Best Special Needs Schools in La Plata, Maryland (2026)

Phoenix International School of the Arts (PISOTA) is a private middle school in La Plata, Maryland for students in grades 6 through 8. It combines a core academic program with serious training in the arts, so students build fine and performing arts pathways alongside their regular classes. The academic side runs on the Cambridge International curriculum, an internationally recognized framework, which the school pairs with an arts-integrated, whole-child approach. The school keeps enrollment small, with low student-to-teacher ratios, and frames its mission around developing creative, confident young people who can carry their work into the wider world. Students perform and present publicly, including an annual International Spring Showcase, and the program connects with outside organizations and events in the Washington, D.C. area. Because the program is arts-focused and built for the middle grades, families considering it for a child with learning differences should contact the school directly to confirm what individualized support is available. The campus is at 95 Catalpa Drive in La Plata.