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

Compare 5 special needs schools in Virginia Beach. Explore the ranked list and find a program that feels right for your child.

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School listings in Virginia Beach

Students collaborate around a classroom table at Chesapeake Bay Academy.
3

Chesapeake Bay Academy

Listed
Virginia Beach, VAGrades K-122026-2027: Lower School (1-5) $29,400; Middle School (6-8) $30,200; Upper School (9-12) $32,000. $500 enrollment fee. Need-based tuition assistance available (FACTS Grant & Aid).

In Virginia Beach, Chesapeake Bay Academy serves grades 1–12 students with dyslexia, dysgraphia, dyscalculia, ADD/ADHD, twice-exceptional learning profiles, language-based learning difficulties, auditory-processing deficits, fine-motor dysfunction, developmental delays, Level 1 autism, or other health impairments. Small classes, personalized instruction, and a multisensory, project-based curriculum shape learning. CBA does not provide therapy or accept students with emotional or behavioral disorders or intellectual disabilities.

  • Special education school
  • Dyslexia
  • dysgraphia
  • dyscalculia
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Maverick Learning Center students and staff posing outdoors on campus lawn.
4

Maverick Learning Center for Autistic Children

Listed
Virginia Beach, VAGrades K-8

Maverick Learning Center is a specialized educational institution dedicated to serving students in grades 1-8 who are diagnosed with autism or experience developmental delays. The school's core mission revolves around creating a safe and nurturing environment that fosters self-esteem and confidence while delivering personalized educational experiences tailored to each child's unique needs. At Maverick Learning Center, the approach to learning is characterized by a one-of-a-kind curriculum focused on literacy and math, allowing students to progress at their own pace based on mastery instead of age. The dedicated faculty, who are experts in special education, bring compassion and enthusiasm into the classroom, ensuring that every lesson is engaging and supportive. The sensory-friendly classrooms are specifically designed to enhance the learning experience for neurodivergent students, promoting comfort and focus. What truly sets Maverick Learning Center apart is its commitment to building strong family partnerships and creating a sense of community among families, making it not just an educational facility but a supportive haven for both students and their guardians.

  • Education center
  • Autism
  • Developmental delays
  • Private school
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Nearby school options

Compare special-needs schools near Virginia Beach

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

Special-needs schools in Chesapeake Compare 3 programs about 13 miles away. Special-needs schools in Hampton Compare 4 programs about 24 miles away. Special-needs schools in Newport News Compare 4 programs about 33 miles away.
Browse all special-needs schools in Virginia →

Planning guides

Plan your next school conversation in Virginia Beach

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

Virginia special education guide

How evaluations, IEPs, and private placement work in Virginia public schools.

Virginia FIS Waiver guide

Check FIS Waiver eligibility, the priority-based waitlist, and CSB application steps before contacting schools.

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.

Also Looking for ABA Therapy?

Find ABA therapy centers in Virginia Beach, Virginia. Many families use both specialized schools and therapy services to support their child's development.

Find ABA Therapy Centers in Virginia Beach →

Comparing school options in Virginia Beach

Virginia Beach City Public Schools (VBCPS) runs special education from referral through placement, and the process has fixed clocks. Once a parent, teacher, physician or other interested person makes a referral, a school-based team has 10 administrative working days to decide whether a full evaluation is needed. After that, IEPs are reviewed every year and eligibility every three years. Younger children start at the VBCPS Preschool Assessment Center, which screens, tests and plans programs for children ages 2 to 5.

Families usually weigh three paths. A child can be served in a VBCPS school under an IEP, placed by the IEP team in a private day school at public cost, or enrolled privately by the family. Virginia's tax-credit scholarship program helps with private tuition.

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Frequently Asked Questions About Special Needs Schools in Virginia Beach

How do Virginia Beach families find autism-focused schools?
In VBCPS the setting follows the evaluation, so the referral comes first. Once an IEP exists, the IEP team chooses the setting, which can be a VBCPS class or a private day school at public cost. Families picking a private autism school on their own should compare ABA training, ratios and on-site speech and OT. For therapy, see Virginia Beach ABA providers.
How do I get dyslexia or ADHD support in Virginia Beach?
A diagnosis alone does not create an IEP, so ask VBCPS for an evaluation. You sit on the committee that picks the assessments, so ask for reading measures of decoding and fluency. When comparing schools, ask which structured literacy method each uses, how many minutes of small-group reading your child would get, and whether ADHD supports come through an IEP or a 504 plan.
Who pays tuition if a Virginia Beach child leaves a VBCPS school?
That depends on who makes the choice. When the VBCPS IEP team places a child in a private day school, the Children's Services Act funds tuition. When the family picks a private school, the family pays, and the child has no individual right to the full IEP. Charter schools are public, so students there keep every IEP right.
Is there a 2026-27 scholarship for Virginia Beach students with disabilities?
Look at the Education Improvement Scholarships Tax Credits program; the first step is contacting a participating private school. Nonprofit foundations approved by the Virginia Department of Education award the scholarships. With an IEP, the income limit rises to 400 percent of federal poverty guidelines, and the student does not need to meet the public school attendance rule that applies to other applicants.
What should I ask on a Virginia Beach school visit?
Start with progress: VBCPS reviews each IEP every year and eligibility every three years, so ask how often the school reports on goals in between. Then ask about teacher certifications, class size and adult-to-student ratio, which therapies happen on site, and how staff handle behavior and crisis. A private school should explain how it would use your child's current IEP.
How long does a VBCPS evaluation take?
After a referral, the school team has 10 administrative days to meet. If it orders an evaluation, eligibility must be decided within 65 administrative days of the evaluation referral, and the first IEP meeting follows within 30 calendar days. You sit on the committee that picks the assessments, and every evaluation includes an observation.
Where does a Virginia Beach family refer a preschooler?
Contact the VBCPS Preschool Assessment Center, which serves children ages 2 to 5 suspected of having a disability. Parents, doctors, case managers, teachers and speech pathologists can all refer. If the child is eligible, center staff work with the family and the serving school to write the IEP.
Can I get reimbursed if I move my child out of VBCPS to a private school?
Only if a hearing officer orders it in due process. You would need to show that VBCPS did not offer an appropriate program and that your private school is appropriate, though it need not be state approved. Protect that claim by telling the IEP team at the last meeting that you reject the placement and plan to enroll privately at public expense, or by giving VBCPS written notice 10 business days before you remove your child.

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