The Jackson metro — Jackson, Ridgeland, Madison, Clinton, Brandon, Pearl, and the rest of Hinds, Madison, and Rankin counties — has real, credentialed help for kids with special needs, anchored by the University of Mississippi Medical Center's Children's of Mississippi and its Center for Advancement of Youth (CAY), the state's marquee multidisciplinary autism and developmental clinic, right here in Jackson. Your local districts — Jackson Public Schools, Madison County Schools, and Rankin County Schools — each run special education. This is the metro's own yellow pages of the best, most relevant help — named experts and clinics where we can verify them, ranked by real credentials (ABPP, BHCOE, Orton-Gillingham/CALT, COPAA, CCC-SLP, OTR-L, board-certification), never by reviews or who pays. In Mississippi your free front door is First Steps Early Intervention (birth–3) and your school district's evaluation and IEP for ages 3+; the law gives the district 60 days from your written consent to complete that evaluation. Ask too about the Mississippi Dyslexia Therapy Scholarship, which can fund evidence-based dyslexia therapy. 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 →
Nonprofit, individualized K-8 school (plus a high-school career/vocational program) for children with autism, learning differences and developmental disabilities, accredited by the Mississippi Department of Education. A program of Canopy Children's Solutions.
Nonprofit independent day school (grades 3-8) exclusively for students with dyslexia, with a multisensory Orton-Gillingham-based curriculum woven through every class and small class sizes. Founded 2005.
Private school accredited by the Mississippi Department of Education and Cognia (formerly AdvancED/SACS) that custom-designs individual education plans for exceptional learners and students with learning differences.
Dedicated dyslexia program within an accredited Christian school, delivering Orton-Gillingham-based dyslexia therapy plus a full academic curriculum for students whose primary diagnosis is dyslexia.
Support program inside an established accredited independent school that uses Orton-Gillingham instruction to remediate reading and spelling deficits for students with learning differences.
Magnolia Speech School, an MDE special-purpose nonpublic school now in Madison, has served children with speech, language, and hearing disorders for over six decades. Its Language Disorders department works with children who have apraxia, auditory processing disorder, autism, and dyslexia — a credentialed, specialized placement in the Jackson metro.
Jackson Public Schools, Madison County Schools, and Rankin County Schools each run specialized special-education programs — autism support, resource, and self-contained classrooms — within their schools. For many families the strongest specialized placement is within the public district; insist on the right program through the IEP process, and use the Mississippi Department of Education (MDE) for your rights.
The Mississippi Parent Training and Information Center (MSPTI), based in Jackson, offers free help weighing options and pushing for the right program through the IEP process — for children birth to 26. Invaluable when you are unsure whether the district program or a specialized school fits best.
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.
Mississippi's free, state-run K-12 school for students who are deaf or hard of hearing, with a low student-teacher ratio. Programs change year to year; confirm current eligibility and services.
High-performing public district offering IEP-based special-education and dedicated dyslexia supports and services. Programs change year to year; confirm placement options for your zoned school.
One of the largest Mississippi districts, providing the full continuum of IDEA special-education and related services across its schools. Programs change year to year; confirm current offerings with the district.
Well-regarded public district offering IEP-driven special-education and related services. Programs change year to year; confirm current programs and eligibility with the district office.
Licensed clinical psychologist providing comprehensive psychological testing for children and teens, including autism spectrum disorder, ADHD, and anxiety/mood disorders, with tailored home and school recommendations.
Practice staffed by doctoral-level clinical psychologists offering comprehensive psychological, psychoeducational and ADHD evaluations for children, adolescents and adults across Central Mississippi.
Center designed to meet the developmental, educational, behavioral and communication needs of children with autism, including assessment and intervention services.
The Center for Advancement of Youth (CAY) at the University of Mississippi Medical Center — Children's of Mississippi, the state's only academic children's hospital — is Mississippi's marquee multidisciplinary diagnostic home. Its team of developmental-behavioral pediatricians, pediatric psychologists, psychiatrists, neurologists, and geneticists evaluates autism, ADHD, learning disabilities, dyslexia, and developmental delay. Referral-based (ask your pediatrician). The academic referral for complex cases.
Canopy Children's Solutions, a long-standing statewide children's nonprofit headquartered in Jackson, provides psychological evaluation and autism diagnostic services alongside its therapy programs — a credentialed local option that accepts Medicaid and major insurance.
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 Jackson metro, instead of trusting star ratings.
Mississippi law requires districts to screen students for dyslexia in spring of kindergarten and fall of first grade and provide evidence-based, multisensory structured-literacy intervention. The Mississippi Dyslexia Therapy Scholarship can fund evidence-based dyslexia therapy for eligible students. Request screening and services in writing from Jackson, Madison County, or Rankin County schools, and know your rights before paying for private tutoring.
