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Best Special Needs Schools in Northridge, California (2026)

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

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School listings in Northridge

1

Dubnoff School - Northridge

Listed
Northridge, CAGrades 6-12 & up to 22Tuition-free for students placed by school districts; certified nonpublic school

Dubnoff School provides special education services to students ages 11-22 in grades 6-12 who have emotional, learning, and developmental disabilities. The program combines prescriptive individualized instruction with small group instruction in a structured environment. The school works toward mastery of state standards while utilizing a positive behavior management system that emphasizes reinforcement, personal responsibility, and accountability. It offers individual counseling, speech and language services where applicable, occupational therapy, and transition services. Students are prepared for mainstreaming into public schools, occupational centers, community colleges, and community jobs. Workability and Department of Rehabilitation programs are available for qualifying students. Placement occurs through school districts as a certified nonpublic school. Transportation is provided via school vans on available routes. The school operates 200 instructional days including extended school year and maintains low staff-to-student ratios with credentialed teachers and paraprofessionals.

  • Private special education nonpublic day school
  • Emotional/behavioral support
  • Specific Learning Disability
  • Intellectual disability
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E-Sol After School Program staff and participants at an activity table.
2

E-Sol After School Program

Listed
Northridge, CAGrades K-12 & up to 22

E-SOL is dedicated to enriching the lives of individuals with intellectual disabilities by providing a range of comprehensive programs designed to enhance social opportunities and life skills. Serving a diverse group of students, including those with language-based learning disabilities and twice-exceptional learners, E-SOL focuses on fostering individual achievement from childhood through adulthood. The school offers various programs, such as after-school initiatives that promote better grades, improved behavior, and heightened self-esteem, alongside an Adult Day Program that equips clients with essential skills for effective community engagement. Unique features of E-SOL include a low student-teacher ratio that ensures personalized attention and strong partnerships with families, creating a supportive network that empowers both students and their guardians. Additionally, the organization hosts community events aimed at building connections and celebrating achievements, establishing E-SOL as a distinctive resource for families seeking a nurturing environment for their loved ones.

  • After school program
  • Intellectual disability
  • Learning differences
  • Twice-exceptional
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Planning guides

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IEP process guide

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Comparing school options in Northridge

Northridge is a Los Angeles neighborhood, so public special education here runs through Los Angeles Unified School District and its Division of Special Education. Two private programs serve families in this part of the San Fernando Valley: Dubnoff School, a small nonpublic school on Rinaldi Place near the 118 Freeway, and E-Sol, a nonprofit after-school and adult day program on Jellico Avenue for people with intellectual disabilities.

This page covers special needs schools and programs for Northridge families. The answers explain what Dubnoff and E-Sol each offer, how LAUSD handles evaluations for public, charter and private school students, and how a nonpublic school placement gets paid for.

Local resources checked .

Frequently Asked Questions About Special Needs Schools in Northridge

Which school district serves special education in Northridge?
Los Angeles Unified. Its Division of Special Education is based at 333 South Beaudry Avenue downtown and takes general questions there, but the first stop for a school-age child is the principal at your public school of residence. Charter school families start with the charter school their child attends instead.
How do I request a special education evaluation from LAUSD in Northridge?
Put the request in writing; LAUSD requires written requests and staff will help if you can't write one. Talk with the principal, who may bring your concern to a Student Support and Progress Team. Once the request arrives, California law gives the district 15 calendar days to propose an assessment plan, excluding breaks longer than five school days, and 60 days from your signed consent to hold the IEP meeting.
Is there a special education school for kids with autism or learning disabilities near Northridge?
Dubnoff School, at 18200 Rinaldi Place, is a nonpublic school for grades 6 to 12 that is also certified to accept 5th graders. It serves students with emotional disturbance, specific learning disabilities, intellectual disabilities, other health impairments and autism in five classrooms: two for high school, one for middle school and two for community-based instruction in social and real-life skills. With 60 students and 40 staff, classrooms keep one teaching staff member for every 3 to 4 students, and the school offers counseling, speech and language and occupational therapy.
How does Dubnoff School support behavior?
Dubnoff pairs therapeutic support with a reinforcement system. Students earn points for schoolwork and a daily behavior grade that converts into student store credit, and parents receive a behavior sheet every day. The school has served students for 38 years, employs a behavior therapist and runs its own vans across the San Fernando Valley, Glendale, Pasadena and Los Angeles, a real help for families who live outside Northridge.
What does E-Sol offer Northridge families?
E-Sol, short for Enrichment for Social Opportunities and Life Skills, is a nonprofit serving people with intellectual disabilities. It runs an after-school program for students with disabilities, an adult day program that teaches skills in the community, a Saturday activity program, and an after-work program for adults that stays open later in the afternoon so working parents have time to pick up. E-Sol is not a full-day school, so it pairs with a student's district or nonpublic school placement.
My child attends a private school in Northridge. Can LAUSD still evaluate them?
Yes. Child Find covers students ages 5 to 22 placed by their parents in private schools inside LAUSD boundaries. If you live in LAUSD, send your written request to your public school of residence. If you live outside the district, your home district handles it, though LAUSD's Parentally Placed Private School Office can still determine eligibility.
Who pays for a nonpublic school like Dubnoff?
LAUSD does, when your child's IEP team places them at a nonpublic school certified by the California Department of Education. Dubnoff's own site notes that LAUSD even supplies its students' daily breakfast and lunch. Outside an IEP placement, CDE says no state program pays private school tuition in California, and there is no voucher. Ask your LAUSD case manager how a referral to Dubnoff would work before you tour.
My Northridge preschooler isn't meeting milestones. Who do I call?
LAUSD's Early Childhood Special Education office handles children from preschool age, which the district defines as starting at 2 years 10 months. Younger than that, California's Early Start program runs early intervention through the state's regional centers. If attention or reading problems show up later in elementary school, ADHD and dyslexia can both qualify a child for an IEP under federal rules, so keep dated notes.

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