The Vanguard School of Coconut Grove is an accredited member of the Association of Independent Schools of Florida (A.I.S.F). It is also a member of the Dade Association of Academic Non-Public Schools (DAANS). Vanguard was a founding member of the National Association of Private Schools for the Exceptional Child (NAPSEC) and the Florida Association of Independent Special Education Facilities (FAISEF).. The Vanguard Student BodyThe students enrolled at Vanguard have average or higher intellectual potential but have had difficulty functioning successfully in a traditional classroom. These students have been diagnosed through a psycho-educational evaluation as having learning difficulties as a result of a visual and/or auditory processing deficit or an attention deficit. These difficulties manifest themselves in reading, math, and language arts areas (namely handwriting spelling, and committing thought to paper.)The Vanguard system attempts to close these gaps through a consistent, structured and well thought out academic program that is individualized (IEP) for each student. This program is implemented by a highly trained staff of specialists in a carefully controlled environment; the maximum class size in 10, and the overall faculty/student ratio is about five to one.Vanguard does not discriminate as to race, color, national or ethnic origin. Vanguard offers a limited scholarship program to those with a financial need..

History of the Vanguard School

The Vanguard School was founded in Pennsylvania, and licensed by the Pennsylvania Department of Education in 1961. The aim of the school was to provide educational opportunities for students with learning difficulties. In 1968, a day school was established in Coconut Grove. In 1983, the day school was reorganized as a Florida non-profit corporation called The Vanguard School of Coconut Grove, Florida, Inc., with its own board of trustees who oversee its operation.. The Vanguard School TodayThe school's primary goal is to teach students how to learn, and to prepare them to return to a productive life. The average length of stay varies depending on the student, but many find that after two or three years they are ready emotionally and academically to return to a traditional program.The Vanguard School has an advisory board of multi-disciplined professionals from Dade County who serve the school and its students in a volunteer capacity. The group includes pediatric neurologists,psychiatrists, psychologists, educators, and university faculty. They consult throughout the year with the director of the Vanguard School.