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Top 5 Best Special Needs Schools in Middletown, Delaware (2026)

Compare 5 special needs schools in Middletown. Explore the ranked list and find a program that feels right for your child.

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School listings in Middletown

Children with backpacks walk together along a school path
1

Bunker Hill Elementary School

Listed
Middletown, DE

Proudly Prepared, Awesome Attitude, Working Wisely and Staying Safe: our P.A.W.S. expectations give Bunker Hill children a way to understand their daily responsibilities. We ask the Bulldogs to bring those habits into classrooms and school life in Middletown, Delaware. Our core values reinforce collaboration, trust, respect and recognition of differences. Bunker Hill Elementary opened in August 2009 within Appoquinimink School District. We work with the local community to provide an engaging education in an equitable, inclusive school, with engagement, equity and excellence guiding that work. Bulldog Broadcast and the family calendar share school events and communications. Families can participate through volunteering and find information about Spanish immersion, Title I, evaluation and grading. The district's special education parent council series provides another family connection. Our arts education, library and extracurricular activities give children more ways to participate in learning. Mentoring and bullying prevention resources address their experience with other people at school. Students practice P.A.W.S. responsibilities alongside this school work, with preparation, attitude, careful work and safety setting daily expectations. We value communication and collaboration, model trust, actively engage our community and cultivate mutual respect. These core values include recognizing differences and doing what is best for each student.

  • Elementary school
  • Learning differences
  • Twice-exceptional
  • Private school
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2

Cedar Lane Elementary School

Listed
Middletown, DEGrades K-5Tuition-free

Cedar Lane Elementary serves students in grades 1 through 5 on Cedar Lane Road in the Appoquinimink School District. Our teachers use differentiated instruction so students learn at beginning, developing, and expanding levels, and we follow a positive behavior support approach. Students take art, music, physical education and technology, and they visit our library and computer lab. A reading teacher, an interventionist, a speech and language teacher, a counselor, a nurse and a psychologist support students who need more help. Each morning starts with a news program in every classroom. Students can join our Kids Who Code club and try Blockly block coding, and families take part through an active PTA, volunteering, and CLE business partners.

  • Public elementary school (grades 1-5)
  • Differentiated instruction
  • Positive behavior support
  • Public school
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Auditorium stage with balloons and mascot cutout at Crystal Run Elementary School.
3

Crystal Run Elementary School

Listed
Middletown, DEGrades K-5Tuition-free

Crystal Run Elementary is part of Appoquinimink School District's Summit Campus in Middletown, and we serve more than 400 students in grades 1 to 5. Every student receives an iPad loaded with learning resources, and our 35 traditional classrooms are equipped with smart TVs and whiteboards. Learning pods let different classes and grades work together. Our building includes a STEM room, an art room, a music room for chorus, band, and strings, a sensory room, a stage, a gymnasium, a library, and an outdoor playground. Students take Spanish and STEM classes, where they practice engineering design, coding and robotics, hands-on science experiments, and digital literacy. Our support services team includes a school counselor, a nurse, and a social worker, and students receive special education services through the district. Translation services help families stay informed, and parents get involved through the parent-led Boosters, curriculum nights, field trips, and performances.

  • Public elementary school (grades 1-5)
  • 1:1 iPads
  • STEM
  • Public school
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4

Silver Lake Elementary School

Listed
Middletown, DEGrades K-5Tuition-free

Silver Lake Elementary, home of the Bees, serves students in grades 1 through 5 on East Cochran Street in the Appoquinimink School District. We are recognized as a Lighthouse Milestone Leader in Me school, and leadership roles for students are built into our school day. Our core values, BEElieve in Growth and BEElong to Our Community, guide how we celebrate progress, use data to make decisions, and value diversity and inclusion. We are a Title I school, and an educational support team works alongside our grade-level teams. Students can use our on-site Wellness Center, run by ChristianaCare, which provides primary care, behavioral health, and nutrition services during the school day with no co-pays and with parent permission, including well-child physicals, health screenings, stress and anxiety intervention, counseling, and crisis intervention. Eligible students can also register for the school-based dental clinic at Louis L. Redding Middle School for exams, cleanings, fluoride varnish, and sealants. We offer after-school and in-school extracurricular opportunities, mentoring, and a parent booster group.

  • Public elementary school (grades 1-5)
  • Leader in Me
  • Public school
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Planning guides

Plan your next school conversation in Middletown

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

Comparing school options in Middletown

For Middletown families in the Appoquinimink School District, preschool Child Find starts with an email to the district's Child Find Department at childfind@appo.k12.de.us. Staff then contact you to gather information and talk through next steps. The district notes that Child Find under IDEA applies to children from birth to age 22.

Appoquinimink also connects families of homeschooled students and students in private schools inside its feeder pattern boundaries with resources when they have developmental concerns. It holds meaningful consultation meetings on Zoom about equitable services for those families. Before age 3, Delaware's Birth to Three Early Intervention Program supports infants and toddlers who have, or are at risk of, developmental delays. Its New Castle County line is 302-283-7240, and families can also submit an online referral form.

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Frequently Asked Questions About Special Needs Schools in Middletown

How do I reach Appoquinimink Child Find about my preschooler?
Send an inquiry to the district's central Child Find email, childfind@appo.k12.de.us. A staff member will contact you for more information and to discuss next steps. Describe your concerns, your child's age, and any current preschool or child care setting. Our evaluation request guide explains what to include.
My child attends a private school near Middletown. Is Child Find still available?
Yes, for private schools inside the Appoquinimink feeder pattern boundaries and for homeschooled children. The district connects these families with resources and holds consultation meetings about equitable services for private school and homeschool students. Ask how equitable services would apply to your child, since they are planned differently from a public school IEP.
Who serves babies and toddlers in New Castle County?
Delaware's Birth to Three Early Intervention Program. It supports infants and toddlers who have, or are at risk of, developmental delays or disabilities, starting with a referral and possibly a multi-disciplinary evaluation. The New Castle County line is 302-283-7240. See our early intervention guide for the move to school services at 3.
Do I need a professional referral for Birth to Three?
No. Delaware's Birth to Three program says a professional may recommend a referral, but parents can complete the referral form themselves. After you submit it, a team member contacts you about the program and next steps. Its site also offers the Ages and Stages Questionnaire, which takes about 10 to 15 minutes, to check your child's skills.

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