About Our School Program
The School Program
Morgan Autism Center (MAC) is a non-profit, non-public school, certified by the California Department of Education and provides programming for more than 30 Bay Area school districts in Santa Clara, San Mateo, and Alameda counties. Morgan Autism Center’s school program serves students ages 5 to 22. The students we serve are significantly impacted by autism and/or other developmental disabilities. The individuals we serve have significant challenges with social behavior, sensory integration, and communication. Students at Morgan Autism Center are referred to us through and funded by their public school districts. Each student’s day is specially designed through a collaboration between the Individualized Education Plan (IEP) team members.


Our Special Needs Education Model
Morgan Autism Center provides an individualized school program that is focused on positive interactions and teaching methods that maximize the potential of the students we serve. We provide a high student to staff ratio (one-to-one or small group) that enables us to build customized programs for each student. We use a comprehensive approach that targets multiple areas of development including communication, cognition, social behavior, as well as motor and self-help skills in order to create optimal opportunities for success. We offer a high degree of flexibility to meet unique and changing educational needs, aligning our work with a student’s particular learning style. Our aim is the well-being and regulation of our students, optimizing their ability to learn. The result is a nurturing and joyful environment. Continuous assessment of student’s progress is integral to the program. Students at Morgan Autism Center graduate with a Certificate of Completion at the age of 22. For more information, visit our Who We Are page.
Teaching Strategies

School Program Structure
A student’s school day unfolds in a carefully structured and supportive environment, with ongoing one-on-one interaction with trained staff. We have eight classrooms with roughly 8 to 10 students arranged by age and learning style. The schedule of the day is based on a 15-minute rotation, where students move from staff to staff. This practice provides an opportunity to work with each teacher and instructional aide in the classroom, leading to improved generalization and flexibility.
OUR CURRICULUM FOCUSES PRIMARILY ON THE FOLLOWING AREAS
Functional academics
(from basic cognitive skills to reading, writing, composition, and math)
Communication
Sensory integration and regulation
Play and social skills
Specially designed physical education
Art and music activities
We place an emphasis on teaching vocational and independent living skills, both on-site and at a variety of community locations.
Team and Community Approach
Morgan Autism Center implements a team approach to learning. The team includes the parents, student, Special Education teacher and instructional aides, Speech and Language Pathologists, and Occupational Therapists, Physical Education Coordinator, and Administration. Daily communication provides the opportunity for us to be engaged, transparent and responsive to parents and caregivers on a daily basis. Students at Morgan Autism Center have the opportunity to interact with their typically developing peers from nearby schools in our reverse mainstreaming program. Students from various elementary, middle and high schools come on a regular basis to facilitate communication and social interaction with students in the school program. There are ongoing opportunities for community involvement such as local libraries, garden centers, grocery stores, restaurants, movie theaters, parks, fine arts institutions, etc. These outings provide experiences that benefit both our students and community members.

Speech Therapy Partnership
Peninsula Associates Speech Therapy Services (PASTS) has been a proud partner of Morgan Autism Center since the early 1970s. Our speech therapists specialize in working with students who have complex communication needs. Our therapists are trained and experienced in Augmentative and Alternative Communication (AAC), including the high-tech devices utilized by a majority of Morgan Autism Center students. Under the Morgan Autism Center model, students receive speech therapy within their own classrooms, for a total of one hour per week to work on their communication goals. Our speech therapists work closely with the IEP team to incorporate functional communication for our students across all settings. They also receive group therapy for 30 minutes a week with 3-4 of their peers to work on social and other communication skills. PASTS goal is to provide the highest-quality speech and language services to our clients, colleagues, and community.
Occupational Therapy Partnership
Laughing Giraffe Therapy, a private Occupational Therapy (OT) practice located in San Jose, is proud to partner with Morgan Autism Center to provide students with high quality, student-centered OT services. Interventions and IEP goals are designed to support each student’s unique fine and gross motor, self-care, and sensory-regulatory needs to ensure success throughout their school day and in their lives. Sensory regulation is foundational to learning. OT services at Morgan Autism Center prioritize engaging our students in sensory-motor activities that support their ability to maintain an optimal level of arousal for learning and engagement. Services are provided throughout the campus and in the well-equipped OT gym. Individual, direct services and consultative services are provided by our team of experienced OTs who value collaboration with the educational team and families to best serve our amazing students.

