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Discover Delaware schools and centers with individualized instruction, low student-teacher ratios, and integrated social-emotional support. Browse programs across 11 cities with 19 total programs.
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1 citySpecial Education in Delaware: What Parents Need to Know
Delaware is a small state with an unusually fast evaluation clock and an unusually consolidated district map, and both work in a family's favor once you know about them. The state gives districts 45 school days, not the familiar 60, to complete an initial evaluation and decide eligibility. And because Delaware has a small number of school districts plus several statewide and county-wide programs, the same state-run structures reach families no matter which district they are zoned into. There is no private school voucher here, so the two things worth understanding early are the evaluation clock and Delaware's School Choice program, which lets you apply to any public district, charter, or vo-tech school in the state regardless of home address.
We currently list 19 specialized schools and programs across 11 communities in Delaware.
Evaluation and IEP timelines in Delaware
Delaware runs a faster clock than most states. Under 14 DE Admin. Code 925, Section 2.3, a public agency has 45 school days or 90 calendar days, whichever is less, from the date it receives your written consent to conduct the initial evaluation and hold the meeting that determines eligibility. In practice the 45-school-day limit is almost always the binding one, since school days exclude weekends, holidays, and breaks. If the team finds the child eligible, the IEP is developed at that same point under the regulation's Sections 7.0 through 11.0, so there is no separate multi-week gap between the eligibility decision and a written IEP the way there is in states with a two-stage clock.
- 45 school days or 90 calendar days, whichever is less, from your signed consent to complete the evaluation and hold the eligibility meeting
- In practice, the 45-school-day limit almost always applies before the 90-calendar-day limit would
- Eligibility is determined at the same meeting where evaluation results are reviewed, and each LEA must include a certified school psychologist in that determination
- Consent for evaluation is separate from consent for the initial provision of services, and a parent who declines or fails to respond to a request for services cannot be compelled through mediation or due process
- A child who transfers districts mid-evaluation gets an exception to the clock only if the new district is making sufficient progress and the parent and district agree on a completion date
How Delaware families pay for services and specialized instruction
Delaware has no private school voucher and no education savings account program. What it has instead is the School Choice program, which lets any Delaware family apply to enroll a child in a public traditional school district, charter school, or vocational-technical school anywhere in the state, not just the district tied to their home address. The application window runs from the first Monday in November to the second Wednesday in January for the following school year, and families are notified of a decision by the last day of February. For families pursuing a private special education placement instead, that is typically funded through the IEP process itself: if a district cannot provide a free appropriate public education, the IEP team can place and fund a student privately, decided case by case rather than through an application program.
- No voucher or education savings account program exists in Delaware as of this writing
- School Choice lets a family apply to any Delaware public district, charter, or vo-tech school regardless of home address, with an application window from the first Monday in November to the second Wednesday in January
- Students must first be registered in their school of residence before a Choice application is considered, and Choice decisions are typically issued by the last day of February
- A private placement funded through the IEP is decided case by case by the IEP team when a district cannot provide FAPE, separate from the School Choice program
- For children under three, Delaware's Birth to Three Early Intervention Program (B23) is the entry point, not the school district
Types of Special Needs Schools in Delaware
Not every placement type exists in every state. These are the settings families actually find in Delaware.
District and county-wide vo-tech programs
Most Delaware families work within their local school district, but three vocational-technical districts (New Castle County Vo-Tech, Polytech in Kent County, and Sussex Technical) overlay every regular district in their county and run alongside them. School Choice makes it possible to apply into a stronger program in a neighboring district without moving.
Best for: Families who want a different program or level of support than their assigned district offers, without relocating
Statewide and multi-district specialized programs
Delaware runs programs that reach the whole state rather than a single district. The Delaware School for the Deaf serves deaf, hard of hearing, and deafblind students statewide and is operated under contract to the Christina School District. The Sussex Consortium, based in Lewes and administered through Cape Henlopen School District, serves students with significant disabilities, including a dedicated autism program, drawing from multiple Sussex County districts rather than just Cape Henlopen.
