The Augusta metro straddles the Savannah River — Augusta and Richmond County, Columbia County (Evans, Martinez, Grovetown) on the Georgia side, and North Augusta and Aiken in South Carolina — and it has strong, credentialed help for kids with special needs, anchored by the Children's Hospital of Georgia at Augusta University. Your local districts — Richmond County School System and Columbia County School District in Georgia, plus Aiken County Public Schools in South Carolina — each run a special-education department. This is Augusta's own yellow pages of the best, most relevant help — named experts and clinics where we can verify them, ranked by real credentials (ABPP, BHCOE, Orton-Gillingham, COPAA, CCC-SLP, OTR-L, board-certification), never by reviews or who pays. On the Georgia side, your free front door is Babies Can't Wait (early intervention, birth–3) and your school district's evaluation and IEP for ages 3+ (Georgia evaluates within 60 days of consent); South Carolina families across the river use BabyNet for birth–3. Start there, then the best evaluators, schools, reading specialists, therapists, doctors, and advocates near you.
✓ Every provider here is vetted by credentials, never pay-to-play. How we choose →
A PreK3-through-high-school school exclusively for students with disabilities, with classes capped at 10, individualized learning plans, certified special-education teachers, and on-site OT, PT and speech therapy. Located in historic downtown Augusta.
SOAR Academy serves grades 1–12 with a personalized, project-based approach for students facing ADHD, dyslexia, autism, and academic gaps — small, customized instruction for kids who learn differently in the Augusta area.
Gracepoint School in Augusta is built for students with dyslexia and language-based learning differences, using evidence-based structured-literacy instruction — a specialized local placement for bright students who learn differently.
Savannah River Academy in Grovetown offers a dedicated dyslexia program using the Orton-Gillingham approach within a private school setting — an evidence-based option for Columbia County-area students with dyslexia.
A searchable directory for comparing Augusta-area (GA and SC) private and special-education school options by location, grades, and program — useful if you're seeking a specialized placement.
One of Georgia's 24 state-funded GNETS programs, run through Richmond County, providing intensive educational and therapeutic support for students with significant emotional/behavioral disabilities who would otherwise need a more restrictive placement.
The Augusta-area public district's special-education department, providing the full continuum of IEP-driven services and placements (resource, self-contained, autism and related supports) across its schools under IDEA.
These public schools and programs have a solid track record in special education — but we don’t re-check them every year. Staff, leadership, and programs change from building to building and year to year. Treat this as a strong starting point, and confirm the current fit for your child.
The regional Georgia Network for Educational and Therapeutic Support program serving Augusta-area public-school students with intensive emotional/behavioral needs, providing therapeutic instruction and PBIS supports at no cost. Programs change year to year; confirm current eligibility with your district.
The Evans/Columbia County public district provides IEP-driven special-education, autism and learning-support services across its schools, including a strong suburban suite of programs. Free; offerings change year to year.
NeuroBehavioral Associates provides comprehensive neuropsychological evaluations for children (ages 2+), teens, and adults — ADHD, autism, and learning-disorder testing among them. Executive Clinical Director Dr. Jeremy B. Hertza is board-certified in neuropsychology and an associate professor at Augusta University.
The Division of Developmental-Behavioral Pediatrics at the Medical College of Georgia / Children's Hospital of Georgia evaluates infants, children, and adolescents for autism, intellectual disability, learning disabilities, and other neurodevelopmental conditions — the region's premier academic diagnostic home.
Directed by Morris J. Cohen, EdD, Augusta University's Pediatric Neuropsychology Service evaluates children's neuropsychological functioning to aid diagnosis and identify neurodevelopmental disorders — rigorous, school-ready assessments at the academic medical center (706-721-0267).
The American Board of Professional Psychology's directory lists clinicians who passed board certification in clinical neuropsychology — the credential to verify in any private evaluator across the Augusta area, instead of trusting star ratings.
The International Dyslexia Association's Georgia branch lists vetted structured-literacy providers and Orton-Gillingham tutors serving the Augusta area — a reliable way to find evidence-based dyslexia help and avoid unproven methods.
The Academy of Orton-Gillingham and the Academic Language Therapy Association list accredited O-G practitioners and CALTs across the Augusta area — searchable near Augusta, Evans, Martinez, or Aiken. The gold-standard credentials for a private dyslexia tutor.
A huge audiobook/highlighting library — free for students with a qualifying reading disability, so your child keeps up with grade-level books while they learn to decode.
Surpass Behavioral Health's Martinez clinic offers clinic-based, in-home, and school-based ABA plus free STAT autism screenings, with RBTs supervised by BCBAs — a BHCOE-accredited provider serving the Augusta/Columbia County area.
Fusion Autism Center provides center-based and in-home ABA in Augusta delivered by board-certified behavior analysts (BCBAs) and registered behavior technicians (RBTs), with a focus on early intensive behavioral intervention for children with autism.
Better Days Therapies provides child-led, play-based pediatric speech and feeding, occupational, and physical therapy serving families across the CSRA, with licensed occupational therapists (OTR/L) and speech-language pathologists.
Pediatric Therapy of Evans offers physical, occupational, and speech therapy for infants, children, and adolescents, with ASHA-certified (CCC-SLP) speech-language pathologists on staff — a Columbia County clinic for a diverse pediatric population.
