DALLAS — Megan Howard’s son is, by any standard definition, a brilliant young student. He spends his free time immersed in the complexities of trigonometry, finding joy and intellectual stimulation in the very subjects that intimidate many of his peers. Yet, for all his academic prowess, he found himself unable to step through the doors of his middle school.
Each morning followed a harrowing, repetitive cycle. Howard’s son would get dressed for the day, but once the car pulled up to the school building, he would freeze. The prospect of entering the halls of his public school, which served 1,000 students, felt insurmountable. The academic work wasn’t the hurdle; the lack of a social anchor was. Howard realized that despite his intellectual gifts, her son—who lives with autism and ADHD—was suffering from a profound sense of isolation. He didn’t need a harder textbook; he needed a single friend. Ultimately, Howard felt she had no choice but to pull him out of the traditional system.
Her sons are members of a specific, often overlooked population known as "twice-exceptional" (2e) learners. These are students who possess high intellectual ability while simultaneously navigating learning differences such as dyslexia, ADHD, autism, or other neurodivergent traits. Across the United States, an estimated 360,000 students fall into this category. For their parents, the quest to find a classroom that can nurture a high-functioning brain while simultaneously addressing critical socioemotional needs is an exhausting, often futile, uphill battle.
The Sage School of Dallas, a new private institution, was established specifically to fill this void. It stands as one of the few schools in the nation designed from the ground up to cater to this intersection of giftedness and disability.
"Either you can find a place that has rigorous academics, or you can find a therapy school that is really about social-emotional learning," Howard said, reflecting on her search for an educational home. "There was never a place that did both."
The "Unexpected Combination" Within One Person
The concept of the "twice-exceptional learner" has gained significant traction in recent years as research into neurodiversity has matured. According to the National Association for Gifted Children, approximately 6% of students currently receiving special education services are also classified as academically gifted.
Jacob Michaelson, a professor of psychiatry and neuroscience at the University of Iowa, describes the experience of these students as a unique phenomenon. "There is kind of this unexpected combination within one person of extreme ability in one aspect and extreme disability in another," Michaelson noted.
While the awareness of special education needs has grown, the challenge of identifying 2e students remains immense. The number of students qualifying for disability services has surged nationwide; in Texas public schools, for instance, the population of students in special education programs grew from 451,600 in the 2014-15 school year to 911,300 in the most recent school year. This increase suggests that educators are becoming more adept at recognizing needs and that families are more empowered to seek support.
However, twice-exceptional learners frequently "fly under the radar." Because their high intellect can act as a veil, masking their struggles, they often escape the notice of overburdened teachers. A student who excels in advanced coursework might be overlooked when they struggle with executive function or social cues, as their high test scores create the impression that they are "doing fine."
"You get the impression: ‘Oh my gosh, this person is really smart,’" Michaelson said. "But that masks the fact that they do have other deficits that are not as apparent."
This leaves parents in a difficult position: should they place their child in a gifted program that might ignore their disability, or a special education program that might fail to challenge their intellect? Howard faced this exact dilemma. She knew her oldest son would thrive in the rigorous math curriculum at the School for the Talented and Gifted, a competitive Dallas ISD magnet school. Yet, she feared he would be left to flounder in the social arena. Her younger son, who lives with selective mutism—an anxiety disorder that prevents speech in certain settings—required a more intimate, structured environment. For Howard, the mission was clear: "Academics was never the issue for my kids. I needed them to go to school more for social reasons."
A Private School Steps In
Kristen Dauphinais, one of the founders of the Sage School, knows this frustration intimately. As a parent of a twice-exceptional learner, she lived the same search for a balanced environment that Howard did. She decided that if the right school didn’t exist, she would have to help create it.
"We always joke that these kids just have to cook a little differently," Dauphinais said. "We’re the oven. We built an oven to cook these kids a little differently."
The Sage School’s approach is centered on inquiry-based learning. On a recent October morning, a physics lesson saw two high school students collaborating on a projectile launcher. The excitement in the room was palpable as they inspected their machine, loaded a ball, and watched it travel across the room—falling just shy of their initial mathematical estimations.
The school, housed in a Far North Dallas church, serves students from fifth through 12th grades. In addition to rigorous academics, socioemotional learning is woven into the daily curriculum. Students engage in lessons on social interaction, role-play complex communication scenarios, and practice real-world application of social skills. One student demonstrated this by reciting the "THINK" acronym—a guide to pause and consider if a statement is True, Helpful, Inspiring, Necessary, and Kind before speaking.
When the school opened last year, it began with just four students. It has since grown to 11, supported by four full-time teachers and one part-time teacher. Admission is selective, involving cognitive assessments, academic records, and personal interviews. For the families, the $35,000 annual tuition is a significant investment in a specialized environment that they believe is essential for their children’s development.
The Landscape of Support
Before launching the Sage School, its founders engaged with other specialized institutions across the country to share best practices. Their "aspirational peer" is Bridges Academy in Southern California. Founded in 1994 with just three students in a home, Bridges Academy has grown into a major hub for 2e education, now serving 200 students with a comprehensive campus, online programs, and a dedicated research center.
Mark Long, the head of school at Bridges Academy, has witnessed the shifting language around neurodiversity. "There’s an understanding around what it is," Long said. "There might not be an understanding of what to do with it, but there’s an awareness."
Bridges Academy emphasizes flexibility. Instead of traditional 2,000-word essays, students might opt for films or oral presentations to demonstrate mastery of a subject. The academy also provides consulting services to other schools, a service that Long says is currently "inundated" with requests from districts nationwide looking for ways to better serve their 2e populations.
Public schools are also making strides. Montgomery County Public Schools in Maryland is widely cited as a model, offering self-contained classrooms designed for twice-exceptional students. In Texas, the state guidelines encourage educators to modify curricula to support 2e students, and some districts, such as Carrollton-Farmers Branch ISD and Arlington ISD, have implemented universal screening to ensure these students are identified through testing rather than solely through teacher referral.
"These kids are clever. They’re game-changers," Long said. "We have a moral obligation to make sure that every child across the United States and beyond reaches their potential."
Finding the Dream School
For Megan Howard, the path to finding the right environment for her children was marked by doubt and sacrifice. She considered homeschooling and navigated the public system before briefly trying a private college-preparatory school. For years, the idea of a "dream school" seemed like a fantasy.
When she discovered the Sage School through an internet search, she was hesitant. It was a new, unproven institution, and the lack of financial aid meant that she had to consult with financial planners to ensure her family could manage the tuition.
Ultimately, Howard decided the trade-offs were worth the peace of mind. The results, she says, are visible in her children. When she observes her oldest son tackling calculus, she knows his intellect is being stretched. When she watches him navigate friendships and practice self-advocacy, she feels a profound sense of relief and pride. It is a transformation that leads her to a simple, heartfelt wish: "I just wish every student could go to a Sage who needs it."
