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 167 cities with 618 total programs.
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Highlighted schools and ABA therapy centers serving families across Florida.
Cities with Schools in Florida
Explore schools across 167 cities in Florida. Use search to quickly find schools in your area.
Popular Cities
Cities with the most schoolsMiami
52Orlando
26Kissimmee
20West Palm Beach
20Jacksonville
19Fort Myers
12Titusville
12Hollywood
11All Cities A-Z
167 cities totalCities Starting with A
1 cityCities Starting with B
8 citiesCities Starting with C
7 citiesCities Starting with D
8 citiesCities Starting with E
3 citiesCities Starting with F
5 citiesCities Starting with G
5 citiesCities Starting with H
7 citiesCities Starting with I
2 citiesCities Starting with J
4 citiesCities Starting with K
2 citiesCities Starting with L
14 citiesLake Alfred
2Lake Mary
3Lake Wales
1Lake Worth Beach
2Lake Worth Corridor
2Lakeland
4Lakewood Ranch
2Lantana
1Lauderhill
1Lecanto
1Leesburg
4Longwood
7Lutz
2Lynn Haven
1Cities Starting with M
12 citiesMaitland
2Margate
4Mary Esther
1Melbourne
7Miami
52Miami Beach
5Miami Gardens
3Miami Lakes
1Middleburg
1Mims
1Miramar
2Mt Dora
3Cities Starting with N
12 citiesNaples
9Neptune Beach
1New Port Richey
7New Smyrna Beach
1Nocatee
1Nokomis
2North Fort Myers
2North Lauderdale
3North Miami
3North Miami Beach
5North Palm Beach
1North Port
7Cities Starting with O
9 citiesOakland Park
5Ocala
6Ocoee
8Odessa
2Orange City
1Orange Park
2Orlando
26Ormond Beach
7Oviedo
2Cities Starting with P
25 citiesPace
2Pahokee
1Palm Bay
2Palm Beach Gardens
2Palm City
2Palm Coast
8Palm Harbor
4Palm Springs
2Palmetto
2Panama City
4Panama City Beach
1Pembroke Pines
3Pensacola
5Pinecrest
2Pinellas Park
3Plant City
4Plantation
8Poinciana
2Pompano Beach
4Ponte Vedra Beach
3Port Charlotte
3Port Orange
7Port Richey
1Port St. Lucie
2Punta Gorda
1Cities Starting with R
3 citiesCities Starting with S
16 citiesSanford
3Sanibel
2Sarasota
6Seffner
2South Daytona
1South Miami
1South Venice
1Spring Hill
1St Cloud
1St Johns
2St. Augustine
3St. Petersburg
6Stuart
2Sumterville
1Sunny Isles Beach
1Sunrise
4Cities Starting with T
9 citiesTallahassee
3Tamarac
4Tampa
11Tarpon Springs
3Tavares
1Temple Terrace
2The Villages
1Titusville
12Trinity
1Cities Starting with V
3 citiesCities Starting with W
12 citiesWabasso
1Wauchula
1Wellington
7Wesley Chapel
1West Melbourne
1West Palm Beach
20Wildwood
2Windermere
1Winter Garden
3Winter Haven
10Winter Park
9Winter Springs
3Special Education in Florida: What Parents Need to Know
Florida families looking for special needs schools and special education programs have two very different routes. Public schools serve students through Exceptional Student Education (ESE), Florida's name for special education, under an IEP. Private special needs schools, including schools for autism, ADHD, and learning disabilities, are usually paid for with the Family Empowerment Scholarship for Students with Unique Abilities (FES-UA). 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 618 specialized schools and programs across 167 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, ABA, speech, occupational and physical therapy, tutoring, curriculum, and other approved education expenses
- Students qualify with an IEP or a disability diagnosis from a licensed physician or psychologist; a 504 plan alone is not enough
- Families apply through one of the state-approved scholarship funding organizations, not through the school district
- 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.
FES-UA participating and ESE-focused private schools
Florida has private schools that participate in FES-UA as well as schools focused on autism, ADHD, learning disabilities, and therapeutic education. The McKay and Gardiner scholarships these schools once accepted were merged into FES-UA. 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 FES-UA 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.
Are there schools for ADHD in Florida, and can FES-UA pay for one?
Yes. Florida has private schools built for students with ADHD, executive function challenges, and learning disabilities, usually with small classes and structured routines. FES-UA can pay tuition at a participating school: the program's qualifying disabilities include "other health impairment," the ESE category Florida rules use for attention deficit and attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, as well as specific learning disabilities such as dyslexia. A student qualifies with an IEP or a diagnosis from a licensed physician or psychologist, while a 504 plan by itself does not qualify. Before enrolling, confirm the school participates in FES-UA and ask how it handles attention, organization, and behavior supports day to day.
What special education programs do Florida public schools offer?
Every Florida district runs Exceptional Student Education (ESE) under an IEP, with a continuum that ranges from support inside a general education classroom to resource rooms, separate ESE classes, and special day schools for students with intensive needs. Districts also provide speech, language, and occupational therapy as related services, and hospital or homebound instruction for students too ill to attend. If you think your child needs ESE, put a request for evaluation in writing to the school; the 60-day clock described above starts when the district receives your signed consent.
How do I choose a special needs school in Florida?
Start with your child's profile and work backward. A student with autism may need a school with on-site ABA or speech therapy; a student with dyslexia or ADHD may need structured literacy instruction and small classes; a student with significant behavior needs may need a therapeutic program. Then ask each school whether it participates in FES-UA, which therapies it delivers during the school day, how it measures progress, and whether it will follow any part of your child's current IEP. Leaving public school for a scholarship-funded private school ends the district's duty to provide the IEP, so compare services side by side before you withdraw.
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 →Autism rates by state
Compare federal autism-identification data for Florida.
Read more →Sources for this page
- Florida evaluation and special education guidance
- Florida placement or education funding guidance
- Early Steps official program information
State rules change. This page was last reviewed against primary sources on October 8, 2026. Confirm current requirements with your school district or the relevant state agency before making a decision.
Florida guides
Funding and services guides for Florida families
Florida FES-UA funding guide
Check scholarship amounts, requirements, and approved expenses before contacting schools.
FES-UA approved expenses
What Florida families can buy with FES-UA: private school tuition, ABA therapy, tutoring, and reimbursements.
Florida ABA and Medicaid managed care
What the Medicaid managed care changes mean for Florida families using ABA.
Find Your Perfect Match
With 618 schools and centers across 167 cities in Florida, we'll help you find the right educational environment for your child's unique needs.