Top 7 Best Special Needs Schools in Silver Spring, Maryland (2026)

The Dr. Charles R. Drew Center at 1200 Swingingdale Drive in Silver Spring (zip 20905) is one of several Montgomery County campuses operated by Academy Child Development Center, Inc., a not-for-profit 501(c)(3) educational organization that has served the area since 1981 and is not part of a childcare chain. This particular location runs a school-age child care program for children in Kindergarten through 5th grade during the school year, with before and after care that operates from 7:00 A.M. to 6:00 P.M. Both full-time and part-time schedules are offered. The center director is Carmen Jackson, and the site sits in a quiet residential neighborhood with large setbacks, free parking, separate outdoor play areas for different ages, basketball courts, and open green space. Academy's leadership and staff bring backgrounds in early education, special education, elementary education, and business, which is relevant for families whose children have developmental challenges or language-based learning disabilities. Language and literacy are treated as the foundation of the curriculum, and the organization emphasizes smaller teacher-to-child ratios so children get more individualized attention. Across Academy programs, enrichment classes in art, music, and Spanish are part of the curriculum and included in tuition. The not-for-profit also maintains partnerships with Montgomery County Public Schools, Mental Health Consultation Services, and the Gaithersburg Judy Center. All Academy programs are accredited by the Maryland State Department of Education (MSDE), licensed by the MSDE Office of Child Care, and hold a Maryland Excels Level 5 rating. Staff complete FBI and State of Maryland background checks with fingerprinting and reference checks, and are trained in CPR, First Aid, emergency preparedness, and medication administration. The buildings use cameras and limited-access entries, with daily sanitizing plus professional after-hours cleaning. The Drew Center accepts financial assistance, including Working Parents Assistance (WPA) and Purchase of Care (POC) vouchers. Across its locations Academy also works with the Maryland Child Care Scholarship (CCS) program, the Infant and Toddler EquiCare Grant, the PreKindergarten Expansion Grant, and Military Child Care in Your Neighborhood (MCCYN). The center provides a morning and an afternoon snack, while families pack a healthy lunch. To reach this location, call 301-989-0245 or email cdacademy@academychild.com.

Barrie School is a private, independent school on a 45-acre campus at 13500 Layhill Rd in Silver Spring, Maryland, founded in 1932 and located minutes from the Glenmont Metro station and the Intercounty Connector. It runs one continuous program from infancy through high school: a Montessori track for the Lower School (3 months through Grade 6) and a Project-Based Learning model for Middle and Upper School (Grades 6 to 12). The same campus houses the Barrie Institute for Advanced Montessori Studies, one of the larger school-based teacher-training programs in the country, and Barrie Camp, a summer program that has run in the Washington, D.C. area since the 1950s. There is also an equestrian program on site. Barrie is the first school in the U.S. to offer the Global Impact Diploma, a diploma pathway built by a consortium of international-school educators. For families looking at special-needs fit, the relevant piece is Barrie's Student Support Team rather than a separate special-education program. The team includes learning specialists assigned by grade band (Toddler to Grade 3, Grades 4 to 12, and Grades 6 to 12), Lower School and Middle/Upper School counselors, and a Director of Health Services. For students who qualify, the team writes and carries out Accommodation and Care Plans, and it coordinates with outside providers a family already uses, including tutors, mental health professionals, pediatricians, and occupational and speech therapists. Support is delivered both directly to students and as consultation to teachers and parents. Tuition for 2026-27 runs by level: $25,730 for infants and toddlers (ages 1 to 2, class supplies included, no financial aid at this level), $29,545 for Primary (ages 3 to 5), $32,680 for Elementary (Grades 1 to 5), $36,780 for Middle School (Grades 6 to 8, books included), and $39,560 for Upper School (Grades 9 to 12, books included). Need-based financial aid is available starting at age 3, with roughly $2 million awarded each year and about 56% of students from age 3 through Grade 12 receiving aid; merit aid (about $300,000 a year) includes the Millennium Scholarship for incoming Grades 6 to 12. A sibling discount (5% off the second child, 10% off each additional child) applies separately from financial aid. The school describes itself as one of the most diverse private schools in the U.S., reporting 61% students of color and 15% international students, with bus transportation and extended-day options available.

