Who We Are

The King’s Daughters’ School is a residential school for individuals ages 7 to late adulthood with developmental disabilities. KDS offers four comprehensive programs: the Total Lifestyles Program (TLP), the Center for Autism (CFA), the Young Adult Academy (YAA) and the Adult Lifestyles Program (ALP). While KDS is a primarily a residential school, there are a limited number of openings for day students each year. Students come to KDS from all over the United States and abroad.

KDS is primarily made up of two campuses: our main campus and The Center for Autism campus. Both are located in Columbia, TN, which is approximately one hour south of Nashville. In addition to our four main programs, KDS also offers an Early Learning Program (ELP) children from birth up to three years old. This program is part-time only and free of charge. Unlike our other programs, the ELP is only available for selected counties. Please see the ELP program page for additional details.

All students are placed in an academic program based on their ability level. Students participate in a regular 6 1/2 hour school day of basic skills plus physical education and vocational training. All programs are non-graded, but parents and teachers set goals through an Individualized Educational Plan (IEP) and an Individualized Program Plan (IPP) for each student at the beginning of every semester. Students are evaluated on their progress toward these goals every nine weeks.

Education is the top priority at KDS, because it is the essential tool students use to create the lives they dream of and deserve. Since we are a residential school, learning takes place both inside and outside of the classroom; in fact, it's often cleverly disguised as fun! Students benefit from small peer groups, in which certified teachers use many methods of instruction to meet the needs of each student.  In the residential homes, teacher/counselors focus on life and social skills.