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Best Special Needs Schools in Waco, Texas (2026)

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

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School listings in Waco

Photo from Dyslexia Training and Evaluation Center of Waco
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Dyslexia Training and Evaluation Center of Waco

Listed
Waco, TXGrades K-8

Dyslexia Training and Evaluation Center of Waco provides dyslexia therapy, educational evaluation, and therapist training from its Lake Air Drive location in Waco. Jennifer Halvorsen, M.Ed., is a Licensed Dyslexia Therapist, a Certified Academic Language Therapist and Qualified Instructor, and a certified Educational Diagnostician who has worked in dyslexia and special education since 2001. Instruction uses curricula written at the Luke Waites Center for Dyslexia and Learning Disorders at Scottish Rite for Children: Take Flight for comprehensive intervention, BUILD for K-1 students at risk, Turbo Start for students identified off cycle, Rite Flight for reading fluency and comprehension, and Write Idea for dysgraphia and written expression. Groups are capped at six students, and DTEC also runs Certified Academic Language Therapist training cohorts for teachers.

  • Education center
  • Dyslexia
  • dysgraphia
  • Private school
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2

Midway Special Education

Listed
Waco, TXGrades PreK-12

Midway Independent School District (ISD) stands as a beacon of educational excellence in Central Texas, dedicated to serving students from Pre-Kindergarten through 12th grade, including those with special needs such as language-based learning disabilities and twice-exceptional learners. The district's core mission is to cultivate a learner-centered environment that not only engages but also challenges every student to reach their full potential. Midway ISD employs innovative programs and therapeutic methodologies designed to support diverse learning styles, ensuring that all students have access to an enriching educational experience. What sets Midway ISD apart is its commitment to maintaining a low student-teacher ratio, fostering strong partnerships with families, and providing specialized facilities tailored to meet the unique needs of its students. The district is also recognized for its award-winning fine arts programs and distinctive career and technical education offerings, all supported by advanced technology and a robust professional development partnership with Baylor University. These elements contribute to an inclusive community where every child can thrive academically, socially, and emotionally, making Midway ISD a highly sought-after choice for families in McLennan County.

  • School
  • Learning differences
  • Twice-exceptional
  • Public school
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Nearby school options

Compare special-needs schools near Waco

Families often compare nearby cities when commute, availability, services, or age fit differ.

Special-needs schools in Temple Compare 5 programs about 35 miles away. Special-needs schools in Gatesville Compare 4 programs about 38 miles away. Special-needs schools in Georgetown Compare 4 programs about 70 miles away.
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Planning guides

Plan your next school conversation in Waco

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

Texas Education Freedom Accounts guide

How TEFA works for students with disabilities, approved expenses, and preparing for the next application window.

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.

Comparing school options in Waco

Waco ISD plans every special education program from the neighborhood campus outward, and the district reports that a high share of students receiving services attend their home campus. Child Find covers referrals from birth through age 21, including students in private school or homeschool. For Waco families, the Full and Individual Evaluation and the ARD committee decide the classroom, services and supports.

Waco ISD lists Early Childhood Special Education for ages 3 to 5, inclusion, resource support, and three centralized programs: SAIL for students near grade level with social and adaptive barriers, Aspire for documented intellectual disabilities, and Achieve for students needing alternate curriculum in small groups. McLennan County also has other districts and charter schools, so your address and your child's evaluation decide which door to knock on first. The answers below follow the searches Waco families make: autism schools near me, private schools, and dysgraphia.

Local resources checked .

Frequently Asked Questions About Special Needs Schools in Waco

Which Waco ISD classroom fits an autistic student?
Waco ISD describes its SAIL classrooms by need: students at or slightly below grade level whose main barriers are social, interpersonal and adaptive behavior, with direct teaching in social skills, self-regulation and functional communication. Texas also requires the ARD committee to consider strategies for autistic students each year, such as positive behavior support and parent training.
Can Waco ISD help with dyslexia or dysgraphia?
Yes. Texas law screens for dyslexia and related disorders, and its definition of related disorders names developmental dysgraphia. Waco ISD says intervention systems cannot be used to delay or deny an evaluation when a specific learning disability such as dyslexia is suspected. A private school sets its own approach, so ask how it teaches writing and reading and who delivers it.
How do public, charter and private options compare in Waco?
Waco ISD and the public charter schools in McLennan County provide IEP services free. A private school sets its own tuition and is not bound by an IEP. When you place a child there yourself, the district where the school sits offers equitable services, which are narrower than an IEP. Ask for what the private school will provide in writing.
Can a Waco family use a Texas Education Freedom Account in 2026-27?
Waco families can look at the state's Education Freedom Accounts, created by Senate Bill 2 and run by the Comptroller. They pay private school or homeschool costs. In 2026-27 applicants who have a disability and a household income at or below 500% of the federal poverty level came first; if you missed that cycle, join the 2027-28 interest list. See the TEFA guide.
What do Waco families ask on a school tour?
Start with the teacher: certification, training in your child's need, and years in the classroom. Then ask about group size, aides, and where speech, OT or counseling happens. Close with behavior: the written plan, how staff de-escalate, and when parents are told about an incident.
How fast does Waco ISD move on an evaluation request?
Ask in writing through your campus or the Child Find office. Waco ISD provides the chance to give consent by the 15th school day after a written request, and completes the evaluation and report within 45 school days after you consent. An evaluation the district recommends costs the family nothing. See our evaluation request guide.
What does Waco ISD offer preschoolers with delays?
Children ages 3 to 5 with an identified disability receive services in the ECSE classroom. A child who also qualifies for Pre-Kindergarten can attend the Pre-K classroom with or without special education support. Child Find accepts referrals from birth, so a toddler's concerns can start the conversation before age three.
Which district serves my Waco address?
McLennan County includes Waco ISD plus districts such as Midway, Connally, La Vega, Robinson and China Spring. Waco ISD's responsibility follows its jurisdiction, so confirm your address first. Education Service Center Region 12, based in Waco, offers autism professional development for educators and a loan library of assistive technology devices.

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