Top 4 Best Special Needs Schools in Kinston, North Carolina (2026)

We serve students from kindergarten through eighth grade at Contentnea-Savannah. Our school is a North Carolina STEM School of Distinction, with opportunities to explore science, technology, engineering and math through hands-on learning. In the middle grades, teachers work in interdisciplinary teams and use a flexible block schedule. Lenoir County Public Schools also provides an Exceptional Children’s program.

• Middle school
• Private school

Greene Lamp Head Start began in 1966 and serves 311 preschoolers, ages 3 and 4, from low-income families in Lenoir and Greene counties, with priority for four-year-olds. Our Contentnea site on Grainger Station Road in Kinston is one of several centers, and it also houses Early Head Start classes for children ages 1 to 3. Children attend a full-day, five-day program from August through May, with six-hour days. Classrooms follow the Creative Curriculum and mix teacher-led and child-chosen play aimed at kindergarten readiness goals. Our centers hold 5-star ratings. Children with special needs learn in the same classrooms as their peers with their IEP goals supported, and at least 10% of our enrollment is reserved for children with disabilities. Head Start covers more than school: we provide transportation, meals and nutrition services, health and dental follow-up, mental health support and case management for the whole family. The program is free for eligible families and funded through the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services and USDA. Applications are available in English and Spanish. Greene Lamp has run community action programs in eastern North Carolina since 1965.

• Head Start preschool center
• Children with disabilities (IEP)
• Inclusion classrooms
• Kindergarten readiness

A group of Kinston residents came together in January 2018 to found a Christ-centered school for the city's under-resourced children, and Hope Preparatory School opened in 2019 with kindergarten through 2nd grade. We add a grade each year and serve kindergarten through 9th grade in fall 2026. Classes hold about 10 to 15 students, and we meet at First Baptist Church on Rouse Road. Our classical Christian curriculum starts with strong phonics, reading and writing, adds formal Latin in 3rd grade, and includes weekly Music, Art, P.E., Library Science, hands-on science and Character Education. Students begin each day with worship, Bible and prayer, memorize scripture every year, and give oral presentations in class. Tuition is need-based on a sliding scale, typically $50 to $500 per month, with full tuition valued at $6,500 a year. We accept North Carolina Opportunity Scholarships and offer internal scholarships. A daily after-school program adds tutoring, dance, music lessons, running club, math club, chess club and martial arts. We do not provide transportation, and parents take part in seven involvement events a year, including a teacher home visit.

• Private Christian school (K-9)
• Classical Christian education
• Latin instruction
• Small class sizes

Lenoir County Learning Academy in Kinston, North Carolina, is a specialized public alternative learning center in Lenoir County Public Schools providing individualized academic instruction, credit recovery, and behavioral support for middle and high school students in grades 6 through 12. Designed for students who benefit from smaller, highly structured classroom environments, the academy utilizes self-paced computerized mastery learning, direct teacher instruction, and comprehensive special education / 504 accommodations. Certified educators and student support specialists focus on credit acceleration, social-emotional mentorship, and career readiness to facilitate high school graduation and post-secondary success.

• School
• Non-Traditional & At-Risk Learners
• Credit Recovery & Acceleration
• Behavioral & Emotional Support