The Learning Program Boston (LPB) is an educational program committed to improving educational outcomes for students with Down syndrome. Based on the Learning Program™, originally developed by our affiliate-partner, Down Syndrome Foundation, Orange County (DSF), this nationally-recognized model for parent-focused educational intervention is grounded on evidence-based approaches to teaching children and youth with Down syndrome. LPB is delivered in the greater Boston area by the 3-21 Foundation, a 501(c)3 non profit. The Foundation’s mission is to promote advances in education and cognition for people with Down syndrome. Our program is geared towards the development of foundational reading, writing and math skills and is appropriate for families with children between the ages of 3 to 12.

For the upcoming 2020-2021 academic year, we have pivoted to a hybrid program. From September to December we will host parent-only sessions that will meet virtually online. We will transition to in-person programming for parents and students when it is safe to reconvene. We have designed an adaptable schedule beginning in January 2021 that will allow us to continue with online parent-sessions but provide the flexibility to resume in-person sessions with social distancing measures in place. As per CDC guidelines, we will only resume parent-student sessions when it is safe to resume in-person programming for children who are medically complex with genetic conditions.

Parent-only sessions comprise workshops and seminars. From September through December 2020, all parent-sessions will be online and also recorded to allow for asynchronous learning. Assuming it is safe to do so, we will transition to an adaptable program in January 2021. Workshops will still be accessible virtually but sessions will be hosted live at MDSC’s Burlington offices and accessible virtually simultaneously. They will also be recorded to allow for asynchronous learning. Workshops cover academic topics and instructional strategies, resources and activities to help you work with your child. They build upon each other in succession so it is best if you are able to attend all sessions, either in person or virtually.  Families select an academic level (Level 1-4), appropriate for where their child is developmentally. We encourage you to primarily attend the level you are registered for however you have the option to attend any leveled workshop. Seminars are appropriate for families of children at all developmental levels and are stand-alone sessions that complement the workshops. Seminars will not meet person, and will meet online via webinar format throughout the year unless communicated otherwise. They are recommended but optional.

Parent-student sessions include Curriculum Days and Adventure Days. This portion of our program is truncated and will only be held if we are able to convene safely. These are optional and you can come with or without your child. Curriculum Days are designed to provide hands-on coaching with academic activities.  Parents come with their children anytime during these drop-in sessions and rotate through different learning centers led by our teaching team who will model the instructional approaches taught during the Workshops. Parent-student Adventure Days are designed to provide hands-on coaching to develop important non-academic skills. These community-based events are led by our teaching team who will model the development of social communication, self-regulation and independence skills. You are encouraged to connect with other parents during the parent-student sessions, however the responsibility of supervising your child is an essential component to the program.

Tuition (subsidized) is $250.00 for the year. You may only register for one level. Instructional materials are customized for each level and are $225.00 for the year. It is highly recommended that you purchase instructional materials to complement the leveled workshop you are registered for.  However you have the option to order a different set of materials or not order any materials at all. If tuition is cost prohibitive, please let us know as scholarships are available. Tuition and instructional materials may also be reimbursable by your local area support agency. Note that separate registration is required for each Adventure Day and additional event fees may apply. Siblings and other extended family members are welcomed at all parent-student sessions.

Enrollment in LPB is limited and spaces will be filled on a first-come, first-serve basis. You must register and pay by September 5, 2020 to be considered for a spot. You can learn more about The 3-21 Foundation, Down Syndrome Foundation, Orange County and Down Syndrome Education at: www.321foundation.org, www.dsfoc.org and www.dseinternational.org

Please contact us if you have any questions. We are looking forward to working with your family!

DESCRIPTION OF LEVELED PROGRAM 2020-2021*

Level 1 is for families new to LPB with a student in pre-school to 1st grade or between the ages of 3-7, beginning to show an interest in letters and numbers and able to attend to an activity for 5-10 minutes. Families registering for this level should have students able to understand at least 50 words.

Level 2 is for returning Level 1 families or families new to LPB with a student in 1st to 3rd grade or between the ages of 6-9. Level 2 builds on skills acquired in Level 1 and families registering for this level should have students with Level 1 foundational skills.  We will be working with predictable text such as carrier phrases and sentences with familiar pattern and repetition. Students will be developing beginning text-based comprehension skills such as understanding new vocabulary and recalling what they have just read. On the numeracy front, students should already have a familiarity with numbers as we’ll be introducing arithmetic operations.

Level 3 is for returning Level 2 families or families new to LPB with a student in 2nd to 4th grade or between the ages of 8-11. Level 3 builds on skills acquired in Level 2 and families registering for this level should have students with Level 2 foundational skills. They should be comfortable working with predictable text as we will be introducing sentences that have less repetition and reliance on pattern.  Students will be developing within-the text comprehension skills using strategies to understand and sequence the main idea and details of what they have read. On the numeracy front, we will continue to build on arithmetic operations and applying these to time and money concepts.

