Students receive instruction in a variety of settings, including specialized classes at the high school, vocational education classes, community college course work, job clubs, and mentoring and independent living programs. The PBDP relies on a highly individualized approach to education, beginning with an assessment of each student which provides the basis for the student, counselor, and parents to develop a tailored educational and vocational plan together. The CAI system has been designed to respond to all program needs from entry testing and assessment to curriculum presentation and assessment. Students complete course elements and receive credit on a continual basis, enabling them to catch up on their academic credits and receive immediate gratification that appears to motive them to continue. In each academic area, students work at their own pace.
Most students are able to accumulate the credits needed for graduation in two years or less.
They can complete a unit by taking a test, either by hand or on the computer, and they may take the test as often as they like. Performance reports are generated by the computer for each activity, and students can ask for their reports at any time. The typical report contains information on the student's status in a given course, listing activities, tests taken, scores, and averages. Under each area, a set of specific standards is identified. These standards have become the goals towards which teaching and assessment aim.