Both schools on this Boys Town page belong to the Boys Town campus west of Omaha, and both serve kids whose behavior or mental health has pushed them out of a regular classroom: Omaha Day School on Crawford Street and the school inside the Residential Treatment Center on Boys Town Hospital Road.
Omaha Day School is a K-12 alternative day program that partners with school districts. The Residential Treatment Center school is a licensed, year-round classroom for children and teens living in secure residential care. Public school addresses in the village of Boys Town fall inside Millard Public Schools.
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Frequently Asked Questions About Special Needs Schools in Boys Town
What is Omaha Day School in Boys Town?
It is an alternative school for K-12 students who struggle behaviorally, emotionally or academically. Boys Town runs it with a 3:1 student-to-staff ratio, trauma-informed teaching, social and emotional supports and an on-site mental health practitioner. Teaching follows the Boys Town Education Model, which centers on behavior management, relationships and social skills, and the school has used it since 2011. The goal is a reset, with students returning to their home district.
How does a student get a spot at Omaha Day School?
Omaha Day School describes itself as a partner to schools, and referrals usually start with the district. If your child's current school keeps calling you about behavior, ask for an IEP or 504 meeting and put Omaha Day School on the table as a placement to discuss. Staff work with administrators, teachers and families throughout the placement to support the move back to the home district.
What is school like at the Boys Town Residential Treatment Center?
The Residential Treatment Center is a secure program for children and teens ages 5 to 17 with severe behavioral and mental health needs. Its school is licensed by the state of Nebraska, runs year-round, and follows Nebraska's Rule 18 interim program standards, so public schools can award credit for the work. Students are placed in classrooms by age and academic level, certified teachers follow each student's IEP, and credit recovery is offered. Speech-language pathologists, school psychologists and occupational and physical therapy are available for qualifying students. On weekdays, class runs from 8:30 a.m. to 3 p.m.
Who pays for residential treatment at Boys Town?
Insurance does. The Residential Treatment Center contracts with commercial insurers and with Nebraska and Iowa Medicaid, so your cost depends on your plan's deductible and out-of-pocket rules. A parent, provider or facility starts the process with a referral to the Access Center, including recent evaluations, any hospital discharge summaries and your child's IEP. The medical director accepts youth based on medical necessity and fit. Accepted youth then join a wait list that varies by age, sex and bed availability.
Are there autism schools in Boys Town, NE?
Neither school on this page is an autism school. Both focus on behavior and mental health, so an autistic child usually lands here only when behavior is the main barrier. For most autistic students, services come through an IEP in the public district. Autism is its own federal eligibility category, so ask the district to evaluate for it by name.
Which school district handles special education in Boys Town?
Addresses in the village of Boys Town sit inside Millard Public Schools on the Census Bureau's school district map. Send Millard a dated written request for an evaluation. Under Nebraska's Rule 51, the district must finish the initial evaluation within 45 school days of receiving your signed consent, and if your child qualifies, the IEP follows within 30 calendar days of the eligibility decision. ADHD usually qualifies under other health impairment and dyslexia under specific learning disability.
My toddler is behind. Who do I call near Boys Town?
Nebraska's Early Development Network serves children from birth to age 3 who are not developing typically or who have a health condition that will affect development. Anyone concerned can refer. A services coordinator then arranges an evaluation with your local school district, which for a Boys Town address is Millard Public Schools, and parents sit on the evaluation team. If your child qualifies, you build an Individualized Family Service Plan together. Referrals go through Nebraska ChildFind or your local planning region team.
Does Nebraska have a private school scholarship or voucher?
Not today. The governor's office describes Nebraska as one of two states with no formal school choice program, after voters repealed the state-funded LB1402 scholarship program in 2024. Nebraska has opted into the federal scholarship tax credit, which lets taxpayers direct up to $1,700 to a scholarship granting organization for a dollar-for-dollar federal credit. Those organizations can fund K-12 expenses such as private tuition, with the program starting in 2027.
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