Houston's Texas Medical Center holds world-class children's hospitals and a deep bench of special-education schools and specialists — the hard part is knowing which are genuinely excellent and how to reach the free help first. This is Houston's own directory, ranked by real credentials (ABPP, BHCOE, Orton-Gillingham accreditation, COPAA, board-certification) — never by reviews or who pays. Start with the free Texas options, 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 →
Therapeutic K-12 school for students with neurological differences (autism, ADHD, learning differences), accredited by the SACS Commission and Cognia. Uses a relationship- and self-regulation-based model.
Dyslexia-focused instruction in the Houston area uses the Academy of Orton-Gillingham approved methodology; see Excelsior Academy for an O-G-derived private day school for dyslexia/ADHD students.
K-12 special-needs school accredited by Cognia (formerly SACS), with low student-teacher ratios (about 1:7) supporting students with autism, ADHD and learning differences.
A private, non-profit Houston school for students in grades 6–12 with social and learning differences — Autism Spectrum Disorder, ADHD, anxiety, dyslexia, dyscalculia, and dysgraphia. Cognia-accredited.
A private Houston Heights school for K–8 children of good-to-superior intelligence whose social-emotional, ADHD, anxiety, OCD, or learning-difference challenges interfere with mainstream school; teacher-pupil ratio capped at 1:6, accredited by TAAPS.
Houston's premier learning-difference school (K–12) for students with dyslexia, dysgraphia, and dyscalculia — accredited by the Independent Schools Association of the Southwest, with specialized, structured instruction.
Trusted since 1983, The Parish School serves children with autism, ADHD, speech delays, and learning differences on a nature-rich campus — a 5:1 (or smaller) student-to-adult ratio and early-intervention focus.
A Houston school for students with learning differences — dyslexia, dysgraphia, dyscalculia, ADHD, language disorders, anxiety, Level 1 autism, and executive-function challenges — with individualized instruction.
A Houston private school for verbal, higher-functioning children on the autism spectrum, ages 2–15 — a structured, supportive program built around their strengths and social needs.
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.
HCDE-operated public special school with low student-to-teacher ratios serving students with significant emotional/behavioral needs, building academic and social skills. Programs change year to year.
Public regional program (via Region 4 Education Service Center / Houston ISD) providing specialized instruction and support for students who are deaf or hard of hearing across the seven-county area. Programs change year to year.
HISD operates Structured Learning Classroom (SLC) programs (e.g., West University Elementary) providing smaller, structured settings for students with autism and significant learning needs. Programs change year to year.
Texas's first tuition-free autism-focused public charter school (K-9), using BCBA-approved, data-driven instruction and small class sizes. Programs change year to year.
Texas Medical Center clinic with developmental pediatricians, pediatric neurologists, child psychologists and psychiatrists providing comprehensive evaluation for developmental, behavioral and learning challenges.
UTHealth Houston (Faillace Dept. of Psychiatry) specialty clinic providing diagnostic evaluation and care for autism spectrum and neurodevelopmental disorders.
A Woodlands-area practice offering pediatric neuropsychological, psychoeducational, ADHD, and autism evaluations for children and young adults; team includes a child psychologist/BCBA and licensed psychologists.
A Houston clinic of licensed clinical psychologists with neuropsychology training, providing comprehensive pediatric evaluations for ADHD, learning disorders, and developmental concerns. Confirm ABPP board certification when you book.
Texas Children's Hospital / Baylor College of Medicine pediatric neuropsychology — board-certified clinicians such as Mary Reeni George, PhD, ABPP and M. Douglas Ris, PhD, ABPP-CN (Chief of Psychology) — provide comprehensive evaluations of learning, attention, autism, and neurodevelopmental conditions.
A Houston private practice focused on pediatric neuropsychological evaluation for learning disabilities, ADHD, and autism. Confirm the evaluator's ABPP board certification when you book.
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, instead of trusting star ratings.
Founder Natalie Hobock is a Certified Academic Language Therapist (CALT) and Reading Therapist with 20+ years of experience, delivering Neuhaus/Orton-Gillingham-based structured-literacy therapy across the Houston area and virtually. By appointment.
Kimberly Hughes is a Texas-licensed Dyslexia Therapist (LDT), Certified Academic Language Therapist (CALT), and Master Reading Teacher providing multisensory structured-literacy (Orton-Gillingham) instruction. By appointment.
A Houston nonprofit founded in 1980 to bring effective Orton-Gillingham-based reading instruction to the city — it trains the region's dyslexia therapists and is the anchor resource for structured-literacy help. Ask for a Neuhaus-trained therapist.
