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Best Special Needs Schools in Lincoln, Nebraska (2026)

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

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School listings in Lincoln

Don D. Sherrill Education Center elementary special education facility in Lincoln, Nebraska.
1

Don D. Sherrill Education Center - LPS

Listed
Lincoln, NEAges 5-11

The Don D. Sherrill Education Center (DDSEC) is a dedicated specialized elementary facility operated by Lincoln Public Schools on North 56th Street in Lincoln, Nebraska. Named in honor of Dr. Donald D. Sherrill, a visionary former Director of Special Education for the district, the center serves approximately 100 elementary students in kindergarten through 5th grade whose intensive behavioral, emotional, and social-emotional needs require a temporary, highly specialized learning setting. Operating with low student-to-teacher ratios, dedicated paraprofessionals, and on-site behavioral intervention specialists, DDSEC utilizes a Multi-Tiered System of Supports (MTSS) framework to help children develop functional self-management and emotional coping skills. Students receive standard elementary academic instruction in reading, mathematics, science, and social studies, fully aligned with Lincoln Public Schools curriculum standards, combined with explicit instruction in emotional regulation and restorative social interactions. Recognized as an Inspire School of the Year by the Foundation for Lincoln Public Schools, DDSEC maintains continuous collaboration with neighborhood home schools to facilitate successful transitions back to general education classrooms.

  • Public special education center
  • severe emotional disabilities
  • behavioral challenges
  • Learning differences
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Nearby school options

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Special-needs schools in La Vista Compare 3 programs about 41 miles away. Special-needs schools in Papillion Compare 6 programs about 41 miles away. Special-needs schools in Fremont Compare 3 programs about 44 miles away.
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Planning guides

Plan your next school conversation in Lincoln

Use these guides before you contact programs, schedule tours, or ask your IEP team how a proposed setting will support your child's goals.

How to choose a special needs school

Prepare school-tour questions, compare supports and family communication, and record what each program can show you.

IEP process guide

Bring your IEP, progress evidence, and focused questions to conversations about evaluations, services, or placement.

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Comparing school options in Lincoln

Lincoln Public Schools carries most special education in Lincoln, Nebraska. Its Special Education department on O Street serves more than 7,000 students with disabilities, and its Don D. Sherrill Education Center on North 56th Street runs a therapeutic program for elementary students.

This page lists two LPS options: the district's Special Education department, which coordinates services in every LPS building, and Don D. Sherrill Education Center, a K-5 program. The answers below cover autism support, evaluations, preschool help, private schools and moving to Lincoln with an IEP.

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Frequently Asked Questions About Special Needs Schools in Lincoln

Are there special needs schools in Lincoln, NE?
Lincoln has no private special education school on this page, and most children with disabilities here attend their neighborhood LPS school. The district serves more than 7,000 students with disabilities, from kindergarten to age 21, across 64 programs and buildings. Students with significant needs can be placed in specialized programs, and the building administrator at your child's school can explain which ones fit. Transportation is provided when a disability makes getting to school hard.
What is the Don D. Sherrill Education Center?
Sherrill is an LPS program for students in kindergarten through fifth grade who need a safe, supportive, therapeutic setting. Staff emphasize academics while teaching prosocial skills, self-management and coping, and the building runs on a multi-tiered system of supports with consistent expectations. Teachers stay in contact with each student's attendance school and work with outside agencies to connect families to more help. The school day runs from 9:10 a.m. to 3:30 p.m.
What other LPS programs serve students with disabilities?
LPS lists Nuernberger Education Center, Yankee Hill Education Center, a Homebound Services Program and The Independence Academy alongside Sherrill. The Independence Academy serves transition-age students with disabilities in business and agency settings around Lincoln, teaching employment, communication, independent living and recreation skills. Most sites run weekdays from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m., sites change each quarter, LPS buses students to and from the site, and Nebraska Vocational Rehabilitation partners on transition services.
How does LPS support autistic students?
LPS hires its own related service providers, including autism specialists, speech-language pathologists, occupational and physical therapists, school psychologists and assistive technology specialists. That lets most autistic students receive services inside their own school instead of being bused elsewhere. Ask your school's special education administrator which specialists are assigned to your building and how often an autism specialist consults on your child's IEP.
How do I get my child evaluated for special education in Lincoln?
Put a dated request in writing to your child's LPS school and ask for an initial evaluation. Nebraska's Rule 51 gives the district 45 school days from the date it receives your signed consent to finish the evaluation. If the team finds your child eligible, the IEP must be written within 30 calendar days of that decision. Dyslexia can qualify as a specific learning disability and ADHD as an other health impairment, so name them in your letter.
Who helps babies and preschoolers with delays in Lincoln?
In Nebraska, even babies are evaluated by the local school district, which in Lincoln means LPS. Refer a baby or toddler under 3 to the Early Development Network if development seems off or a diagnosis is likely to affect it. A services coordinator then books that evaluation and helps you write an Individualized Family Service Plan. For a 3- or 4-year-old, the LPS Special Education department keeps a dedicated contact for infants, toddlers and preschoolers.
Can my child at a Lincoln private school still get services?
Yes. LPS says its special education services reach students in Lincoln's private schools as well as its own buildings, so ask the department how services are arranged for your child's school. Nebraska has no state voucher or education savings account; the governor's office describes it as one of two states without a formal school choice program. A federal scholarship tax credit that Nebraska opted into starts in 2027.
We are moving to Lincoln and my child has an IEP. What should I do?
Get your current IEP updated before you leave your old district. Then call your child's future LPS school, tell them about the IEP, and hand over every special education document you have. The administrator who oversees special education at that school will schedule a meeting to review your child's needs and services. Your child attends the home attendance school, and the district office can answer questions before you arrive.

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