Best Special Needs Schools in Whippany, New Jersey (2026)

The Calais School in Whippany is a private special education school approved by the New Jersey Department of Education for students in kindergarten through our 12 Plus program who have multiple learning disabilities along with anxiety, mood, behavior or autism spectrum disorders. Districts place students with us through their child study teams, and admission is rolling throughout the year. Classes are small, and every classroom has Promethean boards, iPads and laptops. Our licensed clinical and school social workers lead individual, group and crisis counseling, and child and adolescent psychiatrists consult on site. Students also receive occupational therapy, physical therapy, speech-language services and Orton-Gillingham reading remediation. Elementary students with significant behavioral needs can use a multi-tiered support system with a BCBA, and certified therapy dogs join classrooms and therapy sessions through our Animal Assisted Interventions program. Our Twice Exceptional Gifted and Talented program serves high-ability students who also have special needs. Middle schoolers take world languages and can join sports teams, and high schoolers study advanced science, accelerated math and fine and performing arts. Students ages 18 to 21 in 12 Plus build work, independent living and college readiness skills through internships, community-based instruction and a College Bridge Program with County College of Morris. A half-day Extended School Year program runs each summer.

• Private special education school (K-12 and 18-21)
• Learning differences
• Anxiety
• Mood disorders

We provide a private day school through grade 12 at Winston Preparatory School New Jersey in Whippany. Students have learning differences such as dyslexia, nonverbal learning disabilities and executive functioning difficulties associated with ADHD. Instruction focuses on skill remediation and is adjusted as students make progress. Each student has a daily 45-minute, one-to-one Focus session targeting their areas of greatest need. The Focus teacher coordinates with classroom teachers and families and provides weekly progress updates. We work on independence, self-awareness and self-advocacy alongside academic skills.

• School
• Dyslexia
• Learning differences
• ADHD