Executive Function Coach Saratoga, CA
The Ladder Method coaches Saratoga students from 4th grade through college, plus adults, in 1:1 virtual sessions. In the 2024-25 school year, 91% of our students improved their organization skills, and students coached for at least 2 semesters raised their average GPA from 2.65 to 3.82. Start with a free 30-minute discovery call, with no pressure and no obligation.
91% of students improved their organization skills in 2024-25
3.82 average GPA after 2 or more semesters, up from 2.65
4-8 weeks until most clients notice first improvements
70% of our clients have ADHD or another neurodivergent profile
What We Coach at Each Saratoga School Level
Saratoga homes fall into 4 TK-8 school districts: Campbell, Cupertino, Moreland and Saratoga Union. For high school, Saratoga High (Los Gatos-Saratoga Union High School District) and Prospect High (Campbell Union High School District) both sit inside city limits. What we coach changes at each level.
Elementary and middle school
The Saratoga Union School District runs Argonaut, Foothill and Saratoga Elementary (TK-5) and Redwood Middle School (6-8) as an open-enrollment district. Our program for grades 5-8 covers organization, time management and prioritization, planning, goal setting, working memory and study skills. The goal is a student who's ready for the move to high school.
College
West Valley College sits in Saratoga, and its Disability and Educational Support Program (DESP) handles academic accommodations. Our university program covers routine building, focus and stamina, personalized study plans and semester roadmaps, and research, note-taking and exam preparation. Coaches also review assessments with clients and help them develop accommodations. Students at colleges outside the Bay Area can work with us virtually.
High school
Our high school program covers organization, time management and prioritization, planning, goal setting, task management and initiation, and working memory, plus self-regulation, self-advocacy and cognitive flexibility. If your student attends Saratoga High, set up a Canvas observer account. The district lets parents observe their student's Canvas courses, so you'll see the same due dates your student sees.
Adults
Our adult coaching program focuses on leadership tools, with courses on daily routines and mindset, time management and executive functioning habits. Adults diagnosed later in life are common: in a 2023 CDC survey, 55.9% of US adults with ADHD were diagnosed at 18 or older.
How The Ladder Method Works in 3 Steps
Candice Lapin developed The Ladder Method from years of hands-on experience, and it has been tested and refined over more than a decade. Every coach on our team is trained in it, and every client moves through the same 3 steps.
Intake & Assessment
It starts with a phone consultation with a client services enrollment executive, who learns your goals, your student's learning style and daily challenges. An assessment coach then meets with your student and your family. We treat the first 3 sessions as a continuous assessment.
Implementation
The assessment team and our Student Success department turn the findings into a strategy, carried out in weekly sessions. Session frequency and length come from the evaluation, and coach matching draws on what we learn about your student's personality, communication style and goals.
Ongoing Evaluation
Your coach and the Student Success team meet regularly to review progress and adjust strategies. Supervisors and educators review each student's progress, and we track skills before a student starts, during coaching and after the program ends.
The timeline most families can expect:
Sessions 1-3: continuous assessment
Weeks 4-8: most clients notice first improvements
Months 2-3: the minimum commitment we recommend to set foundational skills
2 full semesters: in our 2024-25 data, these students made the largest and longest-lasting gains
Picking a start date for 2026-27
Saratoga High's 2026-27 calendar sets the windows for high schoolers:
Early November 2026: weekly sessions fit the 3 assessment sessions before Thanksgiving week. The fall semester ends December 17, so aim for measured results in semester 2, which starts January 4, 2027.
January 2027: assessment wraps up in January, and the 4-8 week mark lands well before spring break (April 5-9).
Summer 2027: finish the assessment and first strategies before school starts.
Our 2024-25 Results
In the 2024-25 school year, 91% of our students improved their organization skills, 89% improved their time management and 87% reported more confidence.
Grades moved too. Among 4th-12th graders and college students who completed at least 2 semesters, average GPA rose from 2.65 to 3.82. Students who started below a 3.0 went from 2.18 to 3.68.