The Colesville Center is one of four locations run by Kids Maryland Child Services (KidsMCS), a childcare organization in the Montgomery County area. The center sits at 14015 New Hampshire Ave. in Silver Spring (20904) and can be reached at (301) 384-0575. It is open from 7:00 am to 6:00 pm and accepts children from 2 to 12 years old. The other KidsMCS locations are the Sherwood Center in Sandy Spring, the Mary Hart Center in Rockville, and the Page Center in Silver Spring, with general enrollment questions handled at (240) 644-9295 or info@mdchildservices.org. Programming is split by age. The Preschool Program serves children 3 to 4 years old and mixes structured lessons with creative play (art, music, dramatic play, and hands-on projects) to build the social skills and independence children need before kindergarten. The School Age Program covers ages 5 to 12 and runs as a before and after school option, with homework help, academic support, active play and sports, and STEM and arts activities. A summer camp rounds out the year for preschool and school-age children, with weekly themed activities (water play, music, art, and discovery) plus field trips for older kids to local museums, parks, water play areas, and the zoo. KidsMCS centers are accredited by the Maryland State Department of Education and participate in Maryland EXCELS, the state quality rating system. Enrollment paperwork follows COMAR child care regulations, and the center provides individualized support that accounts for each child's strengths, interests, and special needs. Parent testimonials reference children making speech and language progress at the centers alongside outside therapy, and the program is structured around close partnership with families, including a family handbook and acknowledgment process. For families who need help with costs, KidsMCS points to two public subsidy options: the Maryland Child Care Scholarship Program (CCS) and Montgomery County's Working Parents Assistance Program (WPA). (The state-funded Pre-K Expansion Grant that KidsMCS offers is available only at its Mary Hart and Page centers, not at Colesville.) Tours can be scheduled by phone, and enrollment for the upcoming school year is handled directly through the center.

Silver Spring Learning Center operates two linked Jewish schools out of 1401 Arcola Ave in the Kemp Mill neighborhood of Silver Spring, Maryland. The early childhood side, branded as The Learning Center (TLC), is a fully licensed and insured, year-round preschool serving children from 6 weeks old through Kindergarten. Founded in 1971, it pairs standard early education with a Hebrew program, including Hebrew Immersion taught by Hebrew-speaking staff, Judaic enrichment, Jewish holidays, and a connection to Israel. The affiliated elementary program, the Leo Bernstein Jewish Academy of Fine Arts (also called LBJA or JAFA), runs a Judaic curriculum for Kindergarten and grades 1 through 5, with community field trips built into the year. The center keeps class sizes small and runs out of spacious, open classrooms. On-site facilities include a playground of over one acre, a new indoor playgym, and a children's library. Day-to-day programming is supported by a licensed security guard. Care hours are Monday through Thursday from 8:30am to 6:00pm and Friday from 8:30am to 4:00pm, with early care available from 7:30am and aftercare as late as 6:00pm, which makes it workable for parents on a full work schedule. Beyond the core school day, families can add optional hot lunch and extracurriculars in ballet, karate, and music. The center runs camps over winter, spring, and summer break. For cost, the school accepts Maryland state assistance vouchers for working parents. The schools are led by Headmaster Rabbi Eliyahu Meir Zaks and Director Natali Gavrieli, who holds a BA in psychology and an MA in bilingual education and has over 20 years in education. Tours are free and can be scheduled by phone at (301) 649-1373 or by email at sslcnews1401@gmail.com. Note that the published materials do not list specific special-needs or therapeutic services, so families needing those supports should confirm availability directly with the school.

Montgomery County Public Schools (MCPS) is Maryland's largest school district, dedicated to providing a comprehensive educational experience for all students, including those with special needs. The district's core mission is to ensure that every child receives a high-quality education tailored to their individual needs, fostering an inclusive environment where all students can thrive. MCPS offers a variety of specialized programs and services designed to support students with diverse learning requirements. Key offerings include: - Special Education services that cater to various disabilities, ensuring personalized learning plans. - Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA) for students with autism spectrum disorders, focusing on improving communication and social skills. - Speech and language therapy to assist students in developing effective communication abilities. - Occupational therapy aimed at enhancing fine motor skills and daily living activities. - Social skills groups that provide opportunities for peer interaction and relationship building. - Vocational training programs that prepare students for future employment opportunities. What sets Montgomery County Public Schools apart is its commitment to maintaining low student-teacher ratios, which allows for individualized attention and support. The district also emphasizes a nurturing campus environment, equipped with specialized technology to aid learning. Additionally, MCPS offers summer programs that promote continuous learning and community integration, ensuring that students remain engaged and supported throughout the year.

