Top 4 Best Special Needs Schools in Newport News, Virginia (2026)

We provide personalized academic and behavioral education for special education and at-risk students in Newport News. Educators, clinical workers and support staff work together on students’ learning goals, with attention to academic, social and cultural development. Our school partners with districts to provide education and mental health services. We help students develop skills and behaviors that can support a return to their home school when appropriate. East End Academy began in 1996.

• Private special education school
• Autism
• emotional disabilities
• Intellectual disability

Newport News Public Schools offers the PEEP Program, a specialized educational initiative designed to support children with developmental delays and disabilities. The core mission of the PEEP Program is to provide a nurturing and inclusive environment where students can thrive academically and socially, ensuring that each child receives the individualized attention they need to succeed. The PEEP Program features a range of tailored services and therapeutic methodologies, including Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA), speech and language therapy, and occupational therapy. Students benefit from individualized education plans (IEPs) that address their unique learning needs. The program also incorporates social skills groups to enhance peer interactions and communication abilities, fostering a sense of community among students. What sets the PEEP Program apart is its commitment to maintaining low student-teacher ratios, allowing for personalized instruction and support. The program is housed in a welcoming campus environment equipped with specialized technology to aid learning. Additionally, the PEEP Program offers vocational training opportunities and summer programs, promoting community integration and preparing students for future success.

• Special education school
• Developmental delays
• Disabilities
• Preschool Early Education Program

Newport Academy is a regional public separate day school for students with emotional disabilities, operated since 1980 by New Horizons Regional Education Center in Newport News, Virginia. It provides a highly structured and supportive educational setting for students whose needs cannot be met in their home school division. Admission is not open enrollment. Students must be found eligible for special education services under the emotional disability category and be referred through the IEP process by one of six member divisions: Gloucester County, Hampton, Newport News, Poquoson, Williamsburg-James City County and York County. The IEP team must first document that it considered a continuum of less restrictive placements. Divisions also use Newport Academy as a step-down placement from residential or more restrictive settings, with the goal of returning students to their local schools. Individualized education plans address the Virginia Standards of Learning and Aligned Standards of Learning, communication and language skills, functional academics, life skills, positive behavior supports, leisure and play skills, and social skills development. Related services include speech therapy, occupational therapy, recreational therapy, psychological consultation, counseling and career education. The high school curriculum awards credits toward a standard or Applied Studies diploma, with credit recovery available.

• Public separate day school (regional special education placement) for students with emotional disabilities
• Emotional disability (IDEA eligibility category)
• High school

The Peninsula School at The Faison Center teaches students ages five through twenty-two with autism and related developmental challenges at its Newport News campus. School programs group learners by age, ability, and educational goals. Lower, Middle, and Upper School students work on communication, academics, and self-help skills; older students can focus on daily living, community access, and vocational preparation through the Life Skills and Employment Academy programs. Independent learner programs serve students who study at or near grade level. The schools are licensed by the Virginia Department of Education and accredited by VAISEF. Families can begin with an application and arrange a tour through the admissions office.

• Private special education school
• Autism
• related developmental disabilities
• ABA support