If your child in Prince William County has autism, dyslexia, ADHD, anxiety, a speech delay, or complex needs — and Prince William County Public Schools isn't giving them what they need — you don't have to figure it out alone. A New Story is a free resource built by a DMV parent who has lived it. Everything here is free to use.
PWCS is a large, fast-growing division where families often have to push to get timely evaluations and the right services. The good news: federal law (IDEA) gives your child the same powerful rights everywhere, and here's the path to using them in Prince William County Public Schools (PWCS).
Before you pay anyone — including us — know your free options. We'll always tell you honestly when free help is all you need.
The home public-school special-education system for families in Woodbridge and Manassas. PWCS runs specialized programs across all 13 federal disability categories — autism, specific learning disability, intellectual disability, emotional disability, speech/language, and more — with self-contained and inclusion settings, certified special educators, BCBAs, and related-service providers (SLP, OT, PT). This is the first, free, legally-mandated option every PWC family has a right to, and the starting point for any IEP.
Prince William County's purpose-built nontraditional K-12 school for students who need a smaller, highly-individualized setting that blends academics with leadership, career, and social-skills development. Operated by PWCS with certified staff; serves students whose needs aren't met in a comprehensive school. A free in-county option directly in the Manassas area.
Private special-education day school operating since 2003, licensed by the Virginia Department of Education. Serves K-12+ students with autism, behavioral challenges, developmental delays, and learning disabilities, drawing placements from Prince William, Fairfax, Loudoun, and Alexandria districts. Public-school divisions can fund placement here through the IEP process when a child's needs exceed what the district can provide.
K-12 therapeutic day school in Lorton (closest specialized autism/emotional-support school to the Woodbridge/Dale City corridor) for students with autism spectrum disorder and emotional/behavioral disabilities. Licensed by VDOE and accredited by Cognia and the Virginia Association of Independent Specialized Education Facilities (VAISEF); 12-month program with on-site clinical and behavioral supports. Routinely accepts county-funded IEP placements.
Independent day school for intellectually capable students (grades K-10) with social and communication challenges, including autism and related profiles. Small classes, speech-language and social-cognition instruction woven through academics, with sister campuses in Silver Spring and Baltimore, MD. A leading regional option for bright, twice-exceptional autistic students.
Founded 1971, a structured-literacy school for grades 1-8 serving students with dyslexia, dysgraphia, dyscalculia, ADHD, and auditory/visual processing disorders. Every student gets systematic, explicit Orton-Gillingham instruction from OG-trained teachers. Licensed by VDOE, accredited by the Virginia Council on Private Education, and a member of VAISEF and the Virginia Association of Independent Schools — the gold-standard dyslexia day school in Northern Virginia.
Award-winning day school for average-to-gifted students with learning differences, ADHD, executive-functioning challenges, and twice-exceptional (2e) profiles. Full college-prep program including honors and AP, with classes capped at 10 or fewer (6 in lower school) and instruction tailored to learning style. VAIS-accredited; a top choice for bright NoVA students who need support without a restrictive setting.
Nonprofit full-day special-education school (grades 3-12 / ages 8-22) for students whose primary needs include emotional disability, multiple disabilities, high-functioning autism, learning disability, and/or intellectual disability. Individualized academics plus counseling, behavioral, and therapeutic supports; tuition is paid by the home county for qualifying students through the IEP. Part of the long-established PHILLIPS Programs.
Established special-education day school serving DC and Virginia students for more than 60 years. Licensed by the Virginia Department of Education; programs for students with emotional, behavioral, learning, and developmental disabilities, with small classes and integrated clinical/therapeutic services. Accepts public-school-funded IEP placements from across Northern Virginia.
Therapeutic special-education day school (grades 6-12) affiliated with the Inova Kellar Center, for students with emotional, behavioral, and learning challenges. Combines individualized academics with on-site mental-health and clinical services from Inova's behavioral-health team. Licensed by VDOE and accredited by VAISEF; strong fit for students needing integrated psychiatric/therapeutic support.
Northern Virginia campus (Oakton) of the acclaimed Siena School, serving college-bound students in grades 3-12 with dyslexia and other language-based learning differences. Multisensory, research-based instruction, assistive technology, and arts integration. MSA-accredited (reaccredited 2023) — one of the DMV's premier dyslexia schools, now with a VA location convenient to the NoVA region.
Founded 1967 by Sally L. Smith and internationally recognized for educating students (grades 1-12) with dyslexia and other language-based learning disabilities through arts-infused, experiential instruction. An accredited independent school and a national model. Within ~25 miles of the region; accepts privately-funded and (via placement) publicly-funded students.
Ungraded, diagnostic-prescriptive K-12 program for students with learning disabilities, attention deficits, and speech/language delays, backed by the Kingsbury Center's diagnostic, psychological, OT/PT, and speech services. OSSE-approved nonpublic placement in DC, within reach of the region for families seeking an intensive, individualized LD program.
Internationally recognized model for the inclusive, listening-and-spoken-language education of young children (18 months–Grade 5), serving children with hearing loss (cochlear implants/hearing aids) alongside typically-hearing peers, with on-site speech-language pathologists and audiology. AIMS-accredited; the leading DMV option for early language and hearing-loss support.
