Top 4 Best Special Needs Schools in San Lorenzo, California (2026)

Arroyo High School is the San Lorenzo Unified high school where students can join one of our small learning communities: the Academy of Health and Medicine, Future Leaders for Social Change, the Tech-Links Business Academy, or the Transportation, Engineering, and Design (TREND) Academy. In the Health and Medicine academy, English, math, social studies, and labs are built around health careers, with field studies alongside college prep coursework. Students can also take AP classes and Eden Area ROP career courses. Our counselors get to know students in ninth grade and stay with them through graduation, and college advising picks up in junior year. Our Wellness Center has a school social worker, and a Coordination of Services Team connects students with academic, mental health, and mentoring support. Peer tutoring and SMART Math study sessions run after school. The Arroyo Dons compete in cross country, football, girls flag football, golf, tennis, volleyball, basketball, soccer, wrestling, badminton, baseball, softball, swimming, and track and field. Students also join DECA, cheer, the Marching Dons, ceramics and visual arts, and our theater productions.

• Public high school
• Small learning communities
• Health careers academy
• Career technical education

East Bay Arts High School is dedicated to fostering a nurturing and inclusive environment for students aged 14 to 22, particularly those with unique learning needs such as language-based learning disabilities and twice-exceptional students. The school's core mission centers on empowering these individuals through a robust arts-integrated curriculum that emphasizes creativity, self-expression, and personal growth. East Bay Arts High School employs innovative therapeutic methodologies that cater to diverse learning styles, ensuring that each student receives personalized support tailored to their specific challenges and strengths. What sets East Bay Arts High School apart is its commitment to maintaining a low student-teacher ratio, which allows for meaningful interactions and strong relationships between educators and students. The school actively partners with families to create a supportive community that extends beyond the classroom, helping to foster resilience and confidence in each student. Additionally, the recently opened Wilma Chan Family Resource Center enhances the school's offerings by providing essential resources for basic needs and support services, further enriching the educational experience. Through its unique combination of specialized programs, dedicated staff, and strong family engagement, East Bay Arts High School stands out as a beacon of hope and opportunity for students with special needs.

• High school
• Learning differences
• Twice-exceptional
• Private school

Edendale Middle School serves San Lorenzo Unified students in the middle grades from our campus on Ashland Avenue. Our Dual Language Immersion pathway continues the district's Spanish and English program into middle school, where students apply to keep building literacy in both languages and work toward the California Seal of Biliteracy. After the bell, students can join Trio after-school tutoring and homework support, with extra Zoom tutoring in math and English, or the Boys and Girls Clubs after-school program. Our athletics teams include boys' basketball and girls' soccer. As a community school, we connect students and families with support through our Mental Health and Wellness Center and a coordinated services team. A college readiness program follows students through high school, and our student transit pass program helps students get to and from school.

• Public middle school
• Speech therapy
• Spanish and English biliteracy
• Public school

Lea's Christian School was founded in 1978 as a nondenominational Christian school in San Lorenzo, with easy access from the 880 freeway and Hesperian Boulevard. Students attend chapel, and weekly offerings, food and toy drives and global outreach projects put the school's emphasis on "love one another" into practice. Our preschool, licensed by the state for 45 children, offers a part-time morning program on the school-year calendar and full-time care from 7:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. year round. Preschoolers learn through play, and early literacy, math and science are part of each day. In kindergarten through fifth grade we keep classes small, and reading aides work in the kindergarten and early primary classrooms. The curriculum includes Open Court reading and language, spelling, creative writing, Addison Wesley Mathematics, FOSS Science, social studies, music, art and physical education. Daycare staffed by our own classroom teachers runs from 7:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. on school days, and a five-week summer session adds hands-on science, art, cooking and field trips. Our whole staff has CPR and first aid training.

• Christian school (Preschool to grade 5)
• Small class sizes
• Reading aides in primary grades
• Private school