Gates School is for students with dyslexia and other primary reading disabilities to open the gates to their individual academic potential in an environment that empowers students to develop a positive and socially conscious self-image. As an Alternative Education Campus (AEC), our mission is to serve this population of students who have unique needs and characteristics best addressed through multi-sensory, evidence-based, explicit instruction.


The focus of the school is on students who:
✓Are South Carolina residents who complete the application process and
✓Who have been given a medical/psychological diagnosis of dyslexia or a primary reading disability from a public school and/or private evaluation or
✓Have demonstrated a need for such specific services through, but not limited to, documentation in an IEP with a specific learning disability in reading, or a 504 plan with academic characteristics that are primarily and foremost consistent with dyslexia or
✓MTSS/RTI documentation of reading intervention or
✓Report cards or other documents from previous public or private schools that the student is not meeting grade specific standards in reading as a primary area of deficit
✓MAP scores, state assessments, teacher recommendations, student work samples indicating a primary reading deficit or
✓Have test results from an accepted public school district or private school approved dyslexia screener such as FastBridge Learning or AIMSweb indicating a primary reading deficit.  

Any of the above documentation submitted with this application will help to indicate your student’s area(s) of deficits and needs as well as inform alignment with the school's primary focus, mission, and enrollment procedures.  If you need assistance in obtaining documentation, please contact Gates School at dyslexiacharter@gmail.com.  If no documentation is available, a screening session by Gates School representatives to assess critical areas of reading skills and/or achievement will be administered as part of the admission process at no cost to your family.  A Gates School representative will contact you to schedule the screening session. Any documentation can be emailed to dyslexiacharter@gmail.com or mailed to Gates School, c/o Stephanie Sams, 3003 Dunes West Blvd, Mount Pleasant, SC, 29466.

Completing this application will begin your child’s admission process at Gates School.  Applications for the 2021-2022 school year will be accepted from October 1, 2020 until December 22, 2020 at 5:00 pm.  If the number of applications completed exceeds the number of available seats, a public lottery will be held in January 2021.  You will be notified of the lottery date and time by Gates School.  If the number of applications does not exceed the number of seats available, your child will be given a seat at Gates School.  Once all seats have been awarded, either through simple admission or lottery, a waiting list will be established.  

Please note: For the 2021-2022 school year, Gates School will serve students in grades 1st-5th.