Nonsectarian nonprofit serving children ages 3-22 through its DC special-education charter school, for students with intellectual disabilities, autism, and multiple/significant disabilities. Highly structured, individualized programming with life-skills and transition focus; tuition-free as a public charter for eligible students. Long-standing regional anchor for students with more involved needs.
For 60+ years, a nationally recognized nonpublic special-education school (ages 4-21) for students with autism and other developmental disabilities, with comprehensive therapeutic, behavioral, OT/PT, and speech services and renowned programs in social cognition and transition. Maryland State Department of Education–approved nonpublic placement; one of the DMV's gold-standard autism schools, within ~25 miles via the Beltway.
Since 1995, a nonpublic special-education school (preschool–grade 12) within Treatment and Learning Centers (TLC), serving students with language and learning disabilities, autism, intellectual disabilities, and other health impairments. Speech-language–rich, multidisciplinary model with on-site therapies. MSDE-approved nonpublic placement and a premier DMV language-learning school.
A 12-month nonpublic special-education school (ages 5-21, operated by Sheppard Pratt) for students with autism spectrum disorder, emotional/behavioral disabilities, and related disorders, integrating academics with mental-health treatment, behavioral supports, and clinical services. MSDE-approved nonpublic placement for students needing a therapeutic setting.
For 45+ years, a college-prep nonpublic special-education school (grades 5-12) providing individualized programming for students with specific language-based learning differences such as dyslexia, with assistive technology, executive-function coaching, and small classes. MSDE-approved nonpublic placement; a respected DMV LD high-school option.
The Lifeskills and Education for Students with Autism and Pervasive Behavioral Challenges (LEAP) program is a 12-month, MSDE-approved nonpublic special-education day program at Kennedy Krieger's Greenspring Campus, with an extraordinary array of on-site services (speech, OT, PT, psychology, psychiatry, behavior, expressive arts, vocational). Baltimore-based but a recognized national/regional resource that DMV families and districts access for complex autism needs.
We track the region's most respected evaluators and specialized schools — ranked by quality, never by who pays. Families near Prince William County often look at Accotink Academy (Springfield) and PHILLIPS Programs (Annandale), among others. Start with your child's specific need:
Use our free, guided "What's going on with my child?" tool — it turns what you're noticing into a clear one-page summary you can hand your Prince William County school or doctor.
A board-certified clinical neuropsychologist (ABPP-CN) providing comprehensive neurocognitive and psychoeducational evaluation in Fairfax — the kind of rigorous report a strong IEP is built on.
A Fairfax practice offering neuropsychological and psychoeducational evaluations for children, with school-ready reports for IEP and 504 planning.
The American Board of Professional Psychology directory lists only board-certified neuropsychologists — the field's real credential. Filter to Virginia to find one near you.
Instructors certified in IMSE Orton-Gillingham and the Wilson Reading System, providing structured-literacy dyslexia therapy to students across Northern Virginia.
Find an Academy-credentialed Orton-Gillingham practitioner or a Certified Academic Language Therapist (CALT) — the genuine dyslexia-instruction credentials — near you in Virginia.
The IDA's provider directory lists structured-literacy tutors and programs that meet its standards for evidence-based dyslexia instruction.
Pediatric occupational, speech and physical therapy with licensed clinicians, in Arlington.
Pediatric speech, occupational and physical therapy delivered in clinic, home, school or daycare, with a sensory gym at their Sterling office.
Licensed pediatric occupational therapists serving Northern Virginia since 2011, in Annandale.
Speech, occupational therapy and ABA with licensed therapists providing one-on-one care in Fairfax County.
Developmental screening and autism assessment using standardized tools, at offices in Fairfax, Herndon, Great Falls and Aldie.
Comprehensive, multi-step autism and developmental evaluations for children and teens, serving Loudoun and Northern Virginia.
Dr. Lowry Shropshire, developmental pediatrician, provides developmental evaluations and monitoring in Alexandria.
The American Academy of Pediatrics' HealthyChildren directory helps you find a board-certified developmental-behavioral pediatrician near you.
Serves Fairfax, Loudoun, Arlington, Falls Church and Alexandria with IEP and 504 review, placement and least-restrictive-environment help, meeting preparation and representation, and due-process support.
A Northern Virginia special-education law firm representing families in IEP and 504 disputes, with an educational advocate (Kaitlynn Fraze, PhD) on staff.
Special-education advocacy and expert-witness services across Fairfax County and the wider DC/Maryland/Virginia area.
The Council of Parent Attorneys and Advocates' searchable directory lists only active, vetted special-education advocates and attorneys — the field's real professional standard.
By law, your district must evaluate your child for special education at no cost once you request it in writing — always the first, free step. Use our free, ready-to-send request letter.
GMU's training clinic in Fairfax offers low-cost, sliding-scale psychological and psychoeducational assessment, supervised by faculty.
PWCS runs your child's IEP and special-education services countywide. Programs change year to year; confirm current offerings.
Virginia's free, federally funded Parent Training & Information Center: training and one-to-one help understanding your rights, evaluations, IEPs and meetings, birth to 26. A great first call.
Virginia's federally mandated protection & advocacy agency — free legal-rights information and advocacy when your child's special-education rights are being denied.
Free developmental evaluation and early-intervention services (speech, OT, PT, developmental therapy) for any Virginia child birth to 3 with a delay — no diagnosis or income test needed.
Tell us what's happening with your child in Prince William County. No pressure, no cost — and we'll tell you honestly whether you even need us.
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