Greater Kansas City spans two states — Kansas City and Independence, MO, plus Overland Park, Olathe, Lenexa and Shawnee, KS. It's home to Children's Mercy, the renowned Horizon Academy for dyslexia, and strong parent centers on both sides of the line. The hard part is knowing which help is genuinely excellent and how to reach the free options first — and which program serves the Missouri or Kansas side. This is Kansas City'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 bi-state 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 →
Founded in 1974 as Kansas City's first agency dedicated to people on the autism spectrum, Sherwood runs a special-education program for students ages 5-21 with individualized IEPs in a structured, evidence-based environment. The organization holds CARF International accreditation.
A CARF-accredited day school serving children ages 3-21 with developmental disabilities including autism, cerebral palsy, and intellectual or behavioral challenges. Small staff-to-student ratios and an individualized IEP for every student.
The day-school program of the long-established Kansas City Autism Training Center, providing intensive one-on-one Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA) instruction for children on the autism spectrum, delivered by trained learning specialists and behavior analysts.
A nonprofit private school in Overland Park serving gifted, average, and learning-challenged students in grades 4–12 with personalized instruction, executive-function coaching, and social-emotional learning. Accredited by the State of Kansas and Cognia.
The Kansas City area's flagship school for learning disabilities, Horizon Academy (Roeland Park) teaches grades 1–12 with dyslexia and related LDs using the Orton-Gillingham approach, Multisensory Math, and SIM — with a student-teacher ratio under 3:1. Accredited by ISACS, AdvancED, and the Academy of Orton-Gillingham; integrated speech, OT, and social-skills support.
A trusted Kansas City school-finder to compare additional special-education and learning-difference programs across both the Missouri and Kansas sides of the metro.
The states' parent centers can help you compare additional Kansas City-area school options for dyslexia, autism, and learning differences at no cost — MPACT on the MO side, Families Together on the KS side.
Independent K-12 day school dedicated solely to students with dyslexia and other language-based learning disabilities, ADHD, dysgraphia, dyscalculia and auditory processing disorder. Triple-accredited (AOGPE program accreditation, ISACS, Cognia) with a ~7:1 student-teacher ratio, on-site OT/speech/counseling, intensive Orton-Gillingham reading, multisensory math and written expression. Founded 1999; has transitioned 400+ students back to traditional schools. The KC area's flagship dyslexia school, in the league of Siena/Katherine Thomas.
Private therapeutic day schools approved as placements by both the Missouri (DESE, Regulation XIV) and Kansas Departments of Education. Provides individualized, evidence-based (ABA) programming for students who need short-term outside placement to stabilize behavior and build social, academic and life skills before transitioning back to their home district. Founded by a special-education master's-credentialed BCBA; campuses in North Kansas City and Blue Springs, MO (plus Olathe, KS).
Long-established (nearly 50 years) therapeutic day-treatment schools for students ages 6-19 with significant emotional, behavioral or mental-health needs who require an intensive combination of special education and therapy. Serves students from ~40 Missouri and Kansas school districts via district placement, with small class sizes, paraprofessional support, certified special-education teachers, and integrated counseling and expressive therapies. (Gillis & Ozanam programs consolidating to a single South KC campus in Aug 2026.)
Nonprofit (40+ years) CARF-accredited day school serving children ages 3-21 with autism, behavioral disorders and other intellectual/developmental and multicategorical disabilities. Operates as a district-placement day school in partnership with 20+ metro, suburban and rural school districts, with certified special-education staff and integrated therapeutic supports.
Nationally accredited (NAC) specialized school (since 1952) for children ages birth-6 who are blind, visually impaired or deafblind. Provides early intervention and a preschool/kindergarten program taught by certified Teachers of the Visually Impaired (TVI), with braille and orientation-and-mobility instruction, plus speech, OT, PT, assistive technology and low-vision training to prepare children for public or private school.
CARF-accredited (15 programs) and NAEYC-accredited inclusive therapeutic preschool for children ages 1-5, pairing children with disabilities and typically developing peers. High staff-to-child ratios and an on-site team of therapists deliver integrated medical, therapeutic and educational services tailored to each child's goals. Long-standing KC pediatric rehabilitation and early-education institution.
