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Find Top Programs in Florida

Discover Florida schools and centers with individualized instruction, low student-teacher ratios, and integrated social-emotional support. Browse programs across 165 cities with 644 total programs.

644
Programs Listed
165
Cities Covered
Community Sponsors

Supported by partners serving Florida families

Trusted partners helping families explore schools, advocacy resources, and local support in Florida.

The Arc Tampa Bay
Mountaineer's

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Our team can match your child with schools in Florida.

Featured Providers in Florida

Compare highlighted schools and ABA therapy centers serving families across Florida.

FeaturedABA therapy centerResponsive

Little Rays ABA

Serving Florida
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FeaturedSpecial needs schoolResponsive

Miami Learning Experience School

Serving Florida
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3
FeaturedSpecial needs schoolResponsive

Mountaineers School of Autism

Serving Florida
Profile
4
FeaturedABA therapy centerResponsive

New Patterns ABA

Serving Florida
Profile

Cities with Schools in Florida

Explore schools across 165 cities in Florida. Use search to quickly find schools in your area.

Popular Cities

Cities with the most schools

Miami

46
46 schools
Miami, Florida

Orlando

26
26 schools
Orlando, Florida

St. Augustine

26
26 schools
St. Augustine, Florida

West Palm Beach

21
21 schools
West Palm Beach, Florida

Kissimmee

20
20 schools
Kissimmee, Florida

Jacksonville

17
17 schools
Jacksonville, Florida

Fort Myers

12
12 schools
Fort Myers, Florida

Titusville

12
12 schools
Titusville, Florida

All Cities A-Z

165 cities total
A

Cities Starting with A

1 city

Altamonte Springs

2
2 schools
Altamonte Springs, Florida
B

Cities Starting with B

8 cities

Bartow

2
2 schools
Bartow, Florida

Belle Glade

2
2 schools
Belle Glade, Florida

Belleview

1
1 school
Belleview, Florida

Boca Raton

2
2 schools
Boca Raton, Florida

Bonita Springs

1
1 school
Bonita Springs, Florida

Bradenton

3
3 schools
Bradenton, Florida

Brandon

3
3 schools
Brandon, Florida

Bushnell

1
1 school
Bushnell, Florida
C

Cities Starting with C

7 cities

Casselberry

2
2 schools
Casselberry, Florida

Clearwater

7
7 schools
Clearwater, Florida

Clermont

1
1 school
Clermont, Florida

Cocoa

1
1 school
Cocoa, Florida

Cocoa Beach

1
1 school
Cocoa Beach, Florida

Coral Gables

1
1 school
Coral Gables, Florida

Coral Springs

3
3 schools
Coral Springs, Florida
D

Cities Starting with D

6 cities

Daytona Beach

2
2 schools
Daytona Beach, Florida

DeBary

1
1 school
DeBary, Florida

DeLand

5
5 schools
DeLand, Florida

Deerfield Beach

3
3 schools
Deerfield Beach, Florida

Delray Beach

1
1 school
Delray Beach, Florida

Doral

2
2 schools
Doral, Florida
E

Cities Starting with E

3 cities

Englewood

1
1 school
Englewood, Florida

Estero

1
1 school
Estero, Florida

Eustis

1
1 school
Eustis, Florida
F

Cities Starting with F

4 cities

Fort Lauderdale

3
3 schools
Fort Lauderdale, Florida

Fort Myers

12
12 schools
Fort Myers, Florida

Fort Pierce

8
8 schools
Fort Pierce, Florida

Fort Walton Beach

1
1 school
Fort Walton Beach, Florida
G

Cities Starting with G

5 cities

Gibsonton

1
1 school
Gibsonton, Florida

Gotha

1
1 school
Gotha, Florida

Greater Northdale

1
1 school
Greater Northdale, Florida

Greenacres

7
7 schools
Greenacres, Florida

