Special needs schools and the scholarships that pay for them
Some states pay private school tuition or therapy costs for a student with a disability. Here are those programs, and the 2,916 schools that state lists name for one. A school is here only when its state’s list names it, never because of its name.
Schools on a state list · Other programs · Programs that pay more · Special education schools
Special needs scholarships with a school list
These states publish which schools take their special needs scholarship. Each link opens the schools by town, with the award, who qualifies and how to apply, read from the state’s own pages.
| State | Scholarship | On the state’s list | Schools here |
|---|---|---|---|
| Florida | Florida Unique Abilities Scholarship (FES-UA) (amounts and how to apply) | 2,503 schools (copy of October 8, 2026) | 2,318 |
| Ohio | Jon Peterson Special Needs Scholarship | 313 schools (copy of October 6, 2026) | 276 |
| Ohio | Ohio Autism Scholarship | 125 schools (copy of October 6, 2026) | 85 |
| Wisconsin | Special Needs Scholarship Program | 233 schools (list dated August 12, 2026) | 237 |
Why “schools here” can be lower: our school pages carry the schools that also take the state’s general program (EdChoice or Cleveland in Ohio, FTC or FES-EO in Florida), and only those we matched to an address. Each list page says how many more the state names. Ohio’s directory also names therapy and tutoring providers for these scholarships. They are not schools: the businesses among them are on Ohio’s approved providers page, and individual therapists are not shown.
Other special needs programs
We do not load a school list for these. Follow the official link for who qualifies and which schools or providers take part.
- Mississippi Education Scholarship Account for Students with Special Needs (Mississippi)
- School Tuition Organization scholarships, including Lexie's Law (Arizona, read October 1, 2026)
- Georgia Special Needs Scholarship (GSNS) (Georgia, read October 5, 2026)
- School Choice Program for Certain Students with Exceptionalities (Louisiana, read October 1, 2026)
- Dyslexia Therapy Scholarship (Mississippi, read October 1, 2026)
- Nate Rogers Speech-Language Therapy Scholarship (Mississippi, read October 1, 2026)
- Education Student Accounts (ESA+) for children with disabilities (North Carolina, read October 1, 2026)
- Lindsey Nicole Henry Scholarships for Students with Disabilities (Oklahoma, read October 1, 2026)
- Exceptional SC scholarships for children with exceptional needs (South Carolina, read October 1, 2026)
- Parental refundable tax credit for tuition (exceptional needs) (South Carolina, read October 1, 2026)
- Individualized Education Account (IEA) Program (Tennessee, read October 1, 2026)
School choice programs that pay more for a student with a disability
These are the general programs, open to more students, with a different amount or rule for a student with a disability. The wording is each program page’s, from the state’s sources.
| State | Program | For a student with a disability |
|---|---|---|
| Arizona | Arizona Empowerment Scholarship Account | Students with disabilities receive far more. |
| Florida | Florida Family Empowerment and Tax Credit Scholarships | Students with disabilities average about $10,000 under FES-UA. |
| Idaho | Idaho Parental Choice Tax Credit | Up to $7,500 for a student with a qualifying disability. |
| Louisiana | Louisiana LA GATOR Scholarship | Students with disabilities can receive up to $15,253 at or below 250% of the poverty level, and up to $12,870 above it. |
| Maryland | Maryland BOOST Scholarship | An award cannot be more than tuition, except for a student with a disability who needs tutoring or academic support. |
| North Carolina | North Carolina Opportunity Scholarship | Students with disabilities can also use ESA+. |
| Texas | Texas Education Freedom Accounts | More for students with disabilities; $2,000 for homeschooled students. |
| Virginia | Virginia Education Improvement Scholarships Tax Credits | Students with disabilities at licensed special education schools can receive up to three times that share. |
Special education schools in the federal survey
Separately from any scholarship, 1,488 private schools in 34 states told the U.S. Department of Education’s Private School Survey that their main program is special education. A school there may or may not take a state scholarship; each school page says which lists name it.
- Special education schools in Florida (199)
- Special education schools in New York (146)
- Special education schools in California (134)
- Special education schools in Pennsylvania (133)
- Special education schools in New Jersey (107)
- Special education schools in Massachusetts (89)
- Special education schools in Illinois (77)
- Special education schools in Virginia (68)
- Special education schools in Texas (51)
- Special education schools in Connecticut (49)
- Special education schools in Maryland (43)
- Special education schools in Ohio (43)
- Special education schools in Georgia (40)
- Special education schools in North Carolina (37)
- Special education schools in Arizona (33)
- Special education schools in Maine (29)
- Special education schools in Missouri (20)
- Special education schools in New Hampshire (18)
- Special education schools in Wisconsin (18)
- Special education schools in Tennessee (16)
- Special education schools in Vermont (16)
- Special education schools in Washington (16)
- Special education schools in Rhode Island (15)
- Special education schools in Utah (14)
- Special education schools in Colorado (11)
- Special education schools in Kentucky (10)
- Special education schools in Arkansas (9)
- Special education schools in South Carolina (9)
- Special education schools in Alabama (7)
- Special education schools in Mississippi (7)
- Special education schools in Oregon (7)
- Special education schools in Louisiana (6)
- Special education schools in Michigan (6)
- Special education schools in Oklahoma (5)
Questions parents ask
Which states pay for a special needs private school?
This page names 23 programs in 15 states that pay toward private school or services for a student with a disability, each with its official source. Florida, Ohio and Wisconsin publish lists naming the schools that take their special needs scholarships, and we list those schools by town.
Are these autism schools?
We do not call a school an autism school or a special needs school from its name. A school appears under a scholarship here only because the state’s own list names it for that scholarship, which means the school agreed to take it, not that it serves every disability. Ask each school how it would serve your child.
How do I find out if my child qualifies?
Every program on this page sets its own rule, usually an IEP or a qualifying diagnosis. Each program page quotes the rule from the state’s own source and links to it. The school district that wrote the IEP and the program office can confirm.
This page lists programs and schools. It is not medical, legal or placement advice. Your child’s IEP team and the program office can tell you what fits.