Top 10 Best Special Needs Schools in Lake Stevens, Washington (2026)

Home of the Colts, Cavelero Mid High School serves Lake Stevens School District students in grades 8 and 9. Our counseling center helps each student start a High School and Beyond Plan, choose courses and map the road to graduation, and students can also earn credit through the World Language Credit Program. Music is a big part of campus life. Our Wind Ensemble, Concert Band and two jazz bands perform at fall, winter and spring concerts and travel to events such as the Bellevue College Jazz Festival, the Norwegian Heritage Parade in Ballard and Music in the Parks. Athletes compete on 8th grade and 9th grade teams across fall, winter and spring seasons, with coaches, equipment and facilities provided by the school. Clubs meet after school, and an activity bus leaves campus Monday through Thursday afternoons so students can stay for them. We also have a school library, and an associate principal oversees special services for students with IEPs.

• Public mid-high school (grades 8 to 9)
• Band and jazz program
• Public school

Elim Christian Preschool begins its 27th year in fall 2026 as a non-denominational, nonprofit educational ministry of Elim Lutheran Church in Lake Stevens. We offer two classes: a 3-year-old class for children who turn 3 by August 31 and are fully potty trained, and a Pre-K class for children who turn 4 by August 31. Our curriculum rotates themes every two years, so children meet new material across both years with us. The 3s follow the same themes as the 4s with lighter emphasis on letters and numbers. To prepare for kindergarten we use Handwriting Without Tears for early writing, the David Matteson literacy framework used by the Lake Stevens School District, and Second Step for social-emotional learning. Faith is part of every week, with daily devotionals from the Song Story Curriculum and a monthly Bible Time led by the church's pastor. Our indoor and outdoor play areas include a large play structure, and we keep student-to-teacher ratios low. Families apply online through Brightwheel and pay a nonrefundable registration fee.

• Christian preschool
• Christian education
• Kindergarten readiness
• Private school

Glenwood Elementary School is a kindergarten through fifth grade school in Lake Stevens School District, located on 103rd Avenue SE in Lake Stevens, Washington. Our students learn in an inclusive school where we work to make sure each student is known and valued, and where growth is measured academically, socially and emotionally. Reading and writing instruction uses Core Knowledge Language Arts, with separate skills and knowledge units in kindergarten through second grade that blend into one pathway from third grade on. Science comes through Mystery Science units, and teachers deliver weekly Second Step lessons on growth mindset, goal setting and social skills. Families also have access to our school library, an active PTA, breakfast and lunch service and district bus routes. Glenwood is being rebuilt through the voter-approved 2025 school construction bond. During the 2027-28 school year our students will attend the district's new eighth elementary school while the new Glenwood is built on the current site, with an expected opening in 2028-29 for about 650 students.

• Public elementary school (K-5)
• Speech therapy
• Social-emotional learning
• Public school

Highland Elementary School is home of the Hornets, a Lake Stevens School District elementary serving kindergarten through 5th grade on 113th Avenue NE. Our staff of 77 includes classroom teachers, a librarian and media specialist, a counselor, a behavior support specialist, an MTSS specialist and paraeducators. Several of our classrooms are designated for the district's highly capable (HiCap) program, and our Structured Learning Center offers a special education classroom with its own teacher and paraeducators. Some students also work with one-on-one paraeducators, and English learners are supported in classrooms such as our ELL kindergarten. Students have PE and music, and our school library runs its own catalog for young readers. Kindergartners start a few days after the rest of the school so each family can first meet with their child's teacher. We serve breakfast and lunch, offer district bus routes, and keep families connected through the Highland BUZZ newsletter and events like our Apex fun day.

• Public elementary school (K-5)
• Gifted and talented
• Highly capable (HiCap) classrooms
• Structured Learning Center

HomeLink is a public school option in the Lake Stevens School District for families who teach their kindergarten through 8th grade children at home. We operate as an Alternative Learning Experience under OSPI rules, so enrolled students are public school students whose learning is supervised, monitored, and assessed by certificated teachers. Our on-site elective classes enrich and support the core subjects parents teach at home. Students can attend for as little as two courses per week, and each class assigns work that families help complete at home. Parents may drop off for class or stay and help in the classroom once they clear the district volunteer process. Every enrolled student meets with an advisor to finalize a Written Student Learning Plan before classes begin. Out-of-district families may enroll through a Choice Transfer when the district allows variances.

