Greater Hartford covers central Connecticut — Hartford, West Hartford, New Britain, Bristol, Manchester, Glastonbury, Farmington, Enfield — across Hartford, Tolland, and Middlesex counties. This directory is built so a family ANYWHERE in the region can find genuinely excellent help nearby, not just options clustered downtown. It's ranked by real credentials (ABPP, BHCOE, Orton-Gillingham/Wilson accreditation, COPAA, board-certification) — never by reviews or who pays. Start with the free Connecticut options (Birth to Three is free statewide), then the best evaluators, schools, therapists, doctors, and advocates near you.
✓ Every provider here is vetted by credentials, never pay-to-play. How we choose →
A state-approved private special education school founded in 1965 on the University of Saint Joseph campus, serving students ages 5-21 with autism, intellectual and developmental disabilities, and behavioral challenges.
Part of Oak Hill, Connecticut's largest private provider of services for people with disabilities, this Hartford day school provides personalized education for students with significant developmental and multiple disabilities.
A state-approved private special education day school in West Hartford serving grades 1-10, ages 6-21, with individualized instruction for students with learning and developmental needs.
The oldest permanent school for the deaf in the United States, a CT State Department of Education-approved special education program serving deaf and hard-of-hearing students ages 3-21, including those on the autism spectrum.
A special education and clinical day-treatment school operated by Hartford HealthCare's Institute of Living, integrating academics with psychiatric and behavioral health treatment for students with significant emotional and behavioral needs.
A state-approved therapeutic day school run by the nonprofit Community Child Guidance Clinic, serving students with emotional, behavioral, and developmental disabilities with integrated clinical and special education services.
Founded in 1985, Ben Bronz Academy (West Hartford) is a full-day, State of Connecticut-approved special-education school for grades 1–12 (and 18–22) — guiding students with dyslexia, dysgraphia, executive-function disorders, ADHD, and mild ASD using Orton-Gillingham, Wilson, and Lindamood-Bell methods across the curriculum.
Intensive Education Academy (West Hartford) serves exceptional learners with diverse needs — learning disabilities and autism spectrum disorders — with personalized instruction, social-skills groups, and therapeutic supports including ABA and occupational therapy.
CPAC can help you compare additional Greater Hartford school options for dyslexia, autism, and learning differences at no cost — including district special-education programs and CT-approved private special-education schools.
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.
A public, tuition-via-district autism program operated by the Capitol Region Education Council for students with ASD from preschool through grade 8, offering extended-year, intensive programming. Programs change year to year.
The Hartford district's special education department provides free IDEA-mandated evaluation, IEP, and specialized programs across its schools, including autism and language-based supports. Programs change year to year.
A specialized developmental-behavioral pediatric clinic offering diagnostic evaluation for autism, ADHD, and developmental delays, led by board-certified developmental-behavioral pediatricians.
A West Hartford diagnostic practice specializing in autism spectrum evaluations, ADHD evaluations, neuropsychological evaluations, and psychoeducational testing.
Connecticut Children's (Hartford) provides pediatric neuropsychological evaluation of learning disabilities, ADHD, and autism — the region's leading academic children's hospital, coordinating care with UConn Health's neuropsychology service.
A private practice (with board-certified pediatric neuropsychologist Jill Dorflinger, PhD, ABPP at Clarus Health Alliance) offering comprehensive evaluation for complex learning disabilities, autism, and ADHD. The credential to look for in a private evaluator.
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 (in Glastonbury, Farmington, or Manchester), instead of trusting star ratings.
Part of the Scottish Rite-supported national network, the Children's Dyslexia Centers operate Connecticut locations providing free, multi-year Orton-Gillingham tutoring by certified instructors — one of the best no-cost reading resources for families who can't afford private tutoring.
The Academy's directory lists accredited Orton-Gillingham practitioners across Greater Hartford — searchable by area so you can find one near West Hartford, Glastonbury, or Bristol. 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.