We evaluate outcomes for every student who completes the program, every year. These figures cover the 2024-25 cohorts and aren't a guarantee. The full breakdown is on our results page.
Virtual Coaching for Saratoga Families
The Ladder Method offers in-home coaching in Los Angeles and virtual coaching everywhere else, so Saratoga families can work with us online. Sessions run weekly, and their frequency and length are set after the assessment.
Our team has more than 50 instructors. Every coach completes a multi-phase training program in The Ladder Method that runs 18 months to 2 years, and most hold master's degrees or teaching credentials in education, psychology or related fields. A team of administrators regularly oversees and reviews our coaches and tutors.
Coach, tutor, therapist or LEP
Executive function coaching teaches students how to learn, organize and manage tasks. Tutors teach subject content and therapists work on emotional processing, and clients often pair coaching with tutoring or therapy. California doesn't license executive function coaches, so ask any coach about their training and who supervises them. If your student needs testing or a diagnosis, start with your pediatrician, a licensed psychologist or a Licensed Educational Psychologist (LEP), a license issued by California's Board of Behavioral Sciences. You don't need a diagnosis to start coaching with us.
4 Ways Saratoga Families Pay for Coaching
Most families pay privately. HSA or FSA reimbursement, San Andreas Regional Center and an IEP can each cover coaching in narrower cases. This isn't tax or legal advice, so confirm details with your plan administrator, SARC service coordinator or IEP team.
Private pay
Private pay is the default route, and you can ask about rates and billing on the discovery call.
HSA or FSA
IRS Publication 502 doesn't list coaching. Its special education entry covers tutoring that a doctor recommends, given by a specially trained teacher, for a child whose learning disability comes from a mental or physical impairment. Some plan administrators reimburse executive function coaching with a Letter of Medical Necessity from your doctor, so get approval before you prepay.
San Andreas Regional Center (SARC)
SARC serves Santa Clara County from its San Jose office (408-374-9960). Eligibility under California's Lanterman Act covers autism, intellectual disability, cerebral palsy, epilepsy and closely related conditions. A learning disability or psychiatric diagnosis on its own doesn't qualify. For eligible clients in the Self-Determination Program, the budget can pay providers that aren't vendored with the regional center. Payments run through a vendored Financial Management Services provider, and only when a generic service such as school doesn't cover the need.
IEP (school district)
If your student's IEP team agrees they need executive function services, the district can provide them or contract a nonpublic agency certified by the California Department of Education. That arrangement runs through a master contract and an individual services agreement.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does The Ladder Method have an office in Saratoga?
No. We coach Saratoga families virtually. Our in-person coaching areas are Los Angeles, New York, Chicago, Dallas and Austin.
Can we use an HSA or FSA to pay for coaching?
Sometimes. IRS Publication 502 doesn't name coaching, so it depends on your plan administrator. The usual route is a Letter of Medical Necessity from your doctor plus itemized invoices, with approval before you prepay.
Will San Andreas Regional Center pay for executive function coaching?
Only for people who qualify for regional center services, such as autistic students, and usually through the Self-Determination Program. A learning disability or a psychiatric diagnosis such as ADHD on its own doesn't qualify. Your SARC service coordinator can tell you what your plan allows.
Does my child need an ADHD diagnosis to start?
No diagnosis is required. Our coaching builds skills rather than treating diagnoses, and about 70% of our clients have ADHD or another neurodivergent profile.
How long until we see results?
Most clients notice initial improvements within 4-8 weeks of consistent coaching. We recommend at least 2-3 months to set foundational skills. In our 2024-25 data, students who completed 2 full semesters made the largest and longest-lasting gains.
What qualifications do your coaches have?
Every coach completes our multi-phase Ladder Method training, which runs 18 months to 2 years. Most hold master's degrees or teaching credentials in education, psychology or related fields, and team-based supervision covers quality control.
Do you coach adults?
Yes. Our adult program covers routines, time management, executive functioning habits and leadership tools, and Saratoga adults can work with us virtually.
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