The Siena School is a college-prep day school in Silver Spring, Maryland for bright, college-bound students who have language-based learning differences. Its Forest Glen campus at 1300 Forest Glen Rd serves grades 5 to 12, and a nearby satellite campus covers grades 3 and 4 (the school also runs a separate grades 3 to 12 campus in Oakton, Northern Virginia). Siena tailors its program to students whose primary diagnosis falls into a defined set: dyslexia, specific learning disability or disorder with impairment in reading or written expression, expressive language disorder, or auditory processing disorder. Many enrolled students also have a secondary profile of executive function weakness or mild ADHD. The school works with mild (on grade level) to moderate (about two grade levels behind) needs in reading, writing, spelling, or math, and is direct that it is not the right fit for students with autism spectrum disorder, nonverbal learning disorder, intellectual disabilities, or complex social and communication needs requiring direct speech and language services. Instruction runs at a 10:1 student-teacher ratio across all courses, which keeps classes small enough for teachers to adapt materials to each student. The curriculum is skill-centered and multisensory, built on the Common Core and National Standards, with daily reading classes in grades 4 through 8 and study skills and organization strategies woven through every subject. Students do project-based and experiential work, authentic assessments, and STEM coursework including engineering and robotics, alongside arts and athletics (eight sports teams, with about three-quarters of students playing at least one sport). College counseling spans four-plus years, with individual family meetings starting in 11th grade and follow-up support into the first year of college. High schoolers also complete a two-week annual internship. Tuition for 2026 to 2027 is $54,970 for grades 3 to 8 and $55,993 for grades 9 to 12, covering basic field trips and materials. Roughly 40 percent of families receive need-based financial aid, with Siena providing close to $2 million in assistance each year, average grant awards in the $7,500 to $10,000 range, and a limited number of scholarship grants covering up to 75 percent of tuition and fees. Because Siena serves a special-needs population, its tuition and fees generally qualify as a tax-deductible medical expense under IRS Publication 502, and families can apply 529 plan funds (up to $20,000 per year), HSA or FSA dollars, and a FACTS monthly payment plan toward the cost. Prospective families start with a discovery call or school tour through the admissions office.

The Springwell School is a progressive, independent school in Silver Spring, Maryland that serves grades K through 10 for the 2026-27 year and adds one grade each year with the goal of becoming a K-12 school. Teaching follows a student-centered, inquiry-based model built around foundational reading, writing, and math alongside thematic units of inquiry in science and social studies. The school assesses and plans academic progress against the Common Core and Maryland Core Standards, and uses Wilson's Fundations for early reading instruction. Work is adapted to meet each child at their own level regardless of grade or age, and learning runs across mixed-age groupings so students take turns being apprentices and mentors. The program leans on a constructivist, project-based approach and draws on Reggio Emilia, Montessori, and Waldorf traditions, though the school is explicit that it is not a Montessori or Waldorf school and does not follow either curriculum. Day-to-day practice emphasizes hands-on and kinesthetic activities, arts-integrated lessons, student-led portfolios, and observation-based assessment rather than uniform standardized testing. Socio-emotional learning is a core part of the day, with morning and end-of-day circles, shared communal mealtimes, a peer mediation and conflict-resolution program run by students, and a monthly cooking program. Springwell works with families whose children have learning differences. The school enrolls students who have had formalized Individualized Education Programs (IEPs) at previous schools and provides supports such as small class sizes, extra time on assignments, movement breaks, and instruction pitched to each child's level. Admission is handled case by case, and the school accepts students who fit its program. This makes it a relevant option for families seeking individualized, low-ratio settings, including children with language-based learning differences or who are twice-exceptional, though Springwell presents itself as an inclusive general-education school rather than a special-education program. Maximum tuition for grades K-10 in 2026-27 is $30,000. The school runs an Indexed Tuition model intended to widen access, and states that roughly 50% of students receive an Indexed Tuition Credit; families apply for indexed tuition through a separate application. In 2025 Springwell signed a five-year lease on a new campus at 9226 Colesville Road in Silver Spring, on Sligo Creek near downtown. Inquiries go to info@springwell.school.