Trident Academy

Trident Academy is a special education school in Mt Pleasant, SC, operating as a private K-12 institution for students diagnosed with language-based learning differences. The school serves cognitively capable children, most of whom have diagnoses of dyslexia, dysgraphia, dyscalculia, or ADHD. Admission requires students to have an average to above-average IQ. The curriculum is built on the Orton-Gillingham approach, a customized method that breaks down language into its constituent parts and reassembles them through repetition. Teachers guide students toward small successes to build confidence, aiming to help them become self-advocates who understand their strengths and learning styles.

The school provides individualized, multi-sensory, and research-based teaching, emphasizing immersive remediation rather than light-touch programs. This model surrounds students with tailored support throughout the day to achieve fluency in learning. Trident Academy also focuses on executive functioning and real-world success skills, viewing these as equally important as academic content. The goal is for students to feel confident and to view their learning differences as unique traits that can be leveraged into strengths. The school prepares students for successful transitions to alternative learning environments, including traditional schools, college, or career paths. Families from across the United States move to the SC Lowcountry to attend the school, with nearly 25% of students in the two most recent school years being new to the Charleston area.

Trident Academy is accredited by the Southern Association of Independent Schools (SAIS) and AdvancED/Cognia/SACS CASI. It is a member of the Palmetto Association of Independent Schools (PAIS), the SC Independent School Association (SCISA), the Association of LD Schools (ALDS), and the National Association of Independent Schools (NAIS). The school is a founding member of the Association of LD Schools and has earned the Gold Seal of Transparency from GuideStar.

The school is located on Wakendaw Rd, situated about a mile from Whipple Road. It is roughly 0.4 miles from Hobcaw Creek, Lucy Beckham High School, and the Mark Clark Expressway, and about 0.5 miles from Mathis Ferry Road.

Trident Academy began as a Saturday-only tutorial program in a Charleston area church room before being incorporated in 1972. The school received guidance from Dr. Lucia Karnes, who studied under June Orton and Dr. Samuel T. Orton, pioneers in learning differences research. Trident Academy was involved in the early stages of forming the Orton Society, now known as the International Dyslexia Association. The College of Charleston and The Citadel developed a Master of Arts in Teaching Special Education program to further educate Trident Academy teachers in learning differences education.

In Mt Pleasant, Trident Academy stands as a dedicated private K-12 school transforming the lives of children with language-based learning differences through immersive, research-based instruction.

Services:

• Admissions
• Assistive Technology
• Counseling
• Executive Function Support
• Orton-Gillingham Approach