Source:    The Original Vermont Observer, 13 September 2005
www.vermontobserver.com

Putney’s Landmark College has just passed a landmark of its own. The only institution of higher education in the U.S. specializing in educating students with learning disabilities, Landmark embarked on its unique journey 20 years ago. “Our future looks very bright,” Steve Muller, Assistant Vice President for Marketing and External Relations for Landmark, said. “About 90 percent of our students go on to four-year colleges. We try to encourage students to look beyond Landmark: we’ve sent students to schools like Cornell and NYU. Landmark graduates can go to top-level schools and really do well.” Landmark originally specialized in treating students with dyslexia, but in 1985 learning disabilities were not receiving the attention and understanding they have now. Many such students simply went undiagnosed and were labeled “slow” and “lazy.” Today, in addition to dyslexics, Landmark also educates students with attention-deficit disorder and hyperactivity. “Diagnoses were far fewer in the ‘80s,” Muller said. “Learning disability was much more of a stigma, and the way students were treated was very different. When Landmark began, we took more of a ‘boot camp’ approach. Now, we take a variety of approaches. And, of course, we have assistive technology that didn’t exist 20 years ago. “The position we take here is that we take all kinds of students,” he added. “There is no single prevalent form of learning disability.” Landmark’s specialty comes at a price: tuition alone comes to $35,000, among the highest in the U.S. As Landmark’s student body has grown (from 77 students at the beginning to 410 now, to a projected 500), the school has grown with it. Landmark recently finished a $12 million expansion and renovation project. Landmark’s operating budget has grown from $2,000,000 in 1985 to about $19,000,000 now. A new admissions building opened seven years ago, serving not only the admissions office but Landmark’s research division, the National Institute at Landmark College. The Click Family Sports Center opened in 2001, and current plans call for renovating one more academic building. “All renovations and building projects are accomplished through capital campaigns, direct gifts, tuition, and the careful planning of our management team. In addition, federally supported loans and grants have played a part in the funding,” according to the Landmark Web site. “We are proud of the fact that not a single, direct taxpayer dollar has been spent on Landmark College.” Landmark College had its origins with the Massachusetts-based Landmark School. Founded in 1971, the school added a one-year college preparatory program in 1982, but it soon became evident that much more was needed. The college came to Putney after the original school, Windham College, folded in 1978 after 27 years. No one quite knew what to do with the property, which was considered for a state prison at one point. Once Landmark decided to settle there, it took a year and a half and $3,000,000 to renovate the buildings and start welcoming learning disabled students. Full information on the school’s programs, policies and research can be found at its Web site, www.landmarkcollege.org.~