Beginning with the 2018-2019 school year, Bishop McLaughlin Catholic High School, in Pasco County, FL, launched the first secondary education program in the Diocese of St. Petersburg for students with special needs. The Exceptional Student Education (ESE) program was created in response to increased demand in Pasco, Hillsborough, Hernando, Pinellas, and Citrus counties to provide secondary Catholic school options. The Bishop McLaughlin Catholic High School ESE program serves the Tampa Bay community including Spring Hill, Hudson, New Port Richey, Wesley Chapel, Lutz, Odessa, and Tampa, This diocesan program, designed for students with learning challenges and related difficulties, provides an environment where each student’s uniqueness is valued. The student’s self-esteem is enhanced in an inclusive, nurturing, and supportive setting that provides opportunities for students to grow spiritually, academically, socially, emotionally, and physically.

This program is dedicated to serving students who think and learn differently, or who need specific support and accommodations for educational success and spiritual growth. Certified special education teachers provide students with opportunities to be successful while stressing the importance of personal integrity, appropriate social skills, and good work habits. This program consists of both an inclusive model with support, as well as self-contained classrooms, depending on the student’s specific needs. All students enrolled in this program must fulfill the graduation requirements established by the State of Florida.