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Best Special Needs Schools in Lodi, California (2026)

Compare 2 special needs schools in Lodi. Explore the ranked list and find a program that feels right for your child.

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School listings in Lodi

Front entrance and covered walkway of the Point Quest Central Valley campus with lawn and trees.
1

Point Quest Central Valley - Lodi

Listed
Lodi, CAGrades K-12 & up to 22Funded by school districts; students placed by districts

Point Quest Central Valley is a nonpublic certified school in Lodi, California, that provides full-time academic and therapeutic support for students with challenging cognitive, behavioral, and emotional needs. The school serves students ages 6-22 (grades K-12) in a 200-day program with a 5:1 student-to-staff ratio. It partners with parents, school districts, and local agencies to address each student's cognition, social, emotional, behavioral, and academic needs. Curriculum is research-based and aligned with Common Core State Standards. Positive behavioral interventions help students develop responsibility and skills for reintegration or transition. Therapeutic services include speech, occupational, physical, and behavioral therapies along with mental health support.

  • Nonpublic certified special education day school
  • Autism
  • Emotional/behavioral support
  • Intellectual disability
View details
2

Turner Academy - Lodi

Listed
Lodi, CAGrades K-12Tuition-free; students placed by school districts via IEP process

Turner Academy is a center-based public special education program operated by Lodi Unified School District. It serves students in kindergarten through 12th grade with emotional and behavioral difficulties that significantly interfere with their ability to progress in a comprehensive school environment. All students have Individualized Education Programs (IEPs) and Behavioral Intervention Plans (BIPs). The program provides special education and mental health services along with school-wide positive behavior support and an intensive behavior modification program. New for the 2025-2026 school year, it operates two campuses: Turner East (K-6) and Turner West (7-12). Students are placed through the IEP process in collaboration with families, staff, and other agencies. The mission focuses on developing coping skills, changing behaviors, and achieving academic standards.

  • Public special education day school
  • Emotional/behavioral support
  • Public school
View details

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Planning guides

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How to choose a special needs school

Prepare school-tour questions, compare supports and family communication, and record what each program can show you.

IEP process guide

Bring your IEP, progress evidence, and focused questions to conversations about evaluations, services, or placement.

Comparing school options in Lodi

Lodi has two special education campuses on this page: Point Quest Central Valley, a private school on Highway 88, and Turner Academy, a Lodi Unified program on East Live Oak Road.

Federal private school data from 2021-22 list Point Quest Central Valley as a nonsectarian special education school with 135 students, about 11.2 students per teacher, a six-hour day and a 220-day school year. Turner Academy added a second campus in 2025-26: Turner East for kindergarten through grade 6 and Turner West for grades 7 through 12.

Local resources checked .

Frequently Asked Questions About Special Needs Schools in Lodi

Are there autism schools in Lodi, CA?
Point Quest Central Valley is the closest fit. The school lists autism, emotional disturbance, mild to severe intellectual disability, specific learning disability and other health impairment among the conditions it supports. Its listed services include speech, occupational and physical therapy, mental health, behavioral therapy, counseling and social work, and its curriculum follows Common Core standards with a positive behavior system. Point Quest says it works with parents, school districts and local agencies to build each student's plan.
What is Turner Academy in Lodi?
Turner Academy is Lodi Unified's center-based program for students who have not succeeded on a regular elementary, middle or high school campus because of behavioral or emotional needs. It combines special education with mental health services. Younger students attend Turner East and older students Turner West. A spot at Turner comes through your child's district team, so bring it up at an IEP meeting if your child keeps losing ground at their home school.
Who oversees special education in Lodi Unified?
Lodi Unified belongs to the Lodi Area Special Education Region, known as LASER, a SELPA governed by a council of superintendents from its members, which also include Oak View and New Hope elementary districts and Rio Valley Charter School. LASER's Community Advisory Committee meets during the school year to cover special education options, services and pending legislation, with time set aside for parents to question professionals. The SELPA office number is 209-331-7061.
How do I get my child assessed for special education in Lodi?
Hand or mail a signed letter to your child's Lodi Unified school naming your concerns and asking for a special education assessment. Education Code 56043 starts the clock when the district receives it: a proposed plan within 15 calendar days, then at least 15 days for you to decide. Once you consent, testing and the IEP meeting must wrap up within 60 calendar days. Breaks longer than five school days do not count, so note the date your letter arrived.
Who pays tuition at a private special education school like Point Quest?
Usually not the family, when the placement comes from an IEP. California law has a district pay a nonpublic, nonsectarian school the full tuition for a student it places there under contract, and the state Department of Education calls that the only public money for private tuition in California. Point Quest says it partners with school districts, so ask Lodi Unified whether it contracts with the Central Valley campus. If you are thinking of enrolling privately, ask Point Quest about admission and cost first.
My child has dyslexia or ADHD. Will Lodi Unified help?
It has to assess a child it suspects has a disability. Under Education Code 56337.5, a Lodi student assessed as dyslexic qualifies for special education by meeting the specific learning disability criteria. ADHD can support eligibility as an other health impairment under Title 5 rules. A child who misses both still learns in the regular program and can get classroom accommodations through a Section 504 plan.
Who helps toddlers with delays in Lodi and San Joaquin County?
Valley Mountain Regional Center, based in Stockton, covers San Joaquin County along with Amador, Calaveras, Stanislaus and Tuolumne. For a Lodi child under 36 months, call its Early Start intake at 209-754-1871. A developmental delay or a risk of developmental disability can qualify a toddler, and the regional center does the diagnosis and eligibility assessment free. At age three, your school district takes over with preschool special education.
What should Lodi parents ask when visiting either campus?
At Point Quest, ask how the 220-day calendar and six-hour day compare with your child's current schedule, which therapists work on site each day, and how the school plans a return to public school when a student is ready. At Turner, ask how mental health services fit into the school day and which campus your child would attend. At both, ask how often you will see progress data on IEP goals.

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