Special Needs Care Network Logo

Best Special Needs Schools in Mt Prospect, Illinois (2026)

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

Free Matching

Not sure which school is the right fit for your child?

Answer a few quick questions and we'll help you compare schools in Mt Prospect, Illinois for free.

Free for families.

Takes about 2 minutes

School listings in Mt Prospect

Photo from Busy Bees Montessori School
1

Busy Bees Montessori School

Listed
Mt Prospect, ILGrades PreK-5

Busy Bees Montessori School is dedicated to providing high-quality Montessori education for infants, toddlers, preschoolers, and kindergarten students in Mount Prospect and Arlington Heights, Illinois. With a mission to empower children to discover their full potential in a nurturing environment, the school serves a diverse student body, including those with various learning needs. The experienced faculty fosters an innovative learning atmosphere that encourages deep thinking and student-led exploration. Key programs emphasize child-centered learning, where individuality is celebrated and natural play areas promote responsibility and independence. Unique aspects of Busy Bees include a low student-teacher ratio, strong partnerships with families, and a multicultural faculty team that embodies Montessori values. This holistic approach not only nurtures academic growth but also instills values of leadership and community engagement in every child.

  • Preschool
  • Montessori
  • Private school
View details

Nearby school options

Compare special-needs schools near Mt Prospect

Families often compare nearby cities when commute, availability, services, or age fit differ.

Special-needs schools in Northbrook Compare 6 programs about 6 miles away. Special-needs schools in Glenview Compare 4 programs about 6 miles away. Special-needs schools in Schaumburg Compare 4 programs about 9 miles away.
Browse all special-needs schools in Illinois →

Planning guides

Plan your next school conversation in Mt Prospect

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 Mt Prospect

Most Mount Prospect searches on this page are for a therapeutic day school, a separate school for students whose IEP calls for more educational and clinical support than a home district can offer in its own buildings. Families also compare district classrooms, cooperative programs and private schools. Start with the district that serves your address, because Mount Prospect is split among several.

Mount Prospect School District 57 serves the center of the village, and other addresses fall in districts such as River Trails 26, Community Consolidated 59, Arlington Heights 25, Prospect Heights 23 and Buffalo Grove-Wheeling 21. Township High School District 214 serves high school students. District 57 and District 214 are listed members of the Northwest Suburban Special Education Organization (NSSEO), a cooperative that serves member districts. With the state's Invest in Kids scholarship expired, a therapeutic day school placement usually comes through the IEP and is paid by the resident district. If your child already attends a District 57 school, the building administrator is the first contact for screening and evaluation.

Local resources checked .

Frequently Asked Questions About Special Needs Schools in Mt Prospect

How does a Mount Prospect student get into a therapeutic day school?
Through the IEP team. If the team decides the home district cannot meet the student's needs on its own campuses, it can place the student in a nonpublic program the Illinois State Board of Education has approved for the student's disability and age. The resident district then pays tuition at no cost to parents. Parents can also enroll privately and pay tuition themselves.
Where do autistic students in Mount Prospect go to school?
Most attend their home district school with IEP supports, a cooperative program through NSSEO, or a state-approved nonpublic school. Ask each option how many students have autism, what training staff have, whether a behavior analyst consults, and how the program teaches communication. For a nonpublic option, confirm ISBE approval covers every disability category on the IEP.
How do I compare dyslexia and ADHD supports in Mount Prospect?
Ask a District 57 or private school which structured reading intervention it uses and how often your child would get it one-on-one or in a small group. For ADHD, ask how teachers handle focus and movement. District schools provide these supports through an IEP or a Section 504 plan; private schools decide what to offer.
Who pays tuition for a special needs school in Mount Prospect?
It depends on who makes the placement. When the IEP team places a student in an approved nonpublic program, the resident district pays. When parents choose a private school on their own, they pay tuition, and the child has no individual right to the full IEP. Ask a private school which supports it provides directly.
Does Illinois offer a special needs scholarship for 2026-27?
Not through Invest in Kids, the state's tax-credit scholarship, which ended December 31, 2023. What remains is the K-12 Education Expense Credit for families who pay private tuition, and, for a therapeutic day school, a placement the IEP team makes and the resident district funds.
What should I ask when I visit a therapeutic day school?
Ask how many students and staff are in each room, which clinicians (social workers, counselors, behavior specialists) are on site daily, and how the school handles a crisis. Ask how it measures progress toward a return to a less restrictive setting, how often it reports to parents and the home district, and what licenses teachers hold.
How do I request an evaluation from District 57?
For kindergarten through eighth grade, contact a building administrator at your child's home school and put the evaluation request in writing. Children taught at home within District 57 boundaries, and students at parochial schools located inside those boundaries, can also be evaluated by the district. Younger children can attend the free monthly early childhood screenings at Westbrook.
Who serves Mount Prospect high school students with IEPs?
Township High School District 214, and most District 57 graduates attend Prospect High School there. Ask the District 57 team to include District 214 staff in the eighth-grade transition IEP meeting so supports carry over, and ask which cooperative programs are part of the high school options.

Explore More Schools in Illinois

Discover specialized educational institutions across other cities in Illinois.

Browse All Illinois Cities