Top 5 Best Special Needs Schools in Fairfield, New Jersey (2026)

Autism Sports Academy is a private education and sports program in Fairfield for autistic people of all ages and ability levels. It combines individualized learning with sports, academics, social-emotional skills, community-based instruction, and one-to-one teaching.

• Education center
• Autism
• Learning differences
• physical disabilities

Our Fairfield campus is a private, nonprofit elementary and middle school for students with significant language-based learning disabilities. We use individualized and small-group instruction, including the Wilson Reading System, multisensory math and targeted reading-comprehension programs. Students also practice social communication, organization and practical life skills. Speech-language services, occupational therapy and counseling support participation in school. Admissions includes review of the student's Individualized Education Program and evaluations; we do not admit students whose primary needs are emotional or behavioral. Our high school and LIFE Academy are separate programs in Little Falls.

• Special education school
• Learning differences
• Accredited
• Kindergarten

New Beginnings started in 1997 as a preschool class inside Glenview Academy and became its own approved school in 2004, moving into a dedicated building on Dwight Place in Fairfield, New Jersey. Now a member of The Gramon Family of Schools, we serve students ages 3 to 21 with autism and other developmental disabilities, including students with multiple disabilities and Down syndrome. Our approach draws on Applied Behavior Analysis, with instruction built around each student's IEP and the New Jersey Student Learning Standards. Speech, occupational and physical therapists, board certified behavior analysts, counselors and social workers work alongside classroom teams. Preschoolers have their own wing with therapy spaces, and teaching there centers on pairing, play and communication. Our building also has a sensory room and sensory hallway, an OT and PT area with a large swing and ball pit, What I Need (WIN) rooms, a life skills room with a kitchen and laundry, the NB Fit space with a rock wall, and a full gymnasium. High school students build work skills at on-site and community job sites. Most students are placed by their home districts, which provide transportation, and we hold Middle States accreditation.

• Private special education day school (ages 3 to 21)
• Autism
• Developmental disabilities
• Multiple disabilities

Stepping Stones School is New Jersey's premier educational institution dedicated to children with Down syndrome. With decades of experience, the school has developed a pioneering approach to education that focuses on unlocking each child's greatest potential through a tailored curriculum and innovative teaching methods. The core mission is to provide a nurturing and supportive environment where students can thrive academically, socially, and emotionally. Key offerings at Stepping Stones School include a comprehensive curriculum designed specifically for children with Down syndrome, incorporating evidence-based therapeutic methodologies. The school provides a range of services such as Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA), speech and language therapy, occupational therapy, and social skills groups. Each program is crafted to meet the unique needs of students, ensuring that they receive the support necessary for their individual growth and development. What sets Stepping Stones School apart is its commitment to maintaining low student-teacher ratios, allowing for personalized attention and fostering strong relationships between educators and students. The campus features a state-of-the-art therapy suite and classrooms designed to create an engaging learning environment. Additionally, the school offers vocational training and summer programs that promote community integration, preparing students for a successful transition into adulthood.

• Special education school
• Down syndrome
• Private school

For more than 85 years, The Gramon School has educated students with developmental disabilities. Today our Fairfield school focuses on young adults ages 16 to 21, with high school instruction and transition services that prepare them for life after 21, whether that means college, a day program or independent living. We draw on Applied Behavior Analysis, using natural environment teaching, incidental teaching and discrete trial teaching so skills carry over to real settings. Each student's program follows an IEP aligned to the New Jersey Student Learning Standards. Our team includes teachers, paraprofessionals, speech, occupational and physical therapists, behaviorists, guidance counselors and social workers. Students build work skills through on-campus job placements, community-based instruction and Work-Based Learning. We are part of The Gramon Family of Schools, accredited by Middle States and approved by the New Jersey Department of Education. A six-week Extended School Year program runs each summer.

• Private special education school (ages 16-21)
• Autism
• Developmental disabilities
• Transition support