Enrollment at Franklin Academy has generally increased with time. Its opening enrollment of 33 students climbed to 57 to start 2005, then 68 in 2006. Since at least 2010, the enrollment total seems to have steadied around 80 students annually, according to statements by both the school and independent organizations. It accepts students who are diagnosed with non-verbal learning disabilities and autism spectrum disorders. The students are boys and girls in grades 8-12 as well as some doing a post-graduate program. According to the school's own website, international students from several countries have also attended Franklin. Tuition at Franklin Academy includes payment for all services at the school, including room and board, counseling, and laundry. As of January 2018, Franklin Academy estimates its total annual tuition to be between $67,000 and $82,000, depending on if a family is granted certain discounts, or whether a student chooses to board or not. These tuition fees have been criticized in the past for being too expensive. Franklin also requires a submission of a recent neuropsychological evaluation during the application process.
Teams
Students at Franklin Academy are divided into "teams," with each team consisting of between 18 and 24 students. Teachers are also assigned to specific teams, and each team is headed by a "leadership" group of faculty. The leadership for each team is made up of a counselor who deals with the team's clinical matters, a learning specialist who oversees academic performance and development in the team's students, and a residential dean who is in charge of the team's dormitory structure and residential life.
Academics and curriculum
Franklin Academy's high school program operates on a five-term structure. These terms are referred to as "quints," and each quint is five weeks long. During quints, core academic classes — mathematics, science, humanities, and Individual & Community — are taught, along with a selection of elective options. Individual & Community is a class unique to Franklin Academy's curriculum. According to Franklin's website, I&C is a class which focuses on self-awareness, self-care, and social pragmatics in order to equip students with important life skills. Two "mini-terms" called "Intersessions" also occur. These are two week periods of all-day study in one subject matter. Course offerings during Intersessions are generally more hands-on, project-based, or practical than core academic classes.
Summer Sojourn
In July, the school runs a Summer Sojourn program which focuses on experiential learning.
History
The East Haddam property on which Franklin Academy's campus currently sits was previously home to three other institutions. The first of these was Becket Academy, a residential school for boys aged eight to fifteen established in 1964. The exact year of Becket Academy's closure is unknown, but in 1988 it was merged with the Founders School. The Founders School was a separate residential facility opened in 1992 that closed in 1998 after a brief lifespan due to concerns about its quality of care. Shortly thereafter in 1998, Haddam Hills Academy was incorporated and opened. It served as a residential facility for many students from the Long Lane School of Middletown. Throughout its brief lifetime, Haddam Hills Academy saw numerous incidents of abuse, neglect, suicidal behavior, and alleged criminal behavior by both students and staff, all of which raised serious concern from the Connecticut Department of Children and Families. In 2001, following an investigation by the DCF as well as significant public attention, Haddam Hills had its license revoked by the DCF and it was closed. In November 2001, Franklin Academy was incorporated. In 2002, an administrative team was hired and preparations for opening began. The school was granted approval to operate by the Connecticut Department of Education, and $2.5 million was spent on campus facilities. In September 2003, the school opened with an enrollment of 33 students. As of 2016, that number had grown to around 85. In December 2015, Franklin closed on the purchase of its campus property.