• Public parent partnership program (K-8)
• Homeschool partnership
• Public school

Mt. Pilchuck Elementary is a Lake Stevens School District school on 20th Street NE, and students and staff call our campus the Mountain. Our building houses a district preschool program alongside kindergarten and the elementary grades, and we work to help each child find the leader within, using academic and leadership skills to make a positive difference in the community. Our staff of more than 70 includes classroom teachers at each grade, a librarian who runs our school library, and a special education team with a speech-language pathologist, a physical therapist, a physical therapy assistant and paraeducators who provide one-to-one support. Students ride district bus routes, and we serve breakfast and lunch daily. Families take part through the Mt. Pilchuck PTA, and kindergarten families register through the district.

• Public elementary school with preschool
• Student leadership
• Public school

North Lake Middle School is home of the Bulldogs, one of the middle schools of the Lake Stevens School District, on 123rd Avenue NE in Lake Stevens. North Lake is a community of learners connected to each other and to the world. Our students carry district Chromebooks through a 1:1 program for daily classwork. Athletics are a big part of student life here. Bulldogs compete in football, cross country, wrestling, girls volleyball, girls and boys basketball, and track and field. Students can also join the Associated Student Body, a running club and other clubs and activities, and they produce the Bulldog Bark newsletter and video. Physical education runs through our Wellness classes, and families can order a yearbook and school spirit wear. Our Counseling Center supports students and families, and students with disabilities are served through the district's special services department, with IEP information available to families online. Breakfast and lunch are served at school, and district bus routes cover the school.

• Public middle school
• 1:1 Chromebooks
• Public school

Since 2018, our Forest School has run an entirely outdoor education program built on child-led learning and inquiry-based teaching. Classes meet outside in every kind of weather, and our Lake Stevens group gathers at Community Park. In Lake Stevens we offer two half-day, drop-off classes from September through June. Sprouts (ages 2.5 to 6) is our preschool and pre-K class, centered on play-based exploration, early literacy, motor skills and kindergarten readiness. Saplings (ages 4 to 7) adds group challenges, storytelling and STEM problem-solving for children ready for more. Each class follows a daily rhythm of welcome circle with songs and ASL, open exploration with tools like magnifying glasses and a mud kitchen, story and snack time, guided seasonal lessons in science, art, math and literacy, and a goodbye circle. Our approach draws on ideas from Waldorf, Montessori and Reggio Emilia. We also run family classes for ages 1.5 to 5 with a caregiver, school break camps, and summer programs, and we offer financial assistance.

• Outdoor forest preschool
• Forest school
• Outdoor education
• Inquiry-based learning

Sherwood Community Services was founded in 1957 by eight families who sought to prove that children with disabilities have both the right and the ability to learn. The organization serves Snohomish, Skagit, and Island counties, providing innovative and inclusive services to children and adults with disabilities in their local communities. Sherwood is dedicated to creating an inclusive society where individuals have the ability to live full, independent lives. The Early Supports program provides comprehensive therapy and education for infants and toddlers from birth to age three who have developmental disabilities or medical conditions placing them at risk for delays. Services include developmental screening and evaluation, speech therapy, occupational therapy, physical therapy, and infant mental health counseling. The program is designed to meet children in their natural environments, including their homes, daycares, or other community settings, to help them reach their developmental milestones. Instruction at Sherwood is grounded in a parent coaching model, which encourages family involvement and equips caregivers with the tools to continue support between therapy sessions. The staff includes certified therapists and educators who have received specialized training, such as the Center of Excellence training for Autism Spectrum Disorder. This team-based approach ensures that every child receives individualized support tailored to their specific needs and goals. Sherwood also offers specialized programs like CHERISH™, which provides targeted support for children in the child welfare system. The organization integrates assistive technology through a lending library, allowing therapists to incorporate adaptive devices into sessions to break down barriers to independence. Families are assigned a Family Resource Coordinator who guides them through the process, from initial evaluation to transitioning into school district services at age three. Admissions for Early Supports do not require a doctor's referral, and the initial eligibility evaluation is provided at no cost to families. Sherwood strives to remove financial barriers to accessing services, working with insurance providers and utilizing community investments to ensure all children receive the care they need. The organization continues to be a recognized leader in the community, advocating for policies and funding that promote inclusion and accessibility for all.

• Early intervention and child development services
• Developmental disabilities
• Autism
• Medical conditions at risk for delays

Stevens Creek Elementary in Lake Stevens hosts classrooms of the Lake Stevens School District's Structured Learning Center (SLC). The SLC supports students with diagnosed or suspected autism spectrum disorder in their academic, social, emotional, adaptive and communication needs in a self-contained setting. The district program began in 1999 at Skyline Elementary and now reaches preschool through 12th grade. Many SLC students spend part or most of the day in general education classrooms, with or without paraeducator support, while others spend most of the day in the SLC classroom and join peers for recess, lunch and House Time. Our teachers use engaging methods to build curious, inquisitive learners, and each fall we welcome a new class of kindergarteners, our Kinder Cubs.

• Public elementary school
• Autism
• Public school