RISE Program

Providing opportunities for students with Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities (IDD) in the areas of academic growth, life skills, and social opportunities

About the RISE program

The RISE program is designed to provide an inclusive Christian education to students with Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities (IDD). RISE is currently available for students in Pre-K (age 4 by 8/15)-8th grade who meet qualifying criteria. The focus of RISE (Raising Independence and Success in Exceptional learners) is to teach qualified students at their individual ability levels, while also providing inclusive opportunities on an individualized basis in the classroom, during auxiliaries, chapel, discipleship, and extra-curricular activities. The RISE program provides an opportunity for students with IDD to experience academic growth, life skills, and social opportunities in a safe, loving, and Christian environment. If you are unsure if the RISE program is right for your child, contact admissions at 731-410-8063, email admissions@mytcalions.com, or complete the RISE inquiry form.

*Please note that at this time, there is a waitlist for the RISE program. Complete the above inquiry form to be on the waitlist to be contacted when applications are opened.

Some of the ways the RISE Program serves its students:

  • Individualized Goals 

  • Instructional Needs Met According to Individualized Family Educational Plan

  • Modified Classroom Lessons – as needed

  • Technology Blended Instruction

  • Integrated Life Skill Opportunities

  • JMCSS Speech and Language Services

Frequently Asked Questions

  • Eligibility for the RISE program is determined based on the various components listed below:

    1. RISE inquiry form – please complete this form so our RISE Director and teachers can begin assessing if this program would be a good fit for your child. Once received we will reach out to you to schedule a tour and begin discussing if our program will meet your child’s needs.

    2. Initial family tour – includes meeting RISE Director/teachers

    3. Completion of the online RISE application, which includes the following:

      Submit completed Online Application and RISE application fee of $200 (collected at the time the application is submitted)

      • Church Leader, Teacher, and Therapist Reference requests will be automatically emailed at the time of submission.

      Submit the most recent copies of the following through the document upload on your application, bring to the school, or email admissions@mytcalions.com:

      • Individual Education Plan (IEP)

      • 504 Academic Plan

      • Psychological Evaluations

      • Behavior Documentation / Plan if applicable

      • Current Report Card

      • Standardized test scores

      • Transcript of Academic Courses

      The TCA Admissions Department will contact you to schedule the following:

      • Observations for the RISE Director or Teacher to observe the student in their current school or therapy setting.

      • Observations for the student to sit in at TCA for up to 3 school days.

      • Parent Interview with RISE Director and/or PreK-12 Director.

      • Parent Interview with Board Member (new families only).

  • Students in the RISE program are expected to follow all TCA policies found in the Student Handbook.

    To be sure our program is able to meet the specialized needs of each student, medical needs will be taken into consideration for program acceptance. We also suggest that the student be able to manage age-appropriate toileting and personal hygiene. Behaviors must not include major risk factors (self-harm, elopement, aggression toward others, excessive or inappropriate language, etc.).

    Students in the RISE program will be expected to participate in whole group discussions and will complete the modified work assigned to them with or without the help of the RISE teacher.

    Parents of students in the RISE program are expected to participate in classroom activities when it is appropriate and attend any field trips unless deemed unnecessary at the time. Parents are also expected to maintain consistent communication with the RISE teacher which includes two meetings to determine goals for the year.

  • The first step in the application process for RISE is to submit an online inquiry, at the link HERE. This online inquiry allows the RISE Director and teachers to begin the assessment process to determine if this program is the best fit for your child. Once the inquiry is reviewed, the Director of Admissions will reach out to you to schedule a tour for your family and to meet the RISE Director and teachers and for you to begin the application and admissions process.

    To complete our online RISE Application, please go to our online application portal HERE. Once your account has been created, be sure to select the correct academic year and that you would like to complete the RISE application. The $200 non-refundable application fee is collected at the time of submitting the application. We recommend that you wait to submit your application until your inquiry has been reviewed. You can, however, begin filling out the application and wait to submit until that time. For any questions about RISE or the RISE Admissions Process, please contact admissions@mytcalions.com or call 731-410-8063.

  • 1:2-4 (Dependent on grade-levels)

  • Yes. To find out more about this program, read their informative flyer.