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

Minnick School Roanoke is a VAISEF-accredited day school operated by Encircle in Roanoke County, serving students ages 5 through 22 with autism, intellectual disability, emotional disability, developmental delay, multiple disabilities, and traumatic brain injury. Part of the statewide Minnick Schools network. Students are placed through their home school district IEP processes in the Roanoke Valley.

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

Located at 1314 Riverland Rd. in Roanoke, Rivermont School Roanoke Southeast is a Virginia private day school accredited by Cognia and VAISEF for K-12 students with autism and emotional disabilities. This campus serves Autism, Developmental Delay, Emotional Disability, Intellectual Disability, Multiple Disabilities, Other Health Impairment, Specific Learning Disability, Speech or Language Impairment, and Traumatic Brain Injury. Available on this campus: Pre-k programming and classroom for students 2 - 5, Licensed BCBAs and BCaBAs, Special Education Adapted and General Curriculum, Sensory Room, Life Skills Apartment, and Gymnasium. Phone: 540-759-7734. Across the Rivermont network, every campus is licensed by the Virginia Department of Education and accredited by both Cognia and VAISEF. Rivermont's day-school model blends individualized academics with applied behavior analysis, counseling, and a campus-specific mix of life-skills and vocational programming.

• High school
• Autism
• Developmental delays
• Emotional Disability

Operating in Roanoke, Rivermont School Roanoke Southwest combines K-12 academics with on-site Individual and group counseling services provided by licensed LCSW and LMFT, Career Readiness and Transition services, and Schoolwide Positive Behavior Interventions and Supports for students with autism and emotional disabilities. Populations served on this campus span Autism, Developmental Delay, Emotional Disability, Intellectual Disability, Multiple Disabilities, Other Health Impairment, Specific Learning Disability, Speech or Language Impairment, and Traumatic Brain Injury. Available on this campus: Individual and group counseling services provided by licensed LCSW and LMFT, Career Readiness and Transition services, Schoolwide Positive Behavior Interventions and Supports, Multi-tiered system of supports throughout the school, and Social and Emotional Learning curriculum. Direct line for the campus: 540.904.0975. The campus is led by Principal Emily Scott. Rivermont Schools is a Virginia network of private day schools accredited by Cognia and VAISEF and licensed by the Virginia Department of Education.

• Special education school
• Autism
• Developmental delays
• Emotional Disability

The Virginia Institute of Autism Roanoke campus is a VAISEF-accredited day school serving students ages 2 through 22 with autism, intellectual disability, multiple disabilities, other health impairments, and specific learning disabilities. The school delivers evidence-based Applied Behavior Analysis programming in the Roanoke Valley. A sister campus provides adolescent and adult services at a separate Roanoke location. Students are placed through IEP processes.

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

The Virginia Institute of Autism Roanoke Center for Adolescents and Adults Services is a VAISEF-accredited day school serving students ages 14 through 22 with autism, intellectual disability, multiple disabilities, other health impairments, and specific learning disabilities. The campus provides transition-focused programming targeting employment readiness, community integration, and independent living in Southwest Virginia. Part of the Virginia Institute of Autism network.

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