The Academy of Orton-Gillingham Practitioners and Educators lists accredited O-G practitioners, and Mississippi licenses Certified Academic Language Therapists (CALTs) — searchable near Jackson, Madison, Ridgeland, and Brandon. CALT and accredited O-G are the gold-standard credentials for a private dyslexia therapist, instead of trusting ads. Insist on evidence-based methods (Orton-Gillingham, Wilson, Take Flight, Barton) only.
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.
Provides Applied Behavior Analysis for children with autism and developmental disabilities across Central Mississippi, directed by a doctoral-level BCBA-D and BCBAs supervising Registered Behavior Technicians.
ABA provider founded by a Board Certified Behavior Analyst with over 20 years of experience, offering assessments, treatment plans, social-skills groups and parent training for children with autism.
Locally owned, clinician-run pediatric clinic offering speech-language therapy and occupational therapy (licensed OTR/L staff) for children.
Pediatric rehabilitation clinic providing speech, occupational and physical therapy in outpatient clinics, schools and homes, with licensed speech-language pathologists and doctoral-trained occupational therapists.
Canopy Children's Solutions, a statewide children's nonprofit in Jackson, runs an Early Intervention Autism Clinic for children diagnosed with autism (roughly 18 months to 8 years) with board-certified behavior analysts (BCBAs) leading applied behavior analysis. It accepts Medicaid, BCBS, UnitedHealthcare, and TRICARE — a credentialed, mission-driven local ABA option. Ask about BHCOE accreditation.
Beyond its day school, Magnolia Speech School provides credentialed CCC-SLP speech-language therapy for children with apraxia, language disorders, autism, and hearing loss — a deep, specialized speech resource in the Jackson metro for over sixty years.
The BHCOE directory lists accredited ABA providers across the metro, ASHA ProFind lists CCC-SLP speech therapists, and AOTA lists OTR/L occupational therapists — searchable by zip so families in Jackson, Madison, Ridgeland, Brandon, or Pearl find the nearest credentialed clinician.
Through the Center for Advancement of Youth, UMMC's Children's of Mississippi has board-certified developmental-behavioral pediatricians, child psychiatrists, and pediatric neurologists — the state's deepest bench for formal autism, ADHD, and developmental diagnoses. The academic referral when a complex diagnosis is needed.
Canopy Children's Solutions provides outpatient behavioral health and developmental services in Jackson — a credentialed nonprofit complement to UMMC for evaluation, therapy, and ongoing behavioral support, accepting Medicaid and major insurance.
The American Academy of Pediatrics' directory helps you find board-certified developmental-behavioral pediatricians serving the Jackson metro — 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 Jackson metro — the field's real professional standard.
The Mississippi Parent Training and Information Center (MSPTI), a project of the Mississippi Coalition for Citizens with Disabilities based in Jackson, is the state's federally funded PTI — free help understanding your rights, evaluations, and the IEP process for children birth to 26. A respected statewide free resource before hiring a private advocate.
Mississippi's protection & advocacy agency in Jackson offers free legal information and advocacy for special-education rights — a no-cost first stop before hiring a private advocate or attorney.
The Central Mississippi Speech-Language and Hearing Clinic at Jackson State University serves children with speech, language, cognitive, swallowing, and hearing disorders in Jackson and surrounding counties at a modest fee, with licensed CCC-SLP supervisors training graduate clinicians — a high-quality, low-cost option in the metro.
For children birth to 3, Mississippi's First Steps program provides free developmental evaluation and early-intervention therapies — the earliest, no-barrier place to start anywhere in the Jackson metro. Call 1-800-451-3903.
The Mississippi Dyslexia Therapy Scholarship can fund evidence-based dyslexia therapy for eligible students with a diagnosis — a major low/no-cost path to Orton-Gillingham/CALT services. Check eligibility through the Mississippi Department of Education.
MSPTI offers free help understanding evaluations, IEPs, and your rights for children birth to 26 — a no-cost first call for any Jackson-area family navigating special education.
For children birth to 3 with a developmental delay or a diagnosed condition likely to cause delay, Mississippi's First Steps program (Mississippi State Department of Health) provides free evaluation, a service coordinator, and early-intervention services — speech, occupational, and physical therapy and developmental support — under Part C of IDEA. The earliest, no-barrier place to start; call 1-800-451-3903.
Request a special-education evaluation in writing from your district — Jackson Public Schools, Madison County Schools, or Rankin County Schools. In Mississippi the district must complete the initial evaluation within 60 days of your written consent, then hold an eligibility/IEP meeting. This is the free legal route to an IEP under IDEA.
Mississippi's federally mandated protection & advocacy agency, based in downtown Jackson — 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 Mississippi families understand their rights, the IEP/504 process, evaluations, and meetings. A great first call.
Mississippi'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 Jackson, MS?
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 Jackson, MS?
A New Story lists credential-vetted schools, evaluators, therapists, advocates, and the free public programs and parent centers in Mississippi — searchable by ZIP, and free forever.