Top 4 Best Special Needs Schools in Goodyear, Arizona (2026)

Estrella Day School, located in Goodyear, Arizona, is a specialized therapeutic day school dedicated to supporting students with a range of developmental and learning challenges. The school's core mission is to provide a nurturing and inclusive environment where children can thrive academically, socially, and emotionally. Estrella Day School focuses on empowering students with individualized educational plans tailored to their unique needs. The school offers a variety of key programs and services designed to foster growth and development. These include Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA) for behavior management, the Orton-Gillingham approach for reading and literacy, and comprehensive speech and language therapy. Additionally, occupational therapy is available to enhance fine motor skills and daily living activities. Social skills groups are also an integral part of the curriculum, helping students build essential interpersonal skills in a supportive setting. What sets Estrella Day School apart is its commitment to maintaining low student-teacher ratios, ensuring personalized attention for each child. The campus is designed to be a safe and engaging space, equipped with specialized technology to support learning. Furthermore, the school offers vocational training programs and summer enrichment activities, promoting community integration and real-world skills that prepare students for future success.

• Special education school
• Developmental challenges
• Learning differences
• Private school

Victory Autism Academy was built for students on the autism spectrum, and our Goodyear Elementary Campus serves the younger grades of our K-12 program. Students in grades 6 to 12 attend our Goodyear middle and high school campus on West Van Buren Street. Each student is placed in one of four Pathways: Star for highly structured small-group and one-to-one learning, Navigator for scaffolded grade-level work, Trailblazer for grade-level academics leading toward a high school diploma, and Voyager for dual enrollment in outside college or career programs. Speech, occupational and physical therapy are built into the school day, along with AAC support for students who communicate with devices or visual systems. We teach self-regulation with the Zones of Regulation and Leader in Me curricula. Students also receive PE, music therapy, art therapy, animal therapy, daily living skills, executive functioning and social skills instruction, and older students take part in community outings, career exploration and internships. We are accredited by ACS WASC and approved by the Arizona Department of Education as a private day school. Families pay privately, use Arizona ESA funds, or enroll through a district placement with an IEP.

• Private special education day school (autism)
• Autism
• Small-group and one-to-one instruction
• Zones of Regulation

Victory Autism Academy Goodyear Middle and High School is a private school campus in the Victory Schools network, built specifically for students on the autism spectrum. This campus serves the middle and high school grades, separate from the Goodyear elementary campus on Central Avenue. Each student follows a personalized learning plan drawn from ongoing data, observation, and family collaboration, and a typical day combines structured academic instruction with social skills development, communication support, and practice building independence inside consistent, predictable routines. The standards-aligned curriculum covers English language arts, math, science, and social studies through four pathways (Star, Navigator, Trailblazer, and Voyager) matched to each learner's readiness. Therapies are embedded into the school day. Speech and language therapy, occupational therapy, and physical therapy support communication, sensory regulation, motor skills, and daily living, and AAC is treated as a primary mode of communication for students who need it. Social-emotional learning and proactive behavior support run throughout the day. Community outings put classroom skills into practice, and older students explore work readiness through internships and community partnerships. Victory is accredited by WASC and approved as a private day school by the Arizona Department of Education. Families pay privately, use ESA funds, or enroll through a district placement.

• Private special education day school for students with autism
• Autism
• Financial aid
• 6-12