Fort Wayne and northeast Indiana — New Haven, Huntertown, Auburn, Columbia City, plus the surrounding counties — have strong, credentialed help for kids with special needs, anchored by Parkview's new Pediatric Developmental Center and the longstanding Turnstone. This is Fort Wayne'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. Indiana has no Regional Center system; your free front door is Indiana First Steps 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 →
Non-profit private day school for students grades 4-12 on the autism spectrum, accredited by the Indiana State Board of Education and a member of the Independent Schools Association of the Central States. Embeds speech, occupational and behavior therapy plus assistive technology into the school day.
Indiana-licensed therapeutic school serving students with autism spectrum disorder and intellectual disabilities who struggle in their home district. Accredited by the Indiana Department of Education and holds national Council on Accreditation (COA) accreditation.
Long-standing northeast Indiana non-profit delivering intensive, structured remedial instruction in reading, spelling, math and comprehension for students with dyslexia and other learning obstacles. Multisensory, brain-based one-to-one programming.
IN*SOURCE can help your family understand Fort Wayne-area special-education placement options and your rights in choosing the right setting, at no cost — a free, knowledgeable starting point when you're weighing schools and programs.
A searchable directory for comparing Fort Wayne-area private and special-education school options by location, grades, and program — useful if you're seeking a specialized private placement.
Indiana's largest district runs a full continuum of special-education services, from inclusion classrooms to specialized programs plus free Pre-K developmental evaluations and an 18–22 transition program.
Well-regarded suburban Fort Wayne district with a multidisciplinary special-ed team and a developmental preschool at Aboite Elementary serving children with delays and disabilities.
Regional cooperative founded in 1970 serving ~4,400 students across multiple districts, with a trained autism team, sensory consultant, school psychologists and therapists; serves the Fort Wayne area's surrounding districts.
National special-education ministry that embeds certified special-education teachers and resource rooms inside Fort Wayne Lutheran schools (Ascension, Concordia, Emmanuel–St. Michael, Lutheran South Unity, St. Paul's, Suburban Bethlehem) for students with learning differences.
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.
Indiana's largest district provides a full continuum of free special-education services for students ages 3-22 across school sites district-wide, covering autism, learning disabilities, communication and emotional disabilities. Specific program placements change year to year.
EACS provides free special-education services for eligible students ages 3-21 across all 13 federal disability categories, including autism spectrum disorder, communication disorder and specific learning disability. Program offerings vary year to year by building.
Indiana's largest special-education cooperative, founded in 1970, serving roughly 4,000 students across 12 districts in Noble, Steuben, DeKalb and LaGrange counties just north of Fort Wayne. Includes the off-campus C.H.O.I.C.E. transition program for ages 18-21. Programs change year to year.
Participating site in Indiana University School of Medicine's statewide Early Autism Evaluation Hub network, offering autism diagnostic evaluations for young children with developmental pediatrician Dr. Lisa Bergeron. Accepts referrals from local primary-care clinicians.
Clinical practice providing neuropsychological evaluations (including autism and learning-disability assessment) and speech-language therapy, led by neuropsychologist Dr. Tasha Williams with an ASHA-certified (CCC-SLP) speech pathologist on staff.
The Parkview Pediatric Developmental Center (Parkview Regional Medical Center campus) evaluates and diagnoses autism and developmental delays for children birth to 18 with a full team — a developmental-behavioral physician, child psychologist, speech and occupational therapists, mental-health therapist, and nurse practitioners under one roof. Northeast Indiana's leading 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 northeast Indiana, instead of trusting star ratings.
ETS Dyslexia Specialists is a Fort Wayne practice providing structured-literacy, Orton-Gillingham-based dyslexia intervention — listed on Indiana's official Disability Resource Finder. Ask about their specific O-G/Barton training when you call to confirm the right fit.
The Academy of Orton-Gillingham and the Academic Language Therapy Association list accredited O-G practitioners and CALTs across northeast Indiana — searchable near Fort Wayne, New Haven, or Auburn. 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.
Non-profit autism provider with two Fort Wayne locations delivering individualized, CARF-accredited ABA therapy designed and supervised by Board Certified Behavior Analysts. CARF accreditation reflects compliance with internationally accepted quality standards.
Accredited as a Behavioral Health Center of Excellence (BHCOE), Hopebridge provides BCBA-supervised ABA alongside occupational, speech-language and feeding therapy, plus on-site autism diagnostic assessment, in an interdisciplinary model.
Pediatric therapy clinic providing occupational, speech-language and feeding therapy by licensed occupational therapists and ASHA-certified speech-language pathologists, addressing articulation, language, oral-motor, sensory and feeding needs.
Center-based ABA therapy provider with BCBA-designed, individualized programs and measurable outcome tracking for children with autism, with an interdisciplinary care emphasis.
University-affiliated clinic providing low-cost speech and language evaluation and therapy to the community, with graduate clinicians supervised by ASHA-certified (CCC-SLP) faculty speech-language pathologists.
Turnstone is a longstanding Fort Wayne nonprofit providing one-on-one pediatric occupational, physical, speech, and aquatic therapy for children with disabilities including autism — therapists who specialize in disability and a mission-driven model. A trusted local cornerstone.
A BHCOE-accredited autism therapy center in Fort Wayne, Hopebridge combines ABA with occupational, speech, and feeding therapy under one roof — interdisciplinary care accredited for clinical quality rather than chosen by ad spend.
The BHCOE directory lists accredited ABA providers across northeast Indiana (including Bierman Autism Centers), ASHA ProFind lists CCC-SLP speech therapists (including PFW-trained clinicians at Turnstone), and AOTA lists OTR/L occupational therapists — searchable by zip so families in New Haven, Auburn, or Huntertown find the nearest.
The Parkview Pediatric Developmental Center includes a developmental-behavioral physician and child psychologist who diagnose and help manage autism, ADHD, and developmental conditions — northeast Indiana's main hospital-based developmental program, with team-based follow-up.
The American Academy of Pediatrics' directory helps you find board-certified developmental-behavioral pediatricians across the Fort Wayne 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 Fort Wayne area — the field's real professional standard.
IN*SOURCE's trained parent advocates help Indiana families prepare for and understand IEP meetings at no cost — a respected, statewide free alternative to hiring a private advocate first.
Indiana'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.
As a Fort Wayne nonprofit, Turnstone is committed to serving people with disabilities regardless of financial circumstances — pediatric occupational, physical, and speech therapy with a mission-first model, a strong option when cost or insurance is a barrier.
For children birth to 3, First Steps provides free developmental evaluations and early-intervention therapies — the earliest, no-barrier place to start in Indiana.
Indiana Legal Services provides free civil legal help to income-eligible families across northeast Indiana — a no-cost route to legal assistance, including some education and benefits matters.
IN*SOURCE offers free workshops and one-on-one parent support across Indiana — a rich free resource for families learning their rights and navigating the system.
For children birth to 3, Indiana's First Steps provides free developmental evaluations and early-intervention services (speech, OT, PT, developmental) through a family-centered, local network. The earliest, no-barrier place to start if you have any concern about your baby or toddler.
IN*SOURCE is Indiana's federally funded Parent Training and Information Center — free help understanding your rights, the IEP/504 process, evaluations, and meetings, with trained parent advocates. A great first call.
Indiana'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 Indiana families understand their rights, the IEP/504 process, evaluations, and meetings. A great first call.
Indiana'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 Fort Wayne?
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 Fort Wayne?
A New Story lists credential-vetted schools, evaluators, therapists, advocates, and the free public programs and parent centers in Indiana — searchable by ZIP, and free forever.