Groveland

2
2 schools
Groveland, Florida
H

Cities Starting with H

7 cities

Haines City

2
2 schools
Haines City, Florida

Hialeah

4
4 schools
Hialeah, Florida

Hialeah Gardens

1
1 school
Hialeah Gardens, Florida

Holiday

2
2 schools
Holiday, Florida

Holly Hill

1
1 school
Holly Hill, Florida

Hollywood

11
11 schools
Hollywood, Florida

Hudson

2
2 schools
Hudson, Florida
I

Cities Starting with I

2 cities

Immokalee

2
2 schools
Immokalee, Florida

Inlet Beach

1
1 school
Inlet Beach, Florida
J

Cities Starting with J

4 cities

Jacksonville

17
17 schools
Jacksonville, Florida

Jacksonville Beach

1
1 school
Jacksonville Beach, Florida

Jensen Beach

1
1 school
Jensen Beach, Florida

Jupiter

3
3 schools
Jupiter, Florida
K

Cities Starting with K

2 cities

Kendale Lakes

1
1 school
Kendale Lakes, Florida

Kissimmee

20
20 schools
Kissimmee, Florida
L

Cities Starting with L

15 cities

Lake Alfred

2
2 schools
Lake Alfred, Florida

Lake Mary

4
4 schools
Lake Mary, Florida

Lake Park

1
1 school
Lake Park, Florida

Lake Wales

1
1 school
Lake Wales, Florida

Lake Worth Beach

2
2 schools
Lake Worth Beach, Florida

Lake Worth Corridor

2
2 schools
Lake Worth Corridor, Florida

Lakeland

4
4 schools
Lakeland, Florida

Lakewood Ranch

1
1 school
Lakewood Ranch, Florida

Lantana

1
1 school
Lantana, Florida

Lauderhill

1
1 school
Lauderhill, Florida

Lecanto

1
1 school
Lecanto, Florida

Leesburg

5
5 schools
Leesburg, Florida

Longwood

7
7 schools
Longwood, Florida

Lutz

1
1 school
Lutz, Florida

Lynn Haven

1
1 school
Lynn Haven, Florida
M

Cities Starting with M

12 cities

Maitland

3
3 schools
Maitland, Florida

Margate

6
6 schools
Margate, Florida

Mary Esther

1
1 school
Mary Esther, Florida

Melbourne

6
6 schools
Melbourne, Florida

Miami

46
46 schools
Miami, Florida

Miami Beach

6
6 schools
Miami Beach, Florida

Miami Gardens

2
2 schools
Miami Gardens, Florida

Miami Lakes

1
1 school
Miami Lakes, Florida

Middleburg

1
1 school
Middleburg, Florida

Mims

1
1 school
Mims, Florida

Miramar

2
2 schools
Miramar, Florida

Mt Dora

3
3 schools
Mt Dora, Florida
N

Cities Starting with N

11 cities

Naples

9
9 schools
Naples, Florida

New Port Richey

8
8 schools
New Port Richey, Florida

New Smyrna Beach

1
1 school
New Smyrna Beach, Florida

Nocatee

1
1 school
Nocatee, Florida

Nokomis

2
2 schools
Nokomis, Florida

North Fort Myers

2
2 schools
North Fort Myers, Florida

North Lauderdale

3
3 schools
North Lauderdale, Florida

North Miami

4
4 schools
North Miami, Florida

North Miami Beach

4
4 schools
North Miami Beach, Florida

North Palm Beach

1
1 school
North Palm Beach, Florida

North Port

7
7 schools
North Port, Florida
O

Cities Starting with O

9 cities

Oakland Park

5
5 schools
Oakland Park, Florida

Ocala

4
4 schools
Ocala, Florida

Ocoee

9
9 schools
Ocoee, Florida

Odessa

2
2 schools
Odessa, Florida

Orange City

1
1 school
Orange City, Florida

Orange Park

2
2 schools
Orange Park, Florida

Orlando

26
26 schools
Orlando, Florida

Ormond Beach

8
8 schools
Ormond Beach, Florida

Oviedo

1
1 school
Oviedo, Florida
P

Cities Starting with P

25 cities

Pace

2
2 schools
Pace, Florida

Pahokee

1
1 school
Pahokee, Florida

Palm Bay

2
2 schools
Palm Bay, Florida

Palm Beach Gardens

5
5 schools
Palm Beach Gardens, Florida

Palm City

1
1 school
Palm City, Florida

Palm Coast

10
10 schools
Palm Coast, Florida

Palm Harbor

3
3 schools
Palm Harbor, Florida

Palm Springs

2
2 schools
