Find Top Programs in Alaska

Discover Alaska schools and centers with individualized instruction, low student-teacher ratios, and integrated social-emotional support. Browse programs across 4 cities with 20 total programs.

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Featured Providers in Alaska

Compare highlighted schools and ABA therapy centers serving families across Alaska.

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Epic Minds Therapy

Serving Alaska

Epic Minds Therapy provides in-home ABA therapy in Raleigh, North Carolina and surrounding communities for children on the autism spectrum. Our BCBAs and RBTs build individualized programs that develop communication, social, and daily-living skills in the places children spend their days: at home, at school, and out in the community. Care is assent-based and family-centered, with dedicated parent and caregiver training so progress continues between sessions. We also offer telehealth support and help families access a virtual autism evaluation, and we accept Medicaid and major North Carolina insurance plans.

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FeaturedSpecial needs school

Ladd Elementary School

Serving Alaska

Ladd K-8 School (Home of the Ladd Leopards) is a public school in Fairbanks, Alaska, operated by the Fairbanks North Star Borough School District. Once known as Ladd Elementary, it has moved to a K-8 model serving students from kindergarten through 8th grade, plus a pre-kindergarten program for ages 3 to 5. About 61% of students are military-connected through nearby Fort Wainwright, with the rest coming from Fairbanks neighborhoods. The school offers a pre-k program for students working on kindergarten readiness skills, with needs identified through the district's Child Find screening process for communication, learning, or skill development. Special education staff at Ladd, the principal, and related-services providers form the team that plans supports for eligible students. A dedicated school counselor supports students' social and emotional needs. Grades 6 to 8 are open to students across the district through the Fairbanks North Star Borough K-8 lottery, while K-5 serves the neighborhood attendance area. As a public school, there is no tuition. Families register through the district enrollment system.

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Cities with Schools in Alaska

Explore schools across 4 cities in Alaska. Use search to quickly find schools in your area.

Popular Cities

Cities with the most schools

All Cities A-Z

4 cities total

Cities Starting with A

1 city

Anchorage

7 schools

Anchorage, Alaska

Cities Starting with F

1 city

Fairbanks

10 schools

Fairbanks, Alaska

Cities Starting with P

1 city

Palmer

1 school

Palmer, Alaska

Cities Starting with W

1 city

Wasilla

2 schools

Wasilla, Alaska

Special Education in Alaska: What Parents Need to Know

Alaska is the hardest state in the country to search for a specialized school in, and not because families are doing it wrong. Outside Anchorage, Fairbanks, and the Mat-Su Valley there is very little standalone private special education, so the realistic question is usually not which school to switch to but how to build the right supports around the school your child is already in. Alaska has two unusual pieces of infrastructure that make that possible: a statewide low-incidence agency that sends specialists to districts, and a correspondence allotment system that families use to buy curriculum and services directly.

We currently list 20 specialized schools and programs across 4 communities in Alaska.

Evaluation and IEP timelines in Alaska

Alaska does not use the familiar federal 60-day evaluation clock. Under 4 AAC 52.115, the district has 90 calendar days from the date you consent to do all of it: evaluate the child, determine eligibility, develop the IEP if the child qualifies, and begin providing services. That is a longer outside limit than most states, but it covers more ground, so a district that finishes an evaluation at day 80 is not entitled to another month to write the IEP.

90 calendar days from parental consent to evaluate, determine eligibility, write the IEP, and start services
The single 90-day window covers the whole sequence, not just testing
Child find reaches students in statewide correspondence programs, private schools, and homes, not only brick-and-mortar district campuses
Consent for services is separate from consent for evaluation and must be obtained before the IEP begins

How Alaska families pay for services and specialized instruction

Alaska has no private school voucher or education savings account. What it has instead is the Correspondence School Allotment Program, in which families enrolled in a statewide correspondence program receive an allotment, commonly up to roughly $4,500 per student, to purchase approved curriculum, materials, and services. It is widely used, with more than 24,000 participating students in 2024-25. It is important to be precise about the limit: the Alaska Department of Education and Early Development has stated that using allotment funds to pay for full-time enrollment at a private institution falls outside program guidelines. Families typically use allotments for curriculum, tutoring, and individual classes rather than a full private placement.