Best for: Students with low-incidence disabilities such as deafness, deafblindness, or autism who need a program built at state or county scale rather than a single-district classroom
Independent private schools with learning support
A small number of private schools in the Wilmington and Newark area and along the Dover and Georgetown corridor offer smaller classes or a learning support program. This is the thinnest category in Delaware, so confirm staffing and on-site therapy directly with each school rather than assuming a dedicated special education program.
Best for: Families who have already ruled out a district or statewide program and want a smaller, private setting
Delaware Special Needs School Questions
How long does an IEP evaluation take in Delaware?
Delaware gives the district 45 school days or 90 calendar days, whichever is less, from your signed consent to complete the evaluation and hold the eligibility meeting. That is meaningfully shorter than the federal 60-day standard most states use, because school days exclude weekends, holidays, and breaks. If your child is found eligible, the IEP is developed at that same point, not weeks later.
Does Delaware have school vouchers or an ESA for special needs students?
No. Delaware has no private school voucher or education savings account program. The state's main choice mechanism is School Choice, which lets families apply to any public district, charter, or vocational-technical school in the state regardless of home address, with applications open from the first Monday in November to the second Wednesday in January.
What are Delaware's statewide special education programs?
The two most notable are the Delaware School for the Deaf, which serves deaf, hard of hearing, and deafblind students statewide under contract to the Christina School District, and the Sussex Consortium in Lewes, administered through Cape Henlopen School District, which serves students with significant disabilities, including a dedicated autism program, from across multiple Sussex County districts. Delaware also runs three county-wide vocational-technical districts that overlay every regular district in their county.
Where are Delaware's specialized school listings concentrated?
Our directory currently lists 19 schools across 11 Delaware cities. Middletown has the most with five, followed by Wilmington with three, and Georgetown and Dover with two each. That is a thin map for a small state, so if you are not near one of those cities, School Choice into a neighboring district or a statewide program like the Delaware School for the Deaf or Sussex Consortium is often more realistic than finding a private school nearby. Delaware families close to the Pennsylvania or Maryland line sometimes also look at programs in the Philadelphia or Baltimore metro areas, though those fall outside what our Delaware listings cover.
My child is under three. Where do I start?
Delaware's Birth to Three Early Intervention Program, known as B23, serves infants and toddlers from birth to 36 months with developmental delays or disabilities. It is Delaware's implementation of IDEA Part C and is separate from the school district, which takes over evaluations and services starting at age three.
Delaware Guides & Resources
Next steps for families comparing schools, requesting an evaluation, or working out how to pay for a placement.
How to request a special education evaluation
The written request that starts Delaware's 45-school-day clock, with language you can adapt.
Read more →Complete IEP guide
What belongs in the IEP once Delaware's eligibility meeting confirms your child qualifies.
Read more →504 plan vs IEP
Which route fits your child and what each one obligates a Delaware district to provide.
Read more →Choosing a special needs school
Questions to ask when comparing a private school against a statewide program like the Sussex Consortium.
Read more →Early intervention guide
For children under three, including Delaware's Birth to Three Early Intervention Program and the handoff at age three.
Read more →ADHD school support guide
How ADHD accommodations play out in a Delaware IEP or 504 plan.
Read more →Autism rates by state
How Delaware compares on autism identification rates, using federal data.
Read more →Restraint and seclusion by state
Federal civil rights data on restraint and seclusion incidents, including Delaware districts.
Read more →Sources for this page
- 14 DE Admin. Code 925, Evaluations, Eligibility Determination, Individualized Education Programs
- Delaware Department of Education, School Choice
- EdChoice, Delaware school choice programs
- Birth to Three Delaware, What is Part C?
- Sussex Consortium, Cape Henlopen School District
- Sussex County Vocational Technical School District, district profile
State rules change. This page was last reviewed against primary sources on July 28, 2026. Confirm current requirements with your school district or the relevant state agency before making a decision.
Find Your Perfect Match
With 19 schools and centers across 11 cities in Delaware, we'll help you find the right educational environment for your child's unique needs.