Enrollment Information
Students are referred to Morgan Autism Center by their local school districts. Students who attend our program have usually exhausted all available options provided by their home school district. Once it has been determined that no other programming is appropriate, parents or school district case managers will reach out to Morgan Autism Center to set up a tour. If there is available placement and the student seems to be a good fit, Morgan Autism Center will conduct a screening.
Please visit our FAQ page for answers to some commonly asked questions.

We Are Grateful For Our Community Supporters
We are so grateful for your support during these unprecedented times. Click here to view our list of
in-kind and individual donors.
Support Morgan Autism Center
In our continuing mission to provide high-quality programs, we're grateful for the invaluable donations from our sponsors and donors.
20Twenty Cheese Bar |
Alfaro Family Vineyards |
American Conservatory Theater |
Ancient Peaks Winery |
Andaz Maui |
Animal Assisted Happiness |
Aqui Restaurant |
Asian Box |
Athena Camps |
Avalon Palm Springs Hotel |
Aver Family Vineyard |
Barry's Bootcamp Northern California |
Bay Area Discovery Museum |
Benihana |
Bill's cafe |
Breakthrough Sushi |
Breathe Together Yoga |
Byington Vineyard and Winery |
Calerrain Wines |
Cartoon Art Museum SF |
Central Coast Outdoors |
Charles M. Schulz Museum |
Children's Discovery Museum |
Church Creek Cellars |
City Lights Theater Company |
Cliffrose Lodge |
Cole Hardware San Francisco |
Concannon Vineyard |
Contemporary Jewish Museum |
Costanoa |
Crow's Nest |
CuriOdyssey Science Playgroud & Zoo |
Daniel Fortuno |
Daren and Mitch Tuchman |
Daren and Mitch Tuchman |
Debbie Upland |
Deluxe Distribution |
do Terra |
Domaine Degher Estate |
Dream Inn Santa Cruz |
Duke's Maui |
Dwindle Distribution |
Eye Luv Lucy Optometry |
Far Niente Estate |
Fess Parker Winery |
Fjorn Scandinavian Carmel-by-the-Sea |
Flights |
Fortino Winery |
Four Seasons Hotel New Orleans |
Gali Vineyards |
Gamble Family Vineyards |
Glow Wax Studio |
Great America |
Greenwood Ridge Winery |
Halter Ranch |
Harley Farms |
HIdden Vila |
Hobee's |
Hop and Vine |
Hotel Cheval |
House Family Vineyards |
Hyatt Regency Indian Wells Resort and Spa |
Icing on the Cake |
In n' Out |
J Lohr |
Joseph Geoge Wiine Store |
JWinston Winery |
Karen Berner |
Kathy and Mike Glass |
Kendra Scott |
Kirigin Cellars |
La Mediterranee Catering |
Lake Chabot Golf Course |
Laura Alman Designs |
Loews Regency |
Lula Cellars |
Lulu's Mexican Restaurant |
Midnight Cellars |
Monkeypod Kitchen |
Nena Montgomerry & Michael Edson |
Nerano Beverly Hills |
Oakland A's |
Omnia lash bar |
Oriental Trading Company |
Out of the Barrel Taproom |
Page Mill Winery |
Platypus Tours |
Pride Mountain Vienyards |
R&W Vineyards |
Morgan Autism Center
San Jose, CA 95126-3900
Phone: (408) 241-8161
Email: info@morgancenter.org
Website: https://www.morgancenter.org