Chattanooga and southeast Tennessee — Hixson, East Ridge, Red Bank, Cleveland, plus north Georgia just over the line — have strong, credentialed help for kids with special needs, anchored by the nationally known Siskin Children's Institute and Erlanger Children's Hospital. This is Chattanooga's own yellow pages of the best, most relevant help — named experts and clinics where we can verify them, not just directories. It's ranked by real credentials (ABPP, BHCOE, CALT/Orton-Gillingham, COPAA, CCC-SLP, OTR-L, board-certification) — never by reviews or who pays. Tennessee has no Regional Center system, so your free front door is TEIS (Tennessee Early Intervention System) for birth–3 and your school district's evaluation for ages 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 →
Chattanooga's only independent K-12 school exclusively serving students with language-based learning differences such as dyslexia, dysgraphia, and ADHD. Dually accredited by the Southern Association of Independent Schools (SAIS) and Cognia.
Established PreK-12 independent school with a dedicated Exceptional Education department providing evaluation, intervention, accommodations, and individualized instruction for students with autism, dyslexia, and other learning needs.
Long-standing accredited Montessori school (ages 18 months-8th grade) with a structured Learning Difference Program offering individualized, multisensory instruction for students who learn differently.
Specialized school program serving students with autism spectrum disorder and developmental disabilities, with individualized academic and behavioral support, serving the greater Chattanooga/Cleveland area.
Beyond diagnosis, Siskin Children's Institute runs inclusive early-childhood education programs that blend typically-developing children with children who have disabilities, with embedded therapy — a specialized early-years setting unusual in its depth for the region.
The Chattanooga Autism Center is a local nonprofit offering occupational, physical, and speech therapy alongside autism support and family resources — a community hub for autistic children and their families in the region.
A searchable directory for comparing additional Chattanooga-area private and special-education school options by location, grades, and program.
Specialized private day school (part of Orange Grove Center, founded 1953) for children ages 6-22 with intellectual and developmental disabilities, including autism, who have a documented IDD diagnosis. On-site speech, occupational, and physical therapy, behavior-analyst (ABA) services, and behavioral support with certified staff and a 70-plus-year track record. Accepts Tennessee voucher/IEA funding.
Dedicated exceptional-education program inside a SAIS- and Cognia-accredited PK-12 independent school. The Learning Center provides individualized academic, therapeutic, and life-skills support for students grades 6 and up with more significant needs, plus inclusive learning support for students with learning differences across the school, delivered by certified staff. A credentialed mainstream-with-supports option for the region.
The public-school special-education system serving Chattanooga, with specialized placement programs centralized across learning communities: CALMM for students with significant social/emotional needs related to autism, IDS (Intensive Direct Service) self-contained classes, and the Amy Piazza Preschool Assessment Center for comprehensive developmental and autism diagnostic evaluations. Free, IEP-driven, with licensed special-education teachers and related-service providers. The no-cost public option every Chattanooga family is entitled to.
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 free public special-education system for the Chattanooga metro, providing IEPs, related services, and a continuum of placements from inclusion to specialized classes across all district schools. Programs and staffing change year to year.
The region's only subspecialized pediatric neurology team, screening and evaluating children for autism, seizures, sleep disorders, and genetic/metabolic conditions that affect development. Academic medical-center affiliation.
Clinic offering psychological and neuropsychological evaluations for children with neurodevelopmental delays, learning disorders, and ADHD, conducted by licensed psychologists.
ASHA-certified speech-language pathologists provide comprehensive evaluations for dyslexia, language processing, and reading difficulties, plus individualized intervention.
Siskin Children's Institute in Chattanooga evaluates children for autism, ADHD, and developmental delays with a multidisciplinary team — developmental pediatrics (including developmental-behavioral pediatrician Dr. Jenesis Yanez), psychology, speech, OT, and ABA — all under one roof. The region's premier evaluation home.
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 Chattanooga area, instead of trusting star ratings.
