The academic program is individualized and involves varied methods and materials. Individual and group counseling include consultation with family members and service providers. A structured behavior management program allows students to earn bank account money and reward activities while learning self-control. Computer education classes teach marketable computer skills and reinforce academic learning through computer-assisted instruction. Activities and classes in the Arts provide exposure to a variety of genres including visual and performance media.
Students move through a continuum of goal identification to apprenticeship placements.
The school works to prepare students for mainstreaming by replicating Boston Public Schools' calendar and including program components such as student government, competitive sports, letter grading, etc. A summer program, begun in 1990, runs for 5 weeks. Outdoor experiences combine with classroom instruction to reinforce academic skills and widen students' horizons. The Holden School is located in the Boston neighborhood of Charlestown, about 5 blocks west of the Bunker Hill Monument. The building, an ex-Boston Public School, is equipped with a recreational room, school yard, classrooms, offices and private counseling space.