The Academy's directory lists accredited Orton-Gillingham practitioners across Houston — the gold-standard credential for a private dyslexia tutor, verified by training rather than advertising.
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.
Center-based ABA therapy delivered by Board Certified Behavior Analysts who build individualized treatment plans from ongoing assessment; credentialed with major insurance plans.
ABA therapy center staffed by Board Certified Behavior Analysts and Registered Behavior Technicians delivering results-driven, data-based therapy for children with autism.
Pediatric therapy center co-founded by a CCC-SLP and an OTR/L (MOT) offering speech, occupational and physical therapy in an integrated sensory-gym setting.
Pediatric speech-language clinic (est. 2018) led by certified CCC-SLP professionals with decades of combined licensure, serving children with communication delays and disorders.
Northwest Houston pediatric clinic offering occupational, physical and speech therapy under the leadership of an MS, CCC-SLP, serving children with developmental and communication needs.
A BHCOE-accredited, BCBA-owned ABA clinic in Houston's Clear Lake area offering in-clinic and in-home ABA, social-skills groups, school consultation, and parent/teacher training.
A BHCOE-accredited ABA provider serving the north-Houston/Spring area with in-home and clinic-based ABA, diagnostic evaluations, and parent skills training; partners with Circle of Care for OT, PT, and speech.
A long-established Houston pediatric therapy practice (since 1982) providing occupational, speech-language/oral-motor/feeding, and physical therapy in a large dedicated therapy facility.
A Houston-area private clinic providing pediatric speech-language, occupational, feeding, and myofunctional therapy, with locations in Katy and Missouri City.
A BHCOE-accredited ABA provider with multiple Houston centers (Bellaire, NASA/Clear Lake, and more), collaborating with speech and occupational therapists — accredited for clinical quality, not chosen by ad spend.
A BHCOE-accredited ABA provider serving the Houston/Cypress area — evidence-based applied behavior analysis for autistic children, listed in the Behavioral Health Center of Excellence directory.
The Behavioral Health Center of Excellence directory lists accredited ABA providers across Houston (such as Empower Behavioral Health and Individualized Intervention) — the real quality bar, instead of guessing from ads or stars.
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.
The Meyer Center (Texas Children's) is Houston's flagship developmental-behavioral program — board-certified developmental pediatricians and psychologists diagnose ADHD, autism, developmental delay, and learning disabilities, with individualized care recommendations.
UT Physicians' developmental-behavioral pediatricians (UTHealth Houston) evaluate and treat autism, ADHD, and developmental concerns — a second academic option in the Texas Medical Center.
A Houston fee-based advocacy practice (charter COPAA member Louis Geigerman and team) assisting families with IEP/ARD meetings, Section 504 plans, mediation, due process, and college accommodations.
A Houston law firm handling special-education matters — IEP/ARD meetings, Section 504, discipline, discrimination, and due process hearings for families of students with disabilities.
The Council of Parent Attorneys and Advocates' directory lists active, vetted special-education advocates and attorneys serving Houston — the field's real professional standard.
A special-education law firm with a Texas practice handling IEP disputes, evaluations, placement, mediation, and due process for Houston-area families.
Lone Star Legal Aid provides free civil legal help to income-eligible families across the Houston region — a no-cost route to legal assistance, including some school and benefits matters.
The University of Houston's training clinic provides speech, language, and hearing services for children on a sliding scale — including affordable summer 'Cougar Communication' therapy groups, with reduced fees available.
Easter Seals Greater Houston delivers Early Childhood Intervention (birth–3) plus speech, occupational, and physical therapy on a sliding fee scale — no child or family is turned away for inability to pay.
For children birth to 3, Texas ECI provides developmental evaluations and therapies on a sliding scale — the earliest, no-barrier place to start, with no child turned away for inability to pay.
For children birth to 3, Texas ECI provides developmental evaluations and therapies (speech, OT, PT, developmental) on a sliding scale — no child is turned away for inability to pay. In Houston, ECI runs through providers like Easterseals and The Harris Center. The earliest, no-barrier place to start.
Texas's federally mandated protection & advocacy agency — free legal information, a special-education helpline, and representation when a child's rights are denied. A powerful free resource before you pay anyone.
Texas's federally funded Parent Training and Information Center — free help understanding your rights, the IEP/504 process, evaluations, and meetings. A great first call.
Federally funded and free — they help Texas families understand their rights, the IEP/504 process, evaluations, and meetings. A great first call.
Texas'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 Houston?
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 Houston?
A New Story lists credential-vetted schools, evaluators, therapists, advocates, and the free public programs and parent centers in Texas — searchable by ZIP, and free forever.