Down the Road Education

Down the Road Education provides individual academic support, family guidance, and professional development for schools, all grounded in a single belief: when a child is understood, everything else becomes possible. Founded by Jess Durrett, an educational therapist and school consultant with nearly two decades of experience, the practice brings together a multidisciplinary team with backgrounds in educational therapy, psychoanalytic education, and special education.

For schools, Down the Road Education partners with leadership and faculty to strengthen how classrooms support diverse learners. The team conducts classroom observations and curriculum consultations, then works collaboratively with administrators and teachers to design strategic plans aligned with the school's mission. Services also include schedule innovation, accreditation support, and tailored professional development that helps faculty better understand and respond to the students in front of them — building capacity that extends well beyond any single engagement.

For students and families, Down the Road Education matches each child with an instructor suited to their needs and personality. Through individual sessions, that instructor helps children understand how they learn — building academic skills, self-awareness, executive functioning, and the language to advocate for themselves at school and at home. At the same time, the instructor becomes the family's advocate, offering guidance for navigating school challenges, designing supportive home routines, and coordinating with teachers and other professionals involved in the child's care.

The work is rooted in a developmental framework that looks beyond academics alone — considering how a child regulates, processes language, moves through the world, and makes sense of their own learning. The result is wrap-around support that sets students, families, and schools up for success now and down the road.