A Hartford-area ABA therapy clinic and autism day program overseen by Board-Certified Behavior Analysts, with in-house speech-language pathology, occupational therapy, and physical therapy.
A long-established ABA provider serving the Hartford area since 1988, delivering evidence-based, BCBA-supervised autism treatment in-center and in-home.
A pediatric clinic offering speech-language therapy and occupational therapy for infants through school-age children, with expertise in autism, apraxia, auditory processing, and sensory processing disorders.
A pediatric occupational therapy practice with experienced OTR/L clinicians certified in sensory integration treatment and in administering the Sensory Integration and Praxis Tests (SIPT).
An established (since 2007) pediatric therapy practice providing occupational, speech, and physical therapy plus sensory diet planning, in clinic and community settings for children of all ages.
A BHCOE-accredited West Hartford provider delivering ABA in clinic, home, and community for ages 0–21 — within an integrated neurological-and-developmental care model, accredited for clinical quality rather than ad spend.
A BHCOE-accredited ABA provider with learning centers in East Hartford and Rocky Hill — covering the east and south sides of Hartford County so families outside West Hartford have a nearby accredited option.
The Behavioral Health Center of Excellence directory lists accredited ABA providers across Greater Hartford — searchable by zip so a family in New Britain, Manchester, or Enfield finds the nearest accredited center.
A West Hartford private pediatric speech-language practice (clinical director Katie Eddins) providing individualized screenings, evaluations, and therapy for children of all ages across the Greater Hartford community — speech, language, and auditory services.
The American Speech-Language-Hearing Association's directory lists speech-language pathologists who hold the CCC-SLP — the national mark of a fully qualified clinician, searchable anywhere in Greater Hartford.
Connecticut Children's (Hartford) developmental-behavioral pediatrics team provides expert diagnosis and management of autism, ADHD, and developmental concerns by board-certified specialists — central Connecticut's leading academic program.
The American Academy of Pediatrics' directory helps you find board-certified developmental-behavioral pediatricians across Greater Hartford — 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 Greater Hartford — the field's real professional standard.
Beyond information, CPAC's trained parent staff help you prepare for and understand IEP meetings at no cost — a respected free alternative to hiring a private advocate first, available statewide.
The Center for Children's Advocacy is a Connecticut nonprofit law firm whose education attorneys fight for the legal rights of vulnerable children, including those with disabilities — free legal representation to secure appropriate education and supports.
The University of Hartford's Speech-Language-Hearing Clinic (West Hartford) provides low-cost speech, language, and hearing evaluation and therapy for children — delivered by graduate clinicians under licensed, ASHA-certified supervisors, right in the metro.
Autism Services & Resources Connecticut provides free information, referrals, support groups, and family programs across the state — a warm, no-cost community resource for families affected by autism alongside clinical care.
For children birth to 3, Connecticut's Birth to Three System provides free developmental evaluations and early-intervention therapies through a local program near you — the earliest, no-barrier place to start.
For children birth to 3, Connecticut's Birth to Three System provides free developmental evaluations and early-intervention services (speech, OT, PT, developmental) statewide through local programs — so a family in Bristol, Manchester, or Enfield reaches a program near them. The earliest, no-barrier place to start.
Connecticut's federally mandated protection & advocacy agency — free legal information and advocacy when a child's special-education rights are denied, statewide. A powerful free resource before you pay anyone.
Connecticut's federally funded Parent Training and Information Center — free information, training, individual assistance, and parent-to-parent matching for families of children with any disability, birth to age 26. Staffed by parents of children with disabilities. A great first call.
Federally funded and free — they help Connecticut families understand their rights, the IEP/504 process, evaluations, and meetings. A great first call.
Connecticut's protection & advocacy agency — free legal-rights information and help if your child's rights are being denied.
When you’re ready, an expert can review your child’s IEP and build your plan. See how it works →
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How do I start the special-education process in Hartford?
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 Hartford?
A New Story lists credential-vetted schools, evaluators, therapists, advocates, and the free public programs and parent centers in Connecticut — searchable by ZIP, and free forever.