our New Jersey Department of Education–approved, state-of-the art school in Oakland and you’ll find students from ages 3 to 21, each working on individualized programs emphasizing academics, language, self-care, health and safety, functional life skills and pre-vocational training. One student might be getting a haircut at our on-campus salon; another might be stocking shelves in our market, while another might be working on language skills. REED Academy’s goal is to prepare young people with autism for everything they might encounter in life—from reading a street sign to ordering a drink at a coffee shop, brushing their teeth and working at a job.

Throughout each day, students work one-on-one with a team of experts including classroom instructors, certified teachers, board certified behavior analysts (BCBAs), and speech and language therapists. Students also go out into the community with instructors—to restaurants, malls, bowling alleys and beyond—and apply the skills they’ve learned at REED.

Technology plays an essential role at REED by helping students communicate, providing dynamic, engaging instruction, and offering opportunities for leisure activities. It also allows for a constant flow of communication with parents and caregivers. Data is collected electronically, mapping a student’s progress on even the smallest tasks in order to measure performance objectively and come away with concrete proof once a skill has been learned.

“Since opening our doors in 2003, our team has witnessed the effects of ABA and the positive impact it can have. Every family has a different set of values and goals that influence their idea of a happy, productive life—and ABA gives our team the flexibility to individualize each goal to meet the child and family’s needs.”

–Kelli Fowler, M.A., BCBA, Clinical Director of REED Academy

Partnering with families—not just students—is core to our mission. That’s why we offer ABA training for families to promote the transfer of skills learned at school to the home setting, and work hand-in-hand to identify unique goals and objectives. By focusing on each child’s strengths and abilities, we strive for every student to reach their full potential. At REED Academy, we see the possibilities in every individual.

For more information about REED Academy, please contact us at [email protected].

A cornerstone of REED’s success is applied behavior analysis (ABA), which utilizes scientific and ethical approaches to understanding why people do what they do and helps them make meaningful changes to their behavior. At REED, our highly trained and dedicated instructors break complex materials into smaller and more teachable units while providing versatile methods of instruction individualized to each student.

ABA is widely recognized as an effective treatment for autism spectrum disorder by the U.S. Surgeon General, the American Academy of Pediatrics and the National Institute of Mental Health. Decades of research has shown that intensive ABA treatment is the most successful approach for children with autism.