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Best Special Needs Schools in Darien, Illinois (2026)

Compare 2 special needs schools in Darien. Explore the ranked list and find a program that feels right for your child.

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School listings in Darien

Planning guides

Plan your next school conversation in Darien

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

How to choose a special needs school

Prepare school-tour questions, compare supports and family communication, and record what each program can show you.

IEP process guide

Bring your IEP, progress evidence, and focused questions to conversations about evaluations, services, or placement.

Comparing school options in Darien

The City of Darien lists six public school districts serving residents: elementary districts 60, 61, 63 and 66, plus high school districts 86 and 99. This page covers High Road School of Darien, a private special education day school for kindergarten through eighth grade, and Burr Ridge Bilingual Montessori, an English and Arabic Montessori school on Plainfield Road.

Four of those districts (Maercker 60, Cass 63, Center Cass 66 and Community High School District 99) belong to SASED, a special education cooperative based in Lisle. Darien District 61 and Hinsdale Township District 86 are not on SASED's member list.

Local resources checked .

Frequently Asked Questions About Special Needs Schools in Darien

Is there a special needs school in Darien, IL?
Yes. High Road School of Darien on Cass Avenue is a private day school run by SESI for students in kindergarten through eighth grade with academic, emotional and behavioral needs. Teachers carry out each student's IEP in small, structured classrooms, and related services include art therapy, music therapy, a board certified behavior analyst and sensory rooms. School runs Monday through Friday, 8:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m.
How do students get into High Road School of Darien?
Only through your home district. High Road takes students from its district partners, so raise it at an IEP meeting. When the team agrees your district cannot meet your child's needs and places your child at High Road, federal rules make it free to you, and the Illinois School Code puts the special education tuition and the bus on your resident district. High Road says some students prepare there for a move back to district classrooms.
Which school district serves my Darien address?
Darien spans several districts. For kindergarten through eighth grade, the city lists Darien District 61 (Mark DeLay, Lace and Eisenhower Junior High), Cass District 63 (Concord and Cass Junior High), Center Cass District 66 (Ide, Prairie View and Lakeview Junior High) and Maercker District 60. Teens attend Hinsdale South in Darien or Hinsdale Central in District 86, or Downers Grove South in District 99. Confirm with the district office, since it handles evaluations and IEPs.
What is SASED, and does it serve Darien students?
SASED is a special education cooperative of 18 member districts, based on Ogden Avenue in Lisle, offering programs and services for students with disabilities from preschool through age 22. Darien families in Maercker 60, Cass 63, Center Cass 66 or District 99 reach SASED programs through their district's IEP team. Darien 61 and District 86 are not SASED members, so ask those districts how they serve students who need a program they do not run themselves.
Can a Darien child with dyslexia or ADHD get support?
Yes. Federal rules count dyslexia as a specific learning disability and ADHD as an other health impairment, so either can qualify for an IEP when it affects learning, and a Section 504 plan covers accommodations alone. A child at a private school such as Burr Ridge Bilingual Montessori still has a route to testing, because the public district where that school sits must locate and evaluate enrolled children with disabilities.
How does tuition work at Darien private schools?
Burr Ridge Bilingual Montessori is a not-for-profit school that opened in Burr Ridge in 2016 and describes itself as the first bilingual English and Arabic Montessori preschool, with a focus on Islamic education. It now runs lower (grades 1 to 3) and upper (grades 4 to 6) elementary classes and sets its own tuition. Illinois's Invest in Kids scholarship expired at the end of 2023; the remaining state help is an income tax credit of 25 percent of tuition above $250 per student, up to $750 per family, within income caps.
How do I start a special education evaluation in Darien?
Send a dated written request to your child's principal or your elementary district's special education office. Illinois rules give the district 14 school days to decide whether to evaluate and 60 school days after your signed consent to settle eligibility and hold the IEP meeting. For a baby or toddler, Child and Family Connections #5, run by DayOne PACT in Lisle (331-481-4277), takes Early Intervention referrals for DuPage County, and evaluations carry no fee.
What should I ask High Road or a district program in Darien?
Ask how many students and adults share each classroom, which related services your child would get each week, and how the school reports IEP progress to your home district. At High Road, ask how the BCBA and therapists shape behavior plans and when students use the sensory rooms. Ask every school what the path back to a less restrictive setting looks like and who decides when your child is ready.

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