Greenville and the South Carolina Upstate — Greer, Simpsonville, Mauldin, Easley, Spartanburg nearby — have strong, credentialed help for kids with special needs, including an Orton-Gillingham-accredited dyslexia school and the Prisma Health children's system. This is Greenville's own yellow pages of the best, most relevant help — named experts and schools where we can verify them, not just directories. It's ranked by real credentials (ABPP, BHCOE, OGA/CALT/Orton-Gillingham, COPAA, CCC-SLP, OTR-L, board-certification) — never by reviews or who pays. South Carolina has no Regional Center system, so your free front door is BabyNet 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 →
Private accredited school (K-12) for students with autism, operated by the Project HOPE Foundation and accredited through the South Carolina Independent School Association (SCISA). Applied Behavior Analysis is integrated throughout the school day under behavior-analyst leadership.
Nonprofit private school for grades 1-8 serving students diagnosed with ADHD, ADD, autism and similar learning challenges, with small classes and individualized instruction. Recognized among South Carolina's specialized special-education private schools.
K-12 school affiliated with the South Carolina Independent School Association and operated alongside Springbrook Behavioral Health's residential and educational autism services, serving students with autism and significant behavioral needs.
Farm-based therapeutic day school for middle and high school students diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder and/or ADHD, combining academics with a structured therapeutic environment supporting behavioral and social growth.
One of the longest-running private special-education schools in South Carolina, serving students with a wide range of physical, intellectual and developmental disabilities, with on-site speech, occupational and physical therapy integrated into the school day.
Camperdown Academy (Greenville) is an Academy of Orton-Gillingham (OGA)-accredited school for students with dyslexia and language-based learning differences — structured-literacy instruction at the highest verified standard. The Upstate's flagship dyslexia school.
A searchable directory for comparing additional Greenville-area private and special-education school options by location, grades, and program — useful alongside the named school above.
Established 1986, nationally recognized OG-immersion day school for capable students with dyslexia and language-based learning differences, grades 1-8. ~3:1 student-teacher ratio with a fully OG-certified faculty; one of only a handful of U.S. schools accredited by the Orton-Gillingham Academy as both a teaching AND training institution. In the league of Siena/Katherine Thomas. The premier dyslexia option in the Upstate.
Founded 2011, small (~50-student) K-8 day school exclusively for students diagnosed with language-based learning differences such as dyslexia. SCISA advanced accreditation across all core subjects; OG-trained faculty and individualized small-group instruction. Housed in the historic C. Granville Wyche House on Augusta Street.
South Carolina's first FREE public charter school for children with dyslexia and severe learning difficulty, grades 1-8 (one of only a handful of such charters nationwide). Every staff member is trained in the Orton-Gillingham approach using the Academy of Orton-Gillingham Practitioners and Educators (AOGPE) curriculum; daily small-group multisensory reading instruction. ~20 minutes from Greenville in Easley.
Nonprofit/charter early-education and intensive-therapy school for children (birth through 2nd grade) with developmental delays, cerebral palsy, Down syndrome, autism, and rare genetic disorders. Integrates classroom education with embedded speech, physical, and occupational therapy (students average ~3x the therapy hours of a traditional setting). Sliding-scale tuition; an Upstate cornerstone since 1954.
Long-established Orton-Gillingham day school for students with dyslexia and language-based learning differences, grades 1-8/9. OG-trained faculty and small classes; a recognized statewide leader in dyslexia education. Located in Columbia, ~100 miles from Greenville (outside the 45-mile ring) but included as the nearest comparable peer to Camperdown for families willing to travel or relocate; confirm current commute/boarding logistics before relying on it.
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.
Public separate-school campus within Greenville County Schools dedicated to students with significant intellectual disabilities, with 18 classrooms plus therapy rooms, a multisensory suite, adapted playground and on-site related services.
State agency administering autism and developmental-disability services, supports and waiver programs for SC residents, a free public resource for families navigating diagnosis-to-services in the Greenville Upstate region.
Prisma Health Children's Hospital's multidisciplinary autism diagnostic program (Autism Wonders, est. 2008) staffed by developmental-behavioral pediatricians, pediatric psychologists and nurse practitioners providing coordinated evaluation and follow-up care.
Greenville practice specializing in psychological and neuropsychological testing for autism, ADHD and specific learning disorders, with licensed psychologists who hold PhDs and completed formal post-doctoral fellowships in assessment.
