Gretchen Everhart School is part of the Leon County School system and serves students with intellectual disabilities ages 3-22 years of age. The school started by concerned parents as the Candle of Hope School during the late 1960s and relocated in 1972 to its current location on Mission Road. Today the school accommodates approximately 250 students with severe to moderate mental handicaps. All students at the school in grades K – 12th have cognitive deficits and special needs which are addressed in Individual Education Plans for each student. The school serves students from Leon County and the surrounding counties of Gadsden, Jefferson, Taylor, Wakulla, Liberty, and Franklin whose needs can’t be successfully met in a traditional school setting.