Top 5 Best Special Needs Schools in Reston, Virginia (2026)

Ideaventions Academy is an independent school in Reston, Virginia for gifted students in grades 1 through 12. It began in 2010 as an out-of-school science and engineering program and opened as a full-time school in 2015. Admission is holistic but the school typically enrolls students scoring around the 98th percentile on IQ testing. Classes are intentionally small, with no more than 8 students per grade in grades 1 through 3 and generally 10 per grade in grades 4 through 12. Teachers are subject specialists, two thirds hold at least a master's degree and 25 percent hold PhDs. The program emphasizes math and science alongside reading, writing, and theatre, and includes lab work, research, four post-AP math classes, and student-run clubs, sports, and field trips. The school states directly that it is not a therapeutic or special education program and has no certified special education teachers on staff. It may be able to accommodate some mild learning differences depending on the student body and the specific needs of the child, and asks that any known or suspected learning or emotional differences be disclosed during admissions. Ideaventions Academy is accredited by Cognia.

The Academy of Christian Education (ACE) is a private Christian school in Reston, VA, established in 1996, serving preschool through eighth grade with a Biblical worldview and an accelerated academic program. Classes run at a 1:16 or better teacher-to-student ratio, and graduates frequently place into advanced high school coursework and top DMV high schools. ACE has an open enrollment policy and offers before-care, after-care, and summer programs.

Reston Montessori School, established in 1986, is a private Montessori school in Reston, Virginia serving children from infancy through sixth grade. The school welcomes children of all races, religions, and national origins and follows the Montessori method across its programs, beginning with The Nido infant program (ages 3 to 18 months), then Pre-Primary and Primary programs for toddlers and preschoolers, and Lower and Upper Elementary levels. The elementary curriculum emphasizes practical life skills alongside language, math, science, geography, and art. For students who have been tested for a language-based reading disability or dyslexia, the school offers optional on-site academic therapy for an additional fee, provided by its founder, a certified academic therapist. Small class sizes allow for individualized attention, and the school maintains strong family partnerships and community events such as Peace Day.

​​​NOVA Speech and Language Therapy offers individual therapy in the areas of speech sound productions, receptive language, and expressive language. An evaluation is completed in order to get a comprehensive look your child's strengths and areas of concern. Following the evaluation a treatment plan with goals is developed. Sessions include 45 minutes of direct therapy and 10 minutes of review with the caregiver.

Rivermont School Sterling in Reston is a VAISEF-accredited day school serving students ages 5 through 22 with autism, intellectual disability, emotional disability, multiple disabilities, developmental delay, other health impairments, and traumatic brain injury. Located in Reston (Fairfax County) with a Loudoun County service area focus, the school provides intensive special education through IEP placements in Northern Virginia.