ABLE Kids provides applied behavior analysis for children with autism (ages 2–6, early intensive) plus occupational and speech therapy across Augusta, Evans, Martinez, and Grovetown — a coordinated, multi-location option with BCBA-led teams. Confirm BHCOE accreditation for the specific center.
Apparo Academy provides pediatric speech-language and occupational therapy in Augusta — notably the area's clinic offering aquatic therapy — with licensed and nationally certified (CCC-SLP, OTR/L) clinicians.
Fusion Autism Center provides ABA treatment in Augusta with a focus on early intensive behavioral intervention, verbal behavior, and social skills for children with autism — BCBA-supervised programming.
The BHCOE directory lists accredited ABA providers across the Augusta area, ASHA ProFind lists CCC-SLP speech therapists, and AOTA lists OTR/L occupational therapists — searchable by zip so families in Evans, Martinez, North Augusta, or Aiken find the nearest.
Dr. Karen Carter, board-certified in developmental medicine with 25+ years of experience, founded Augusta Developmental Specialists in 2009 (after years at MCG) — offering developmental assessment, autism diagnostic evaluation, follow-up care, and care coordination for children with developmental disabilities (706-396-0600).
The Children's Hospital of Georgia's developmental-behavioral pediatricians diagnose and help manage autism, ADHD, intellectual disability, and complex developmental conditions — the region's premier academic developmental-medicine team.
The American Academy of Pediatrics' directory helps you find board-certified developmental-behavioral pediatricians across the Augusta area — the credential to verify for a formal autism or ADHD diagnosis.
Debbie Dobbs is an independent Georgia special-education advocate who attends IEP, eligibility, and 504 meetings, reviews records, and also assists with Katie Beckett Medicaid Waiver applications — serving families statewide, including the Augusta area, by appointment (800-378-3142).
The Hull Firm, led by attorney Nicole Hull, practices special-education law for Georgia families — IEP advocacy, due-process hearings, and student-discipline defense — with a free discovery call. Athens-based and serving families statewide by appointment, including the Augusta/CSRA region (706-388-5330).
The Council of Parent Attorneys and Advocates' directory lists active, vetted special-education advocates and attorneys serving the Augusta area (GA and SC) — the field's real professional standard.
Parent to Parent of Georgia is Georgia's federally funded Parent Training and Information Center — free help understanding your rights, evaluations, and the IEP process, with trained parent specialists. A respected statewide free resource before hiring a private advocate.
The Georgia Advocacy Office (GA) and Disability Rights South Carolina (SC) offer free legal information and advocacy for special-education rights on each side of the river — a no-cost first stop before hiring a private advocate or attorney.
Augusta University's University Speech & Hearing Center provides low-cost evaluation and therapy for children with communication disorders, delivered by supervised graduate clinicians — a strong-value option for ongoing speech-language services.
The Georgia Legal Services Program provides free civil legal help to income-eligible families in the Augusta area — a no-cost route to legal assistance, including some education and benefits matters (SC families: South Carolina Legal Services).
For families on the South Carolina side (North Augusta, Aiken), Family Connection of South Carolina is the state's Parent Training and Information Center — free, parent-to-parent help understanding rights, evaluations, and the IEP process.
For Georgia children birth to 3, Babies Can't Wait provides free developmental evaluations and early-intervention therapies — the earliest, no-barrier place to start in the Augusta area (SC side: BabyNet).
For Georgia children birth to 3 with a delay or disability, Babies Can't Wait provides free evaluation and early-intervention services (speech, OT, PT, developmental) — the Richmond County referral point is at the health department on North Leg Road. Families on the South Carolina side (North Augusta, Aiken) use SC's BabyNet program. The earliest, no-barrier place to start.
At age 3, request a special-education evaluation in writing from your district — Richmond County School System or Columbia County School District in Georgia, or Aiken County Public Schools in South Carolina. Georgia completes the evaluation within 60 days of consent. This is the free legal route to an IEP and services under IDEA.
The Georgia Advocacy Office is Georgia's federally mandated protection & advocacy agency — free legal information and advocacy when a child's special-education rights are denied. South Carolina families use Disability Rights South Carolina. A powerful free resource before you pay anyone.
Federally funded and free — they help Georgia families understand their rights, the IEP/504 process, evaluations, and meetings. A great first call.
Georgia's protection & advocacy agency — free legal-rights information and help if your child's rights are being denied.
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How do I start the special-education process in Augusta?
Put your request in writing to your child's school, asking for a full special-education evaluation — that is the legal first step. On A New Story you'll find a free, ready-to-send evaluation-request letter you can use today.
How long does a special-education evaluation take?
Once you give written consent, the school generally must complete the evaluation and hold an eligibility meeting within a set timeline (often around 60 days, though it varies by state). Putting your request in writing starts the clock.
Can my school district pay for a private special-education school?
Sometimes. If the public school can't provide an appropriate education, the district can be required to fund a state-approved nonpublic placement. It isn't automatic — it takes the right evaluation and advocacy — but families do it every year, including ones with limited funds.
What's the difference between an IEP and a 504 plan?
An IEP provides specialized instruction and services under IDEA; a 504 plan provides accommodations under civil-rights law. A New Story's free guides walk you through which one fits your child.
Where can I find free special-education help in Augusta?
A New Story lists credential-vetted schools, evaluators, therapists, advocates, and the free public programs and parent centers in Georgia — searchable by ZIP, and free forever.