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.
One of the highest-performing public districts in the metro, with a full continuum of special-education services and specialized autism and resource programs across its schools. Programs change year to year, so confirm current placements and services with the district.
A large, established Kansas district operating self-contained, resource, and specialized autism programs alongside related services (speech, OT, PT). Programs and staffing change year to year, so confirm current offerings with the district.
An established metro district with a structured special-education department offering IEP services, specialized classrooms, and related therapies across its schools. Programs change year to year, so verify current placements with the district.
A large Missouri-side district with a long-running special-education department providing IEP services, specialized programs, and related services. Programs change year to year, so confirm current offerings with the district.
A well-regarded Missouri district with an established special-education and student-services department offering a continuum of placements, IEP services, and related therapies. Programs change year to year, so verify current services with the district.
An Overland Park assessment practice led by board-certified pediatric neuropsychologist Sandi Isaacson, Ph.D., ABPdN, with licensed psychologist Avner Stern, Ph.D., specializing in psychoeducational and neuropsychological evaluation of learning disabilities, ADHD, and autism in children and teens.
An Overland Park center providing comprehensive psychological, ADHD, autism, and dyslexia/learning-disorder evaluations for children, teens, and adults.
A licensed child psychologist in Leawood offering ADHD, autism, dyslexia/learning-disability, and psychological-behavioral evaluations for children.
An Overland Park practice providing cognitive, behavioral, and neuropsychological testing to diagnose autism spectrum disorders, ADHD, and learning disorders (dyslexia, dyscalculia, dysgraphia) in children and adolescents.
Children's Mercy Kansas City's neuropsychology team (with an ABCN/ABPP-aligned fellowship) and its Autism Clinic provide comprehensive developmental and neuropsychological evaluation of learning disabilities, ADHD, and autism for children ages 1–17 — the region's leading pediatric hospital.
On the Kansas side, KU Medical Center provides pediatric neuropsychological and developmental evaluation — an academic option for assessing learning, attention, and autism concerns for families in Johnson and Wyandotte counties.
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.
A Kansas City dyslexia-remediation practice founded in 2013 providing one-on-one structured-literacy tutoring using the Barton Reading and Spelling program (an Orton-Gillingham approach) by trained, certified dyslexia specialists.
Dr. Stacy Cates, SLP.D., CCC-SLP, and Dr. Amy Burns, SLP.D., CCC-SLP, founded Kansas City Speech Professionals (Leawood, KS) in 2014, offering evidence-based Orton-Gillingham reading and dyslexia intervention alongside speech-language therapy — doctoral-level clinicians serving the entire KC metro (Overland Park, Prairie Village, Olathe).
The Academy's directory lists accredited Orton-Gillingham practitioners across the Kansas City metro — 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.
Founded in 2010 and grown into one of Kansas City's largest ABA providers, offering center-based and field-based Applied Behavior Analysis for children with autism, directed by Board Certified Behavior Analysts (BCBAs) with RBT support.
A clinician-owned ABA practice established in 2014, serving children on the autism spectrum in Missouri and Kansas with evidence-based Applied Behavior Analysis led by Board Certified Behavior Analysts; the practice has trained and credentialed multiple BCBAs.
A hospital-based pediatric rehabilitation program established in 1980, providing early and intensive speech-language pathology (CCC-SLP), occupational therapy (OTR/L), and physical therapy for infants through school-aged children with autism and developmental delays.
A pediatric therapy practice providing speech-language therapy from an ASHA-certified Speech-Language Pathologist (CCC-SLP) and occupational therapy from a board-certified pediatric/adolescent OT, serving children with autism, apraxia, and language delays.
A BHCOE-reaccredited ABA provider and member of the Council of Autism Service Providers, offering clinic-based applied behavior analysis and autism screenings for children across the KC metro.
A BHCOE-accredited ABA provider with clinics on both sides of the metro offering play-based, center-based early-intervention ABA and parent coaching for young autistic children ages 2–6.
A BHCOE-accredited ABA provider delivering applied behavior analysis to children with autism ages 18 months through 14 across the Kansas City metro.
A pediatric therapy group with three KC-area clinics providing occupational, physical, speech, feeding, and play-based therapy for children from infancy through adolescence, including autism, ADHD, and sensory needs.
