Founded in 1970, The Learning Center is a 365-day community-based, Massachusetts Department of Education Chapter 766-approved private school for students with mental retardation, autism and other developmental disabilities. The philosophy of The Learning Center is based on the need for all students to acquire the skills and behaviors necessary to live and work as independently as possible in the community. The main goal of the program is community referenced -- students are taught to function in less restrictive settings and provided with opportunities to demonstrate newly acquired skills and behaviors in these community settings.

The overall curriculum encompasses skills and behaviors that have been determined by recent research to be most important to the successful transition from school to working and living in the community as independently as possible.