Correspondence allotments are commonly up to about $4,500 per student per year
More than 24,000 students participated statewide in 2024-25
Allotment funds are not intended to cover full-time enrollment at a private institution
A correspondence enrollment does not remove your child from child find. Districts must still evaluate and serve eligible students
For children under three, Alaska’s Early Intervention and Infant Learning Program is the entry point, not the school district

Types of Special Needs Schools in Alaska

Not every placement type exists in every state. These are the settings families actually find in Alaska.

District programs with specialist support

For most Alaskan families this is the realistic placement. What varies is the support wrapped around it, including consultation from the Special Education Service Agency, which sends specialists to districts for autism, deaf and hard of hearing, vision impairment, emotional disabilities, multiple disabilities, and deafblindness.

Best for: Families outside the road system or in districts without a private alternative within driving distance

Private and faith-based schools with learning support

Concentrated in Fairbanks, Anchorage, and the Mat-Su Valley. Most are small general education schools with a resource teacher or learning support program rather than dedicated special education campuses, so ask specifically what staffing and therapy exist on site.

Best for: Students who need smaller classes and structure but not intensive clinical services

Correspondence and homeschool programs

Statewide correspondence programs pair an individual learning plan with an allotment for approved curriculum and services. Many Alaskan families combine this with private therapy or teletherapy to assemble a program that no single campus offers locally.

Best for: Families in rural or remote communities, and students for whom a full school day is not currently workable

Alaska Special Needs School Questions

How long does an IEP evaluation take in Alaska?

Alaska gives districts 90 calendar days from your consent, and that window covers the evaluation, the eligibility decision, writing the IEP, and starting services. It is a longer clock than the federal 60-day evaluation standard used in most states, but it also covers more steps.

Does Alaska have school vouchers or an ESA for special needs students?

No. Alaska has no voucher or education savings account program. The closest equivalent is the Correspondence School Allotment Program, which gives families in a statewide correspondence program an allotment, commonly up to about $4,500, to buy approved curriculum, materials, and services. State guidance is that allotment funds are not for full-time enrollment at a private institution.

What is SESA and can my district use it?

The Special Education Service Agency is a statewide agency that provides consultation, training, and a lending library to Alaskan school districts for low-incidence disabilities, including autism, deaf and hard of hearing, vision impairment, emotional disabilities, multiple disabilities, and deafblindness. It also runs the Alaska Autism Resource Center, the Alaska Deaf-Blind Project, and the Alaska Center for Accessible Materials. Referrals come through your school district, so ask your IEP team directly whether a SESA specialist has been consulted.

Where are Alaska’s specialized school listings?

Fairbanks and Anchorage hold most of them, with a smaller number in Wasilla and Palmer in the Mat-Su Valley. If you are outside those areas, the practical path is usually a district placement strengthened through the IEP, plus private or telehealth therapy, rather than a school change.

My child is under three. Where do I start?

Alaska’s Early Intervention and Infant Learning Program serves children from birth to age three. Districts take over at three, and the transition planning meeting should happen before the third birthday so services are not interrupted.

Alaska Guides & Resources

Next steps for families comparing schools, requesting an evaluation, or working out how to pay for a placement.

How to request a special education evaluation

The written request that starts Alaska’s 90-day clock, with language you can reuse.

Complete IEP guide

What belongs in the IEP and how to push for specialist consultation when your district is small.

504 plan vs IEP

Which route fits your child, and what each one obligates the district to do.

Early intervention guide

For children under three, including Alaska’s Infant Learning Program and the handoff at age three.

Choosing a special needs school

How to evaluate a small learning support program honestly when the options are limited.

ABA therapy centers in Alaska

Autism therapy providers in Alaska, often the practical complement to a district placement.

Autism rates by state

How Alaska compares on autism identification rates, using federal data.

Restraint and seclusion by state

Federal civil rights data on restraint and seclusion incidents by state.

Sources for this page

State rules change. This page was last reviewed against primary sources on July 28, 2026. Confirm current requirements with your school district or the relevant state agency before making a decision.

Find Your Perfect Match

With 20 schools and centers across 4 cities in Alaska, we'll help you find the right educational environment for your child's unique needs.