Level 4 is for returning Level 3 families or families new to LPB with a student in 3rd to 6th grade or between the ages of 10-12. Level 4 builds on skills acquired in Level 3 and families registering for this level should have students with Level 3 foundational skills. They should be comfortable working with sentences of increasing length and complexity as we will be using text in short paragraphs that sequence logically.  Students will be working on higher-level comprehension skills beyond-the-text, such as predicting, making text-to-self connections, and drawing conclusions and inferences.  On the numeracy front, we will continue to build on arithmetic operations, time and money, and will also work on more advanced math topics such as place value and fractions.

LEARNING PROGRAM BOSTON 2020-2021 CALENDAR

Parent Sessions

Parent-Student Sessions

Other Community Events

SESSION 1 – Zoom @ 9am

Level 1: Sat, Sep 19 – Intro to Literacy

Level 2: Sat, Sep 26 – Intro to Comprehension

Level 3/4: Sat, Oct 3 – Focusing on Comprehension

Seminar  @ 10 am

All: Sat, Oct 17 – Making School Work

SESSION 2 – Zoom @ 9am

Level 1: Sat, Oct 24 – Number ID & Rote Counting

Level 2: Sat, Oct 31 – Early Number Concepts

Level 3/4: Sat, Nov 7 – Number Sense

SESSION 3 – Zoom @ 9am

Level 1/2: Sat, Nov 14 –Effective Learning Sessions

Level 3/4: Sat, Nov 21 – Educational Options

MDSC Virtual Ed Forum Live

Sessions in Nov, TBD

Seminar @ 10am

All: Sat Dec 5 – Accessing the Curriculum

SESSION 4 – Zoom @ 9am

Level 1/2: Sat, Dec 12 – Building Sentences

Level 3/4: Sat, Dec 19 – Thought Development

Seminar @ 10am

All: Sat Jan 9 – Supporting Students in the Gen Ed

Literacy Curriculum Day @ MDSC

[Sat, Jan 23 from 9-12pm]

SESSION 5 @ MDSC

Level 1/2: Sat, Feb 6 @ 8:30am – Fine Motor Skills in the Classroom

Level 3/4: Sat, Feb 6 @10am – Speech Skills in the Classroom

Arts Adventure @ Puppet Theater

[Sat, Feb 27 time TBD]

SESSION 6 @ MDSC

Level 1/2: Sat, Mar 6 @ 8:30am – Sorting & Patterning

Level 3/4: Sat, Mar 6 @10am – Ordering & Comparing

Seminar @ 10am

All: Sat, Apr 3 @ 9am – Social Thinking & Developing Friendships

Math Curriculum Day @ MDSC

[Sat, Mar 20 from 9-12pm]

MDSC Annual Conference DCU Center, Worcester

[Sat, Mar 27]

SESSION 7 @ MDSC

Level 1/2: Sat, Apr 10 @ 8:30am – Phonemic Awareness

Level 3/4: Sat, Apr 10 @10am – Phonics

SESSION 8 @ MDSC

Level 1/2: Sat, May 1 @ 8:30am – Intro to Money

Level 3/4: Sat, May 1 @10am – Working with Money

Animal Adventure @ Southwick’s Zoo

[Sat, May 22 @ 10am]

MDSC Advocacy Day State House, Boston

Weekday in May, TBD

Seminar @ 10am

All: Sat, Jun 5 @ 9am – Cognitive Research Updates

*All dates, times & locations subject to change; please check for updates as we transition to an adaptable program beginning Jan 2021. In-person parent sessions will revert to Zoom in the event of inclement weather.

Parent-Student Sessions:  Please save these dates but understand that as per CDC re-opening guidelines, we can only proceed with parent-student sessions when it is safe to resume in-person programming for children who are medically complex with genetic conditions. These sessions will be optional and parents can attend without or without their children, Additional event fees apply for Adventure Day events.

Other Community Events: We will have a presence at these events and encourage all parents to attend. Children in the upper elementary grades are also encouraged to participate with their parents.

You registration is not complete until we have received your payment. You may pay in two equal check installments by post-dating your second check to January 1, 2021. You must include both checks with your registration but your second check will not be deposited till 2021. Please make you check(s) payable to the 3-21 Foundation, Inc. and mail your form and payment to:

➟ By mail
          The 3-21 Foundation, Inc.
          770 Massachusetts Avenue #390191
          Cambridge, MA 02139
          Attn: LPB 2020-2021 Registration

You can also pay online here. Please indicate to whom payment should be credited to.

➟ Online

Learning Program Boston 2020-21
Student Name




We are fortunate to have been awarded grant funding for our 2020-2021 program; this allows us to provide classes at a reduced cost to our families. However, we continue to be heavily reliant on grants and individual charitable gifts. If you are able to, please consider making an additional donation to ensure that students with Down syndrome can continue to benefit from our program. We are a 501(c)3 non-profit and all donations are tax-deductible to the extent allowable by law.




WE HAVE A LIMITED NUMBER OF SPOTS. 

YOU MUST REGISTER AND PAY BY SEPTEMBER 5, 2020 TO BE CONSIDERED FOR A SPOT.

We will contact you before September 5, 2020 to let you know if your application has been accepted.