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Best Special Needs Schools in Loomis, California (2026)

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

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School listings in Loomis

Student drawing an insect on worksheets at a desk at Loomis Gateway Academy.
1

Loomis Gateway Academy - Loomis

Listed
Loomis, CAGrades K-12

Loomis Gateway Academy is a private school solely dedicated to the needs of students with dyslexia and language-based learning disorders. It operates a full-time day program for students in grades 1-8 that provides specialized instruction in reading, writing, spelling, and math, along with science, social studies, PE, and art, Monday through Thursday from 8:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. Teachers are trained specifically to address the dyslexic learning style. The school also offers a summer program focused on catching up in reading, writing, and math, as well as dyslexia screenings and assessments using standardized tests. Enrollment is available directly by families for the day program or individual classes with a one-year commitment. The school is listed as active by the California Department of Education with an open date of April 23, 2015.

  • Private special education day school
  • Dyslexia
  • Learning differences
  • Private school
View details
2

Sierra Foothills Academy - Loomis

Listed
Loomis, CAGrades K-12 & up to 22Tuition-free; students placed by school districts via IEP

Sierra Foothills Academy is a non-public school in Loomis, California offering a year-round program for students with moderate and severe disabilities. The program provides educational and related services to students between the ages of 5 to 22 in grades K through 12. The disabling conditions served include Autism Spectrum Disorder, Multiple Disability, Intellectual Disability, Emotional Disturbance, Other Health Impairment, and Specific Learning Disability. Program components include highly structured and individualized programming, intensive communication and language training, social skills training, functional life skills training, community-based instruction, vocational skills training, positive behavioral programming, sensory activities, core academic instruction, and therapies such as speech, occupational, physical, and applied behavior analysis services. Placement is an IEP team decision based on student needs, facilitated through referral from the student's district of residence. The school serves students from multiple Northern California districts including Loomis Union, Placer Hills, and others in the Placer County area. A unique Web of Life Program promotes interaction with the environment through gardening, harvesting, cooking, and selling produce aligned with IEPs.

  • Nonpublic special education day school
  • Autism
  • Multiple Disability
  • Intellectual disability
View details

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Planning guides

Plan your next school conversation in Loomis

Use these guides before you contact programs, schedule tours, or ask your IEP team how a proposed setting will support your child's goals.

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 Loomis

Loomis is a small town with two specialized private schools that serve very different students. Loomis Gateway Academy on Penryn Road teaches children with dyslexia in grades 1 through 8, and Sierra Foothills Academy on King Road is a year-round nonpublic school for students with moderate and severe disabilities. Public special education runs through Loomis Union School District and the Placer County SELPA.

Federal private school data counts fewer than 40 students at each of these Loomis schools, so classes stay small. The answers below cover who each school fits, how Placer County programs work and how a district placement differs from paying tuition yourself.

Local resources checked .

Frequently Asked Questions About Special Needs Schools in Loomis

Is there a dyslexia school in Loomis, CA?
Yes. Loomis Gateway Academy runs a full-time Alternative Education Program for students in 1st through 8th grade with dyslexia, dysgraphia, dyscalculia or a specific learning disability in reading, writing or math. Teachers use Structured Literacy reading programs, and federal 2021-22 data lists 39 students with about 4.4 per teacher. The school also offers full dyslexia screenings and summer catch-up sessions.
Who is Loomis Gateway Academy not a good fit for?
The school says its Structured Literacy programs are designed for students with an IQ no lower than 80, and that students with an emotional disorder or conduct disorder, or with a primary autism diagnosis who rely heavily on adult prompting or one-to-one support, would not be well served. It does take some students with ADHD and no other learning diagnosis, after a conversation with admissions. Admission includes a brief reading and math assessment, plus a copy of any district testing you already have.
What is Sierra Foothills Academy in Loomis?
Sierra Foothills Academy is a nonpublic school that serves students ages 5 to 22 in grades K-12 with moderate and severe disabilities, including autism, in a year-round program. It builds each student's curriculum around the IEP and transition plan, uses Applied Behavior Analysis and other behavior strategies, and describes a student-to-staff ratio of nearly two to one. Federal data for 2021-22 lists 38 students and about 7.6 per teacher over a 200-day year.
How do Loomis students get placed at a nonpublic school?
Through the IEP team, not a direct application. When your district and the team agree that no public program meets your child's needs, the district can contract with a nonpublic school certified by the California Department of Education and pay the tuition. That is California's only public route to private school tuition; CDE confirms the state has no voucher or other tuition program.
Which district serves special education in Loomis?
Loomis Union School District serves the town's elementary and middle grades and belongs to the Placer County SELPA, which assigns a program specialist to help families. Questions about county programs go to the district's Director of Special Education at the Loomis Union district office. Del Oro High School in Loomis belongs to Placer Union High School District, so teens with IEPs work with that district.
What county programs can a Loomis child with severe disabilities use?
The Placer County Office of Education runs regional programs and itinerant services for students with severe disabilities from age 3 to 22, held at school sites across the county. Its regional Deaf and Hard of Hearing Program for Placer County students sits at Ophir School. Loomis Union arranges these placements through the IEP, so ask the district which site would serve your child.
How do I request a special education evaluation in Loomis?
Write to your child's principal or the Loomis Union special education office, date the letter and describe your concerns. California law then gives the district 15 calendar days to propose an assessment plan, not counting breaks longer than five school days. After you sign it, testing and the IEP meeting must happen within 60 days. Federal rules count dyslexia as a learning disability, so mention reading struggles by name.
My Loomis toddler has delays. Who helps before preschool?
California's Early Start program handles early intervention from birth to age 3 through the state's regional centers. As your child approaches 3, ask Loomis Union to assess for preschool special education, since Placer County programs begin at age 3.

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