If your son or daughter is on the autism spectrum — or you think they might be — these are the best schools, evaluators, and specialists in the DMV. Real names, real places, honest notes. So you can stop searching and start moving.
A formal evaluation is the key that unlocks everything — school services, therapy, and a real plan. These are the most respected places in the DMV to get one. Private evaluations are the most thorough but cost money and have waitlists; the hospital and virtual options take insurance.
These specialized schools are built for children on the spectrum — small classes, real expertise, therapy woven into the day. Most can be funded by your school district when the public placement isn't working (worth $40,000–$100,000+ a year — and exactly what we help families win).
We track 29+ autism-serving schools across the DMV. The right fit depends on your child's age, verbal ability, and support level — our free matcher narrows it in two minutes, and we help you get the right one funded.
A private evaluation can cost thousands — but you have free and low-cost options, and you should never let money stop you from getting answers.
Start here if a $4,000 private eval isn't possible right now:
The free options here aren't the leftovers. Your public school's evaluation is done by the same kind of licensed psychologists and specialists who work in private practice — and by law it has to be comprehensive. University clinics are supervised by senior faculty using the exact same gold-standard tests as the $5,000 private evaluators. Being honest: a highly-paid private evaluator will often spend more one-on-one time with your child and write a longer, more detailed report — and sometimes that extra depth matters. But more time and a thicker report don't necessarily mean a different answer. The core testing is the same, and money should never decide whether your child gets help — in the DMV, it doesn't have to.
Tell us your situation on a free call and we'll point you to the right free option for your family — no pressure, no cost.
Once you have a diagnosis, the next step is getting the school to actually provide what your child needs — and getting the right placement funded. That's where an advocate comes in.
For cases that head to a formal hearing, you may want a special-education attorney (e.g., Michael J. Eig & Associates is the region's best-known parent-side firm). We'll tell you if you've reached that point and connect you.
That's okay — most parents aren't. Tell us about your child in your own words and we'll guide you to the right next step. Free, no pressure.
Tell us about your child →