Every parent wants their children to grow up and learn how to live independently and that can be a challenge. However, it can be an even bigger concern for parents of students with disabilities. Schools have stepped up to the plate and partnered with families to aid in the post-secondary transition as best they can. One school district is trying a unique approach to extend authentic integrated learning experiences to students as they prepare for life after high school.

The Raymore-Peculiar School District is in the southern part of the Kansas City Metro. It is a unique combination of a suburban and rural town and serves approximately 6500 students from early childhood through 12th grade, supporting integrated learning. The district has been a part of the Kauffman Foundation’s Real World Learning Initiative since its inception and has been dedicated to providing those types of learning to students. In the 2024-2025 school year, district leaders began to tackle the question of how to provide authentic learning experiences to all students, including those with a high level of special needs. The idea of having an actual house on the high school’s property took root. A house would provide a much more authentic experience than the current functional living skills classroom because so much more would be involved in the upkeep of a house versus a classroom. For instance, in a classroom a custodian takes out the trash every night; that is not what happens when you live in a house.

There are other districts that have houses so this was not a unique idea. What made this concept different was the district’s dedication to the integration of regular education students with special education students. This integrated learning started from the very beginning.

  • Interior design students were included as a part of the architectural design team and had an equal voice in the design of the house for integrated learning.
  • A female student was hired to be the Construction Management Intern and worked daily with the district’s Director of Facilities through every step of construction.
  • Students from the district’s multiple trades programs worked in the house and installed electrical and HVAC components.
  • Teams of interior design students were each given a room in the house to design, worked with the district’s furniture vendor as well as the special education staff and students to ideate and then pitched their design ideas to a group of teachers and administrators; those designs were used for those rooms in the house.
  • Teams of botany students were asked to research and design gardens for the house with the goal being the best design will be implemented once the house is ready.

Read the full article about improving integrated learning by Kristel Barr at Getting Smart.