AIP was founded in 1995 by a consortium of private therapeutic schools to which Boston Public Schools referred students with behavioral/mental health diagnoses. Led by Robert Kilkenny (Ed.D.), who had worked with troubled youth in clinical and school settings, the idea was that better results could be produced at lower cost by integrating public and private services in a “full-service” public school. Special education is provided with academic remediation, enrichment programs, sports, arts, mental health and family supports, personal development assistance and community service — all under one roof, where students are supported by a community of caring adults. “Inclusion” means returning students from therapeutic day or residential schools, through AIP, to regular BPS classrooms. “Prevention” means filling kids’ lives with positive year-round programs to keep them growing and out of trouble. AIP operates in Roslindale’s Washington Irving Middle School and Dorchester’s New Boston Pilot Middle School, serving 500-650 students. Over 75% of AIP’s students with serious mental health diagnoses move on to regular classrooms in high school, and 95% remain there. The Eisenhower Foundation has selected AIP Irving as a national model of best practices in public-private partnerships. AIP must raise 20% of its budget from private donors. It needs your help.