OSCEOLA COUNTY, Fla. — Osceola County has converted the P.M. Wells charter school into a school for students with intense disabilities and behavioral needs.
The school, which is the first of its kind in the district, provides a specialized educational environment for students who previously had to be sent out of the district to have their needs met.
“We’ve never been able to offer a separate ESE center day school,” said Renee Clayton, deputy superintendent of Osceola County Schools.
The P.M. Wells school was converted from a charter school that was closing. The district says minimal renovations were needed to make it suitable for its new purpose.
Currently the school serves 31 students, all of whom have intense behavioral needs, and each classroom is staffed with a teacher and three to four support staff members.
The district is still in the process of hiring permanent staff for the school, with some positions currently filled by certified staff or substitutes.
The school is being opened in phases, with only one wing currently in use . Next year, it is expected to expand to accommodate a larger cohort of students, including those with serious disabilities and cognitive delays.
Click here to download our free news, weather and smart TV apps. And click here to stream Channel 9 Eyewitness News live.
©2025 Cox Media Group
