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Discover Indiana schools and centers with individualized instruction, low student-teacher ratios, and integrated social-emotional support. Browse programs across 39 cities with 126 total programs.
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Cities with the most schoolsIndianapolis
1515 schools
Indianapolis, Indiana
Fort Wayne
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Fort Wayne, Indiana
Brownsburg
88 schools
Brownsburg, Indiana
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Fishers, Indiana
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Michigan City, Indiana
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Hammond, Indiana
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Lafayette, Indiana
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Marion, Indiana
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1 citySpecial Education in Indiana: What Parents Need to Know
Indiana runs two separate state funding programs for private school choice, and picking the right one matters more here than in most states. The Choice Scholarship (voucher) is the broad program open to most families. The Education Scholarship Account (ESA) is built specifically for students with disabilities and pays more, but it requires leaving the public school system entirely and giving up the IDEA protections that come with public enrollment. A family that wants to keep those protections while still getting help with tuition needs to understand this tradeoff before applying to either one.
We currently list 126 specialized schools and programs across 39 communities in Indiana.
Evaluation and IEP timelines in Indiana
Indiana measures its special education timelines in instructional (school) days, not calendar days, which is different from the federal default and from many neighboring states. Under Article 7 (511 IAC 7), once a parent requests an evaluation, the public agency has 10 instructional days to respond in writing, either proposing to evaluate or explaining a refusal. After the parent signs consent, the district has 50 instructional days to complete the evaluation and convene the case conference committee (CCC) meeting that decides eligibility. Because instructional days pause during school breaks, a request made in late spring can stretch further in calendar time than the same request made in October.
- 10 instructional days for the public agency to respond in writing after a parent requests an evaluation, either proposing to evaluate or refusing with an explanation
- 50 instructional days from signed parental consent to complete the evaluation and convene the case conference committee (CCC) that determines eligibility
- These are school days, not calendar days, so school breaks extend the calendar-time window
- The 50-day timeline does not apply to a child transitioning from Part C early intervention to Part B services by age 3, or when a parent repeatedly fails to produce the student for evaluation
- Consent for an initial evaluation is not consent for special education services. That is a separate step after eligibility is determined
How Indiana families pay for a specialized placement
Two state programs cover private tuition, and a family generally uses one or the other, not both. The Choice Scholarship is open to households earning up to 400% of the income threshold for the federal free or reduced-price lunch program, which is a high enough ceiling that it covers the large majority of Indiana families (about $244,200 for a household of four in 2026-27), though it is not a true no-income-cap program. The award is the lesser of tuition and fees or 90% of the state per-student tuition support for the family's home school district. The Education Scholarship Account (ESA) is reserved for students who already have an IEP, individualized service plan, or choice school education plan documenting a disability, and it pays more: 100% of the state special education dollars attached to the student plus 90% of state tuition support, up to $20,000 per student, with siblings without a disability eligible for up to $8,000. The catch is that accepting an ESA requires opting out of public school, and Indiana disability advocates are explicit that a child using ESA funds at a non-public school no longer has IDEA protections, including due process rights, because those protections attach to public enrollment. A Choice Scholarship does not require giving up an IEP the same way, since Choice schools can still be designated to provide special education services. For children under three, funding runs through First Steps, Indiana's early intervention system, not through either school-choice program.
- Choice Scholarship: household income up to 400% of the free/reduced-price lunch threshold (about $244,200 for a family of four in 2026-27); award is the lesser of tuition/fees or 90% of state per-student tuition support
- ESA: reserved for students with an existing IEP, individualized service plan, or choice school education plan; up to $20,000 per student with a disability, up to $8,000 for a non-disabled sibling
- ESA funds can cover tuition, therapies (including ABA, speech, OT, and PT), tutoring, assessments, paraprofessionals, and approved camps and training programs, paid through a ClassWallet portal rather than reimbursed directly to parents
- Accepting an ESA means opting out of public school, and Indiana disability advocates confirm that non-public enrollment ends IDEA protections, including due process rights
- A Choice Scholarship school can still be designated as the student's special education service provider, which keeps the IEP process closer to intact than an ESA does
- Administration of the ESA program transferred from the Indiana Treasurer of State to the Indiana Department of Education effective July 1, 2026
- For children under three, contact First Steps (Indiana's Part C early intervention program, run through FSSA's Bureau of Child Development Services), not the school district
Types of Special Needs Schools in Indiana
Not every placement type exists in every state. These are the settings families actually find in Indiana.
Private day schools for learning differences
Independent schools built around dyslexia, ADHD, and broader learning differences, concentrated in the Indianapolis suburbs, Fort Wayne, and along the northern Michigan City corridor. Many are approved Choice or ESA providers and can quote costs directly against an award amount.