A pediatric therapy practice with clinics in Overland Park, Olathe, and Liberty providing speech-language, occupational, feeding, and music therapy using a DIRFloortime, relationship-based approach for children with developmental and sensory needs.
An Olathe nonprofit (since 1972) offering pediatric speech-language and occupational therapy for children ages 18 months–14, plus autism-focused services through its Trellis Center and outpatient mental-health care.
A BHCOE-accredited ABA provider (Overland Park) and member of the Council of Autism Service Providers, serving families across the Kansas City metro — clinic-based applied behavior analysis for children with autism, accredited for clinical quality.
A BHCOE-accredited ABA provider with centers serving both sides of the metro (Lenexa/Overland Park, KS and Kansas City, MO) — play-based, center-based early intervention for young autistic children.
The Behavioral Health Center of Excellence directory lists accredited ABA providers across the Kansas City metro (including The Behavior Project and Autism Services of Kansas) — the real quality bar for autism therapy.
Children's Therapy Services (Overland Park, KS), a woman-owned clinic established in 2002, is owned by speech-language pathologist Tara Krause, with Dana Nagel, OTR leading occupational therapy. They offer speech and OT plus on-staff autism/ADHD evaluation for children of all ages across the KC metro.
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.
Kansas's primary autism diagnostic facility, with board-certified developmental-behavioral pediatricians and an interdisciplinary team providing autism diagnostic evaluations, behavior support, and speech-language services on the KS side.
Children's Mercy's Developmental and Behavioral Health division and Autism Clinic provide expert diagnosis and management of autism, ADHD, and developmental concerns by board-certified developmental-behavioral pediatricians and psychologists — serving both states.
The American Academy of Pediatrics' directory helps you find board-certified developmental-behavioral pediatricians across the Kansas City metro — the credential to verify for a formal autism or ADHD diagnosis.
A school-law firm with a Kansas City office representing families in IEP development and defense, IDEA compliance, and due-process hearings.
The Council of Parent Attorneys and Advocates' directory lists active, vetted special-education advocates and attorneys serving the Kansas City metro on both sides of the state line — the field's real professional standard.
Both states' parent centers offer free trained parent mentors to help you prepare for and understand IEP meetings — MPACT (MO) and Families Together (KS). A respected free alternative to hiring a private advocate first.
Free civil legal help for income-eligible families is available on both sides — Legal Aid of Western Missouri (MO) and Kansas Legal Services (KS) — a no-cost route to legal assistance, including some education and benefits matters.
The University of Kansas Medical Center's Hearing & Speech clinics (and KU's Schiefelbusch Speech-Language-Hearing Clinic) offer low-cost evaluation and therapy for children with communication and autism-related needs — delivered by graduate clinicians under ASHA-certified supervisors.
The Autism Society of the Heartland provides free information, referrals, and support groups for Kansas City-area families affected by autism — a warm, no-cost community resource alongside clinical services.
For children birth to 3, free developmental evaluations and early-intervention therapies are available through Missouri First Steps and Kansas tiny-k — the earliest, no-barrier place to start.
For children birth to 3, free developmental evaluations and early-intervention services (speech, OT, PT, developmental) are available through Missouri First Steps on the MO side and Kansas Infant-Toddler Services (tiny-k, ksits.org) on the KS side. The earliest, no-barrier place to start.
Each state's federally mandated protection & advocacy agency gives free legal information and advocacy when a child's special-education rights are denied — Missouri Protection & Advocacy Services (MO) and the Disability Rights Center of Kansas (drckansas.org, KS). A powerful free resource before you pay anyone.
Both states have a federally funded Parent Training and Information Center offering free IEP/504 help, training, and one-on-one support — MPACT (Missouri Parents Act) on the MO side and Families Together, Inc. (familiestogetherinc.org) on the KS side. A great first call.
Federally funded and free — they help Missouri families understand their rights, the IEP/504 process, evaluations, and meetings. A great first call.
Missouri'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 Kansas City?
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 Kansas City?
A New Story lists credential-vetted schools, evaluators, therapists, advocates, and the free public programs and parent centers in Kansas — searchable by ZIP, and free forever.