At The William E. Burkett Center, our mission is to promote independence for all students through self-help, communication, and work skills. The Burkett Center is a place where the smallest accomplishments of each student are celebrated and the unique beauty of each child is recognized. The Burkett Center — a place where each child is made to feel special!

The Burkett Center was established in 1977 as Springdale center. In 1987, the program moved to a newly renovated building and was renamed for the past superintendent, Dr. William E. Burkett. 

Currently, The Burkett Center services sixty-three students ages three through twenty-one. All students at Burkett have multiple disabilities. The program draws students from most areas served by the Jefferson County Board of Education.

Many areas of instruction and services are provided for Burkett students based on the goals and benchmarks in their Individual Education Plans (IEP). These services include, but are not limited to: academics, self-help skills, physical therapy, vision therapy, mobility training, pre-vocational training, occupational therapy, speech/language therapy, adaptive physical education, and community-based instruction.

Students at The Burkett Center experience many of the same activities in their classes as their non-disabled peers. Instruction is provided individually and in small group settings. A typical school day consists of academics, functional skills, and play! Younger students’ abilities are strengthened through participation in cognitive, communication, self-help, fine motor, and gross motor activities each day. Older students participate in many of the same type of age-appropriate activities, but also participate in work-/job-skill training. Many students travel out into neighboring communities for community-based instruction in real life settings. Additionally, all students participate in music, art, dance, and other varied cultural programs