Troubled Teen Boarding Schools

Boarding schools are independent, college preparatory schools that provide housing facilities for students and faculty. Boarding schools are sometimes referred to as "intentional communities" because the faculty and staff at boarding schools work very hard to create an environment for students that is safe, academically challenging, active, and fun.

Boarding schools are well known for their academic excellence. With small class sizes, diverse curricula, and individual attention from teachers and advisors, the boarding school experience gives students many distinct advantages. Boarding school students acquire the abilities that help ensure success in college and in life.

During the academic year, boarding schools become extended families where teachers and students live and learn together. The 24-hour community of a boarding school environment allows the faculty to seize every teachable moment whether in the classroom, on the playing field, or in the dormitory.

While boarding schools differ among these broad types, they also differ in their philosophy and mission. Because no two boarding schools are alike, matching a student with an appropriate boarding school is a big step toward ensuring future success. Teen Options can help guide you through this difficult process.

Specialty Boarding Schools

There are many schools today that are labeled, "boarding schools for troubled teens." They all have a little different twist on helping a teen that may be defiant, skipping school, or just failing in school due to a lack of effort or concern. Some are long term programs and some just 2 week programs. The shorter programs do not usually have an academic component to them. Some of these are punitive in nature and punish the child for not making an appropriate choice and some are very lenient. There are many in the middle with enough structure and discipline to accomplish the goal of getting the teen back on the right track. We have a Boarding School Directory of programs that we have found to be effective.

Christian Boarding Schools

Some schools are sponsored by or backed by a particular religious organization. Many of these schools will not take a teen if they are diagnosed with Oppositional Defiant Disorder, or if the child is destructive, or angry. Many parents looking for placements have teens that are out of control and not fitting into a regular classroom. This being the case a school that won't take defiant children, is probably not going to work. There are some Christian Boarding Schools that will take defiant teens however. We do work with a few that will. We do work with a Christian all girls boarding school, and it is very reasonably priced. They will take girls that don't want to be there, or that are defiant. The curriculum is usually accredited, and acceptable when the teen returns home.