Siskin's Learning Disability Services provide evaluation and intervention for dyslexia and other learning disabilities in Chattanooga — a credentialed local option that pairs assessment with structured support. Ask which structured-literacy program they use for your child.
The Academy's directory lists accredited Orton-Gillingham practitioners across southeast Tennessee — searchable by area so you can find one near Chattanooga, Hixson, or Cleveland. The gold-standard credential 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.
Full-service autism center offering diagnostic assessments and BCBA-supervised ABA therapy alongside occupational and speech therapy for children ages 18 months-10 years.
Hospital-based pediatric speech-language, occupational, physical, feeding, and audiology therapy for children birth-21, with clinicians specifically trained in pediatrics and certified by national professional bodies.
Private pediatric practice specializing in occupational therapy, speech-language pathology, and clinical psychology, including school-embedded services in Chattanooga independent schools.
Nonprofit pediatric therapy provider offering accessible, affordable physical, occupational, speech, and feeding therapy delivered by licensed therapists.
Siskin Children's Institute provides speech-language therapy by ASHA-certified SLPs, occupational therapy, physical therapy, and ABA — with the rare advantage of therapists, teachers, and doctors collaborating in one place. Chattanooga's deepest pediatric therapy bench.
Candace Feltz, MA, CCC-SLP, founded and manages Feltz Therapy Services in the Chattanooga area, with a diverse team of occupational, physical, and speech therapists — a named, nationally certified clinician leading a multidisciplinary private practice.
The BHCOE directory lists accredited ABA providers across the Chattanooga area, ASHA ProFind lists CCC-SLP speech therapists, and AOTA lists OTR/L occupational therapists — searchable by zip so families in Hixson, East Ridge, or Cleveland find the nearest.
Dr. Jenesis Yanez is a developmental-behavioral pediatrician at Siskin Children's Institute, evaluating and helping manage autism, ADHD, and developmental conditions — a named specialist at the region's leading multidisciplinary children's center.
The American Academy of Pediatrics' directory helps you find board-certified developmental-behavioral pediatricians across the Chattanooga area — the credential to verify for a formal autism or ADHD diagnosis.
The Council of Parent Attorneys and Advocates' directory lists active, vetted special-education advocates and attorneys serving the Chattanooga area — the field's real professional standard.
TNSTEP's trained parent specialists help Tennessee families prepare for and understand IEP meetings at no cost — a respected, statewide free alternative to hiring a private advocate first.
Tennessee's protection & advocacy agency offers free legal information and advocacy for special-education rights — a no-cost first stop before hiring a private advocate or attorney.
The Speech & Hearing Center is a longstanding Chattanooga nonprofit providing speech-language and audiology services with a mission to serve families regardless of ability to pay — a trusted low-cost option for evaluation and therapy.
For children birth to 3, TEIS provides free developmental evaluations and early-intervention therapies — the earliest, no-barrier place to start in Tennessee.
Legal Aid of East Tennessee's Chattanooga office provides free civil legal help to income-eligible families — a no-cost route to legal assistance, including some education and benefits matters.
TNSTEP offers free workshops and one-on-one parent support across Tennessee — a rich free resource for families learning their rights and navigating the system.
TEIS provides free developmental evaluation and early-intervention services for Tennessee children birth to 3 with delays or disabilities. The earliest, no-barrier place to start in the Chattanooga area.
Tennessee's federally funded Parent Training and Information Center offers free help understanding your rights, the IEP/504 process, evaluations, and meetings — knowledgeable, statewide, and a great first call.
Tennessee's federally mandated protection & advocacy agency — free legal information and advocacy when a child's special-education rights are denied. A powerful free resource before you pay anyone.
Federally funded and free — they help Tennessee families understand their rights, the IEP/504 process, evaluations, and meetings. A great first call.
Tennessee'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 Chattanooga?
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 Chattanooga?
A New Story lists credential-vetted schools, evaluators, therapists, advocates, and the free public programs and parent centers in Tennessee — searchable by ZIP, and free forever.