Evaluation-focused practice providing comprehensive psychoeducational and neuropsychological assessment for learning disabilities, ADHD and autism to inform school IEP/504 planning.
Clinic centrally located between Greenville and Five Forks offering autism diagnostic evaluations using the ADOS-2 and neuropsychological testing alongside its ABA services.
Prisma Health Children's Hospital–Upstate in Greenville is the region's major children's medical system, providing developmental and behavioral evaluation for autism, ADHD, and developmental concerns — the Upstate's leading hospital-based assessment route.
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 Upstate, instead of trusting star ratings.
The Academy's directory lists accredited Orton-Gillingham practitioners across the Upstate — searchable by area so you can find one near Greenville, Greer, or Simpsonville. The gold-standard credential for a private dyslexia tutor, verified by training rather than advertising.
The International Dyslexia Association's South Carolina branch and the Academic Language Therapy Association list credential-verified dyslexia providers (CALT, Orton-Gillingham, Wilson) across the Upstate — a vetted way to find serious, structured-literacy help.
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.
Locally owned, BCBA-owned pediatric clinic offering integrated ABA, occupational therapy and speech-language therapy, with a Board Certified Behavior Analyst conducting assessments and designing individualized programs.
Pediatric therapy group providing speech-language, occupational and physical therapy, with speech-language pathologists trained in the Orton-Gillingham multisensory approach for children with dyslexia and language-literacy impairments.
ABA therapy provider delivering center-based and community-integrated services for children with autism, staffed by Board Certified Behavior Analysts, behavior technicians and family coordinators.
Clinic offering Board Certified Behavior Analyst-led ABA therapy alongside speech-language pathology services for children with autism and communication delays.
Dedicated autism treatment center providing ABA therapy delivered by Board Certified Behavior Analysts and Registered Behavior Technicians for children on the spectrum.
Serving Greenville and the Upstate since 2004, Word Play Pediatric Therapies provides speech, occupational, and physical therapy — all therapists are state- and nationally-licensed and certified, holding a master's or PhD. A well-established, credentialed local clinic.
Established in 1999, Pediatrics Unlimited is a therapist-owned and -operated Upstate practice offering occupational, physical, speech, and feeding therapy — a long-running local alternative to the corporate chains.
The BHCOE directory lists accredited ABA providers across the Upstate (including Carolina Behavioral Innovations), ASHA ProFind lists CCC-SLP speech therapists, and AOTA lists OTR/L occupational therapists — searchable by zip so families in Greer, Simpsonville, or Easley find the nearest.
Prisma Health Children's developmental-behavioral pediatrics in Greenville diagnoses and helps manage autism, ADHD, and developmental conditions — the Upstate's main hospital-based developmental program. A physician referral is typically needed.
The American Academy of Pediatrics' directory helps you find board-certified developmental-behavioral pediatricians across the Upstate — 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 Greenville area — the field's real professional standard.
PRO-Parents' trained specialists help South Carolina families prepare for and understand IEP meetings at no cost — a respected, statewide free alternative to hiring a private advocate first.
South Carolina'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.
Family Connection of South Carolina provides free family-to-family support, navigation, and resources for families of children with disabilities and special health-care needs — and manages the BabyNet Central Directory. A warm, knowledgeable free first stop.
For children birth to 3, BabyNet provides free developmental evaluations and early-intervention therapies — the earliest, no-barrier place to start in South Carolina.
South Carolina Legal Services provides free civil legal help to income-eligible families across the Upstate — a no-cost route to legal assistance, including some education and benefits matters.
PRO-Parents offers free workshops and one-on-one parent support across South Carolina — a rich free resource for families learning their rights and navigating the system.
BabyNet is South Carolina's interagency early-intervention system for infants and toddlers under 3 with developmental delays or qualifying conditions — free developmental evaluation and services under an IFSP. Anyone (parent, doctor, caregiver) can make a referral. The earliest, no-barrier place to start.
PRO-Parents is South Carolina's federally funded Parent Training and Information Center, serving all 46 counties — free help understanding your rights, the IEP/504 process, evaluations, and meetings for families of children birth to 26. A great first call.
South Carolina'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 South Carolina families understand their rights, the IEP/504 process, evaluations, and meetings. A great first call.
South Carolina'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 Greenville?
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 Greenville?
A New Story lists credential-vetted schools, evaluators, therapists, advocates, and the free public programs and parent centers in South Carolina — searchable by ZIP, and free forever.