LightHouse’s strongest and longest-standing public partnership is with Holyoke Public Schools. We are a founding member of Opportunity Academy—a collaborative network of alternative education options created by HPS at the start of receivership. Alongside The Success Center and Gateway to College at Holyoke Community College, LightHouse serves as one of the three core Opportunity Academy campuses. Students referred to LightHouse through this program meet all state graduation requirements and earn a Holyoke diploma, but do so through a highly personalized, flexible, and student-centered approach.

In addition to our work with Holyoke, LightHouse partners with several nearby districts through their special education departments, including Belchertown, Chicopee, Granby, Easthampton, Northampton, South Hadley, West Springfield, and Westfield. These placements are made when LightHouse is determined to be the most appropriate educational setting for a student with an IEP. While we are currently pursuing DESE 766 approval as an out-of-district placement, we are already able to enroll students through a sole source designation—a mechanism districts can use when no other program offers what LightHouse provides.

LightHouse is the only school in Western Massachusetts offering a fully personalized, competency-based education model within a warm, relationship-driven, trauma-informed environment. Our flexible scheduling, small classes, and deep commitment to student voice make LightHouse an ideal setting for many neurodivergent youth. For families seeking a meaningful, future-focused alternative—and for districts aiming to reengage students in learning—we offer a powerful and proven path forward.