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Best Special Needs Schools in Falmouth, Maine (2026)

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

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School listings in Falmouth

Children and adults gathered around a table during a classroom activity at the Maine Educational Center for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing in Falmouth, Maine.
1

Maine Educational Center for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing

Listed
Falmouth, MEGrades PreK-12 & up to 22

Our campus on Mackworth Island in Falmouth has been home to the Governor Baxter School for the Deaf since 1957, after Governor Percival Baxter gave the island to the state for a school. Today the Maine Educational Center for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing serves deaf and hard of hearing children and young adults from birth to age 22 across Maine. On the island, Mackworth Island Preschool is a bilingual program for deaf, hard of hearing and hearing children ages 3 to 5, taught by a Deaf and hearing team in joined American Sign Language and spoken English classrooms. Each child has a language plan built with the family, and rooms are treated to cut background noise. School-age students attend our site-based programs inside Portland and Brewer public schools, including East End Community School, Lyman Moore Middle School and Portland High School, with ASL, spoken language and Cued Speech all supported. Services include specially designed instruction, speech-language therapy, audiology, occupational therapy, social work, interpreting, transition planning and extended school year. Itinerant teachers also serve students in local schools statewide.

  • State school and outreach center for the deaf and hard of hearing
  • Deaf and hard of hearing
  • ASL and English bilingual education
  • Deaf education
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2

Stone Coast Music

Listed
Falmouth, MEGrades PreK-12 & up to 22

Stone Coast Music is dedicated to fostering a love for music through engaging, classically-based education tailored for students of all ages and skill levels in Falmouth, Maine, and the Greater Portland area. The school's core mission revolves around providing comprehensive instruction in piano, voice, violin, and flute, making it an ideal choice for individuals ranging from beginners to advanced musicians. With a focus on music theory and performance technique, Stone Coast Music employs a variety of teaching methods to ensure that every lesson is not only educational but also enjoyable. The highly trained instructors are committed to creating a nurturing environment that promotes musical growth and confidence. Unique to Stone Coast Music is its emphasis on community involvement through events like recitals that celebrate student achievements in a supportive atmosphere. This approach, combined with low student-teacher ratios and strong family partnerships, sets Stone Coast Music apart as a premier destination for music education.

  • Music school
  • Private school
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Nearby school options

Compare special-needs schools near Falmouth

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Special-needs schools in Portland Compare 11 programs about 5 miles away. Special-needs schools in Lewiston Compare 3 programs about 30 miles away.
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Planning guides

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IEP process guide

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Comparing school options in Falmouth

Falmouth's Mackworth Island holds a statewide school, the Maine Educational Center for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing and the Governor Baxter School for the Deaf (MECDHH/GBSD). For autism, ADHD, dyslexia and most other needs, Falmouth Public Schools handles evaluations and IEPs through its Special Services office.

MECDHH/GBSD serves deaf and hard of hearing children and young adults from birth to 22 across Maine, from home visits for babies to a bilingual preschool and programs inside public schools. This page also lists Stone Coast Music on Route 1, a private studio for piano, voice, violin, guitar, ukulele and flute lessons.

Local resources checked .

Frequently Asked Questions About Special Needs Schools in Falmouth

What is the school on Mackworth Island in Falmouth, Maine?
Mackworth Island is home to MECDHH/GBSD, Maine's statewide center for deaf and hard of hearing children. It works with families and professionals across the state to give children from birth to 22 language-focused education and social-emotional support. Its multidisciplinary team, including ASL specialists, educational audiologists, therapists and teachers of the deaf, also runs evaluations in each child's primary language or mode of communication.
Is there a preschool for deaf or hard of hearing children near Falmouth?
Yes. Mackworth Island Preschool serves deaf, hard of hearing and typically developing hearing children ages 3 to 5 in two joined classrooms, one using American Sign Language and one using spoken English. Families choose the primary room, and children mix across both during the day. A Deaf and hearing teaching team writes a language plan with each family, follows IEP goals, and classrooms are treated to cut background noise and echo.
Does my deaf child have to attend school on Mackworth Island?
No. MECDHH/GBSD also runs site-based programs with Child Development Services and the Portland and Brewer school districts for students living within about an hour. Students attend public schools such as East End Community School, Lyman Moore Middle School and Portland High School, with teachers of the deaf, speech and listening services, ASL interpreting, hearing technology and educational technicians on site. Transportation is provided from towns outside the host district.
Who helps a Falmouth baby or toddler with hearing loss or delays?
Maine's Child Development Services (CDS) runs early intervention from birth through age two and special education for ages three through five through regional sites that screen, evaluate and arrange services. For a baby with hearing loss, MECDHH/GBSD adds home visits using a coaching model, in person or remotely, with an early intervention specialist who can lead your plan or join your child's primary provider.
How do I request a special education evaluation in Falmouth?
Falmouth Public Schools posts separate special education referral forms for pre-K and for kindergarten through grade 12; talk to your child's teacher or call the Special Services office for help with either. The district says the full evaluation, with assessments, observations and input from you and staff, can take up to 45 school days. The IEP team then decides whether your child meets one of the federal disability categories.
Can a Falmouth student with autism, dyslexia or ADHD get an IEP?
Yes, when the disability affects learning and the student needs specially designed instruction. Falmouth's list of qualifying categories includes autism, specific learning disability, which federal rules say covers dyslexia, and other health impairment, which covers ADHD. Students with IEPs still take part in regular Tier 1 classroom instruction as much as possible, with extra support layered on rather than swapped in.
How does a Falmouth student qualify for a 504 plan?
Falmouth's 504 team looks at three things: whether your child has a physical or mental impairment, whether it substantially limits a major life activity such as learning, and whether your child needs accommodations beyond what every student already gets. The diagnosis can come from a doctor, or the school can evaluate. Talk with the principal, a teacher or the district's 504 coordinator, and the team can reconvene when circumstances change.
Is Stone Coast Music a school for children with special needs?
No. Stone Coast Music is a private studio offering classically based lessons and classes in piano, voice, violin, guitar, ukulele and flute for all ages, with music theory alongside performance. Lessons are an extra outside school, not a source of special education services. If your child has sensory, attention or motor differences, ask to meet the teacher first and ask how lessons are paced and how practice expectations are set.

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