Best for: Students with average or above cognitive ability whose reading, writing, or attention needs are not being met in a general education classroom
Autism and ABA-integrated programs
Programs pairing academic instruction with structured behavior support, often with a BCBA on staff or a partnering ABA provider delivering services during the school day. Several accept ESA funds directly for tuition and on-site therapy.
Best for: Students on the autism spectrum who need communication support and consistent behavior programming across the day
Therapeutic and behavioral schools
Placements that combine academics with counseling, social skills instruction, and behavior intervention for students whose emotional or behavioral needs have made a traditional campus unworkable.
Best for: Students with emotional disabilities or a pattern of school refusal, suspension, or crisis at a prior placement
Faith-based schools with resource support
Indiana's Choice Scholarship program grew out of a large parochial and Christian school sector, and a number of these schools now run dedicated resource rooms or learning-support tracks alongside general enrollment.
Best for: Families who want a mainstream, values-aligned setting with added support rather than a fully separate special education campus
Indiana Special Needs School Questions
How long does an IEP evaluation take in Indiana?
Indiana counts in instructional (school) days, not calendar days. The public agency has 10 instructional days to respond in writing after you request an evaluation, and then 50 instructional days from the date you sign consent to complete the evaluation and hold the case conference committee (CCC) meeting that decides eligibility. Because these are school days, a request that spans a long school break will take longer in calendar time than the same request made mid-semester.
What is the difference between the Choice Scholarship and the ESA in Indiana?
The Choice Scholarship is Indiana's broader voucher program, open to households under a high income ceiling (about $244,200 for a family of four in 2026-27), and pays the lesser of tuition/fees or 90% of state per-student tuition support. The Education Scholarship Account (ESA) is specifically for students who already have an IEP, service plan, or choice school education plan, pays more (up to $20,000 for the student with a disability, plus up to $8,000 for a sibling), and can be spent on therapies and services beyond tuition. The tradeoff is that an ESA requires opting out of public school, and Indiana disability advocates confirm that ends IDEA protections, including due process rights, in a way the Choice Scholarship does not.
If I use an ESA, does my child lose IEP protections?
Yes, functionally. Accepting an ESA means withdrawing from public school, and children enrolled in a non-public school are not covered by the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA), including its due process protections, according to Indiana disability advocacy groups. A Choice Scholarship school, by contrast, can be designated as the student's special education service provider, which keeps more of the IEP process in place. Get the evaluation and IEP first either way. The documentation is what unlocks ESA eligibility and the higher award amount.
Where are most of Indiana's specialized schools located?
Listings are more spread out here than in many states. Fort Wayne and Michigan City carry the largest single-city counts, and the Indianapolis suburbs of Brownsburg, Zionsville, and Fishers together add up to more inventory than Indianapolis itself. Families searching only the city of Indianapolis may miss a meaningful share of what is actually available nearby.
My child is under three. Do I go to the school district?
No. Children from birth to age three are served by First Steps, Indiana's early intervention system, run through the Family and Social Services Administration's Bureau of Child Development Services, not the local school district. The district takes over evaluation and services at age three, and the transition meeting should happen before the third birthday so services do not lapse.
Indiana Guides & Resources
Next steps for families comparing schools, requesting an evaluation, or working out how to pay for a placement.
How to request a special education evaluation
The written request that starts Indiana's 10-day response clock and 50-day evaluation window.
Read more →Complete IEP guide
What goes in an IEP, how to prepare for the CCC meeting, and the documentation the ESA program requires.
Read more →504 plan vs IEP
Which one your child qualifies for, and how that documentation feeds into Indiana's ESA eligibility.
Read more →Choosing a special needs school
The questions to ask before committing Choice or ESA funds to an Indiana private school.
Read more →Early intervention guide
For children under three, including Indiana's First Steps program and the handoff to the district at age three.
Read more →ABA therapy centers in Indiana
Autism therapy providers across Indiana, several of which accept ESA funds directly for services.
Read more →Autism rates by state
How Indiana compares on autism identification rates, using federal data.
Read more →Restraint and seclusion by state
Federal civil rights data on restraint and seclusion incidents, including Indiana districts.
Read more →Sources for this page
- 511 IAC 7 Special Education Rules (Indiana Department of Education, Rule 40, Identification and Evaluation)
- Indiana Choice Scholarship Program (Indiana Department of Education)
- Choice Scholarship Program Eligibility Requirements, 2026-2027 School Year (Indiana Department of Education)
- Choice Scholarship Program FAQ (Indiana Department of Education)
- Indiana Education Scholarship Account (INESA) program overview (Indiana Treasurer of State / Department of Education)
- Indiana Education Scholarship Account (ESA) Program FAQ (Indiana Department of Education)
- Indiana Education Scholarship Account Program FAQ (The Arc of Indiana)
- Bureau of Child Development Services / First Steps early intervention (Indiana FSSA)
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 126 schools and centers across 39 cities in Indiana, we'll help you find the right educational environment for your child's unique needs.