Palm Springs, Florida

Palmetto

2
2 schools
Palmetto, Florida

Panama City

4
4 schools
Panama City, Florida

Panama City Beach

1
1 school
Panama City Beach, Florida

Pembroke Pines

3
3 schools
Pembroke Pines, Florida

Pensacola

5
5 schools
Pensacola, Florida

Pinecrest

2
2 schools
Pinecrest, Florida

Pinellas Park

2
2 schools
Pinellas Park, Florida

Plant City

4
4 schools
Plant City, Florida

Plantation

8
8 schools
Plantation, Florida

Poinciana

2
2 schools
Poinciana, Florida

Pompano Beach

5
5 schools
Pompano Beach, Florida

Ponte Vedra Beach

3
3 schools
Ponte Vedra Beach, Florida

Port Charlotte

3
3 schools
Port Charlotte, Florida

Port Orange

7
7 schools
Port Orange, Florida

Port Richey

1
1 school
Port Richey, Florida

Port St. Lucie

2
2 schools
Port St. Lucie, Florida

Punta Gorda

1
1 school
Punta Gorda, Florida
R

Cities Starting with R

3 cities

Riverview

8
8 schools
Riverview, Florida

Rockledge

2
2 schools
Rockledge, Florida

Royal Palm Beach

9
9 schools
Royal Palm Beach, Florida
S

Cities Starting with S

17 cities

Sanford

4
4 schools
Sanford, Florida

Sanibel

2
2 schools
Sanibel, Florida

Sarasota

6
6 schools
Sarasota, Florida

Seffner

2
2 schools
Seffner, Florida

South Daytona

1
1 school
South Daytona, Florida

South Miami

1
1 school
South Miami, Florida

South Venice

1
1 school
South Venice, Florida

Southwest Ranches

1
1 school
Southwest Ranches, Florida

Spring Hill

1
1 school
Spring Hill, Florida

St Cloud

1
1 school
St Cloud, Florida

St Johns

2
2 schools
St Johns, Florida

St. Augustine

26
26 schools
St. Augustine, Florida

St. Petersburg

11
11 schools
St. Petersburg, Florida

Stuart

2
2 schools
Stuart, Florida

Sumterville

1
1 school
Sumterville, Florida

Sunny Isles Beach

1
1 school
Sunny Isles Beach, Florida

Sunrise

4
4 schools
Sunrise, Florida
T

Cities Starting with T

9 cities

Tallahassee

3
3 schools
Tallahassee, Florida

Tamarac

4
4 schools
Tamarac, Florida

Tampa

11
11 schools
Tampa, Florida

Tarpon Springs

3
3 schools
Tarpon Springs, Florida

Tavares

1
1 school
Tavares, Florida

Temple Terrace

2
2 schools
Temple Terrace, Florida

The Villages

1
1 school
The Villages, Florida

Titusville

12
12 schools
Titusville, Florida

Trinity

1
1 school
Trinity, Florida
V

Cities Starting with V

3 cities

Valrico

1
1 school
Valrico, Florida

Venice

5
5 schools
Venice, Florida

Vero Beach

3
3 schools
Vero Beach, Florida
W

Cities Starting with W

12 cities

Wabasso

1
1 school
Wabasso, Florida

Wauchula

1
1 school
Wauchula, Florida

Wellington

10
10 schools
Wellington, Florida

Wesley Chapel

1
1 school
Wesley Chapel, Florida

West Melbourne

1
1 school
West Melbourne, Florida

West Palm Beach

21
21 schools
West Palm Beach, Florida

Wildwood

2
2 schools
Wildwood, Florida

Windermere

1
1 school
Windermere, Florida

Winter Garden

3
3 schools
Winter Garden, Florida

Winter Haven

10
10 schools
Winter Haven, Florida

Winter Park

9
9 schools
Winter Park, Florida

Winter Springs

3
3 schools
Winter Springs, Florida

Special Education in Florida: What Parents Need to Know

Florida combines an Exceptional Student Education evaluation process with several family-directed scholarship programs. The important distinction is whether a placement is made by the district through an IEP or chosen by the family with scholarship funds, because those routes carry different rights and payment rules.

We currently list 644 specialized schools and programs across 165 communities in Florida.

