about achievement center of texas

The Achievement Center of Texas is a non-profit Individualized Skills and Socialization (formerly day hab) center for children (13 and older) and adults with special needs. We make every effort to offer families services that support those children wherever possible. In providing a wide range of services in the least restrictive environment, students at the Achievement Center can grow and develop physically, intellectually, emotionally and socially. At our center, they work toward greater independence and a more satisfying way of life.

Our History

1977
1987
1990
1992
1993
1994
2003
2012
2014
2016
2017

1977

October 12th, Garland Association of Retarded Children opens its doors as a home-based day care center and after-school and summer program for children with special needs. The Reverend Michael Haynes, father of a child with disabilities, offered this group the use of the Sunday School building of the St. Paul United Methodist Church.

1987

Marilynne Serie became the Executive Director on January 19th.

1990

The program at the center moved from part-time to full-time services

1992

The center was named “Best of Texas” by the Corporate Child Development Fund in Austin.

1993

The Mayor of the City of Garland, Bob Smith, offered the Achievement Center space at Granger Recreation Center where the center held classes for nine years. Due to the very different disabilities of the students and the fact that not all the students were children, the Executive Director, Marilynne Serie, changed the name of the center to The Achievement Center of Texas.

1994

The ACT student enrollment doubles.

2003

Achievement Center of Texas moved into its current location at 2950 North Shiloh Road in Garland on February 3rd.

2012

The Therapy Room was transformed into another classroom to accommodate our growing population, and the Sensory Motor Training Lab was designed and built in its place.

2014

Milo, a two-foot tall robot that assists people with Autism, made the center his home.

2016

The center altered its name another time, dropping the “The” in its title and becoming simply Achievement Center of Texas (ACT).

2017

Executive Director Marilynne Serie passed the baton over to Andrew Mlcak, who now serves as Executive Director. ACT celebrated its 40th anniversary on October 12th.