Evaluation and IEP timing in Florida

Florida requires the initial evaluation to be completed within 60 calendar days after the district receives signed parental consent. Scheduled school holidays, Thanksgiving, winter and spring breaks, and summer vacation do not count, so 60 counted days can span much more than two months.

  • The clock starts when the district receives signed consent, not when concerns are first raised
  • Scheduled holidays and school vacation periods are excluded from the 60-day count
  • Families should keep the consent date because it controls the deadline

How specialized placements are funded in Florida

The Family Empowerment Scholarship for Students with Unique Abilities (FES-UA) can pay approved education expenses for an eligible student with a qualifying disability. It is separate from a district-funded private placement required to provide FAPE, and accepting a scholarship does not turn a family-selected private school into the district placement.

  • FES-UA funds may cover participating private-school tuition and other approved education expenses
  • Eligibility is tied to a qualifying disability and the program rules in effect for that award year
  • A district remains responsible when the IEP team itself places a student privately to provide FAPE

Types of Special Needs Schools in Florida

Not every placement type exists in every state. These are the settings families actually find in Florida.

McKay-Gardiner participating and ESE-focused private schools

Florida has private schools that participate in FES-UA as well as schools focused on autism, learning disabilities, and therapeutic education. Scholarship participation and the ability to implement a particular IEP are separate questions.

Best for: Students whose funding route, IEP, or support needs match this state-specific placement category

District and regional public programs

Florida districts may serve students in neighborhood schools, separate classrooms, regional cooperatives, or public separate schools depending on the IEP.

Best for: Students who can receive FAPE within the public-school continuum

Autism and therapeutic day schools

These programs combine academics with behavioral, communication, sensory, or clinical support. Approval and public-payment status must be checked separately.

Best for: Students who need coordinated instruction and therapeutic support throughout the school day

Independent schools for learning differences

These schools commonly focus on dyslexia, language-based learning disabilities, ADHD, executive function, or small-group instruction.

Best for: Students who need specialized teaching but not an intensive therapeutic placement

Florida Special Needs School Questions

How long does a special education evaluation take in Florida?

Florida requires the initial evaluation to be completed within 60 calendar days after the district receives signed parental consent. Scheduled school holidays, Thanksgiving, winter and spring breaks, and summer vacation do not count, so 60 counted days can span much more than two months.

What funding can families use for a specialized school in Florida?

The Family Empowerment Scholarship for Students with Unique Abilities (FES-UA) can pay approved education expenses for an eligible student with a qualifying disability. It is separate from a district-funded private placement required to provide FAPE, and accepting a scholarship does not turn a family-selected private school into the district placement.

Can a Florida district pay for a private special education placement?

Yes, when the IEP team determines that the district cannot provide FAPE in its own programs. The public agency then remains responsible for the placement and IEP. A family-selected private enrollment or scholarship is a different legal and funding route.

What types of specialized schools operate in Florida?

The state-specific options described on this page include McKay-Gardiner participating and ESE-focused private schools, District and regional public programs, Autism and therapeutic day schools, Independent schools for learning differences. Approval, tuition responsibility, and admission rules differ by setting, so confirm both the school's status and who is responsible for payment before enrolling.

Where should I start for a child under three in Florida?

Early Steps is the state's birth-to-three starting point. Local Early Steps programs evaluate and serve eligible infants and toddlers from birth to age three and plan the transition to district preschool services before the third birthday.

Florida Guides & Resources

Next steps for families comparing schools, requesting an evaluation, or working out how to pay for a placement.

Florida FES-UA scholarship guide

Eligibility, applications, award use, and the rights tradeoff families should understand.

Read more →

Florida autism schools and services

Compare school models, therapy supports, and state-specific resources.

Read more →

How to request a special education evaluation

Start the written record before tracking Florida's evaluation timeline.

Read more →

Complete IEP guide

Prepare for eligibility, services, placement, and annual review decisions.

Read more →

504 plan vs IEP

Compare the protections and services available through each plan.

Read more →

Choosing a special needs school

Questions to ask when comparing programs in Florida.

Read more →

Early intervention guide

Understand birth-to-three services and the transition into Florida schools.

Read more →

IEP meeting prep checklist

Organize records, questions, and priorities before the team meets.

Read more →

Sources for this page

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 644 schools and centers across 165 cities in Florida, we'll help you find the right educational environment for your child's unique needs.