Little Rock and central Arkansas — North Little Rock, Conway, Benton, Bryant, Cabot, Jacksonville — have strong, credentialed help for kids with special needs, anchored by Arkansas Children's Hospital and the state's only dyslexia-dedicated school. This is Little Rock's own yellow pages of the best, most relevant help — named experts and schools where we can verify them, not just directories. It's ranked by real credentials (ABPP, BHCOE, CALT/Orton-Gillingham, COPAA, CCC-SLP, OTR-L, board-certification) — never by reviews or who pays. Arkansas has no Regional Center system, so your free front door is First Connections for birth–3 and your school district's evaluation for ages 3+ — 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 →
Cognia-accredited K-12 special-education school within the nonprofit ACCESS Group (founded 1994), serving students ages 5-21 with autism, dyslexia, language and developmental disabilities. Reading instruction uses the DuBard Association Method and Wilson, both grounded in Orton-Gillingham principles.
Independent school for students with dyslexia and other language-based learning disabilities, accredited by the Independent Schools Association of the Central States. Its program is accredited by the Academy of Orton-Gillingham, with staff trained in O-G, Multisensory Math and the Strategic Instruction Model.
Accredited private school and outpatient therapy clinic operated by Easterseals Arkansas, serving K-12 students with developmental disabilities and autism. Uses Applied Behavior Analysis-based STAR methodology with integrated speech, OT and PT services.
Long-established (60+ years) nonprofit early-childhood school in the Hillcrest area serving children from birth through age 5 with intellectual and developmental disabilities, providing therapeutic early intervention to maximize each child's potential.
The Hannah School in Little Rock is the only school in Arkansas dedicated exclusively to teaching students with dyslexia — structured-literacy instruction with full scholarships available, so cost is not a barrier to a specialized education. A remarkable local resource.
A searchable directory for comparing additional Little Rock-area private and special-education school options by location, grades, and program — useful alongside the named school above.
Accredited private day school for students with developmental disabilities, including autism, operated by Easterseals Arkansas. Blends robust academics with life-skills development and integrated outpatient therapy (speech, OT, PT) and BHCOE-accredited Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA) for enrolled students. A new west Little Rock campus opened in August 2025, expanding capacity to up to 220 students across kindergarten through 12th grade. Long-established statewide disability-services organization with a strong track record.
Central Arkansas's dedicated school for students with dyslexia and language-based learning differences, founded in 2015 (as The Hannah School) by IDA Certified Dyslexia Therapist Melissa Hannah and now operated as a Friendship Lab School. Serves kindergarten through 8th grade with a multisensory, Orton-Gillingham-based academic and therapeutic approach and small class sizes designed for struggling readers who cannot access the general-education setting. Roughly 12 miles from downtown Little Rock.
Arkansas's only public school serving students who are deaf, hard of hearing, blind, or visually impaired, located on a long-standing Little Rock campus (the formerly separate Schools for the Deaf and for the Blind & Visually Impaired were consolidated as ARDB in 2025). Provides a fully accessible academic program with certified specialist staff, residential and day options, ASL/communication access, braille and assistive technology, and wraparound services. The academic programs hold state and regional (North Central / AdvancED) accreditation.
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.
Arkansas's only state-run public school for students who are Deaf, Hard of Hearing, Blind, Visually Impaired, Deaf-Blind, or with multiple sensory needs, serving ages 3-21 via day and residential programs. Founded 1850 (Deaf) / 1859 (Blind); consolidated as ARDB in 2025. Programs change year to year.
The metro's largest district provides the full IDEA continuum of special-education and related services, including specialized autism and behavior programs and the ADE Promise Academy day-school program for high-need students. Programs and placements change year to year.
Large suburban district covering much of Pulaski County, offering district-wide special-education services and related therapies across its schools under IDEA. Specific programs and locations change year to year.
Serves the North Little Rock side of the metro with a continuum of special-education programs, evaluations and related services under IDEA. Programs change year to year.
University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences pediatric psychology section providing neuropsychological and psychological assessments for children from birth through 18, including ASD, ADHD and learning-disability evaluation by licensed psychologists.
The Dennis Developmental Center at Arkansas Children's Hospital specializes in assessing developmental conditions that affect learning — autism, developmental delay, and related concerns — with speech-language pathologists and clinical specialists on staff. The state's premier academic evaluation home.
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 central Arkansas, instead of trusting star ratings.
Beyond a school day, The Hannah School is Little Rock's hub of dyslexia expertise — structured-literacy instruction by trained staff, with scholarships that make it reachable for more families. A strong first stop for reading intervention.
The Academy of Orton-Gillingham and the Academic Language Therapy Association list accredited O-G practitioners and CALTs across central Arkansas — searchable by area near Little Rock, Conway, or Benton. The gold-standard credentials 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.
Center-based applied behavior analysis (ABA) therapy for children with autism, delivered by BCBA-supervised teams within the national LEARN Behavioral network, focusing on communication, socialization and daily-living skills with one-to-one support.
Pediatric therapy clinic providing licensed speech, occupational and physical therapy with individualized treatment plans for children from birth through 18 years.
Dorecie Renee Lenzie, M.S., CCC-SLP, owns ABC Therapy Connections in Little Rock, with 12+ years providing speech-language and occupational therapy — covering autism, early intervention, feeding, AAC, and learning disabilities. A named, nationally certified clinician leading the practice.
Kidsource Therapy provides outpatient developmental, occupational, physical, speech, and ABA therapy for children birth to 21 with delays and special needs — a multidisciplinary option with a West Little Rock location.
The BHCOE directory lists accredited ABA providers across central Arkansas, ASHA ProFind lists CCC-SLP speech therapists, and AOTA lists OTR/L occupational therapists — searchable by zip so families in Conway, Benton, or Cabot find the nearest.
The Dennis Developmental Center at Arkansas Children's diagnoses and helps manage autism, developmental delay, and learning-related developmental conditions — the state's main academic developmental medicine program.
The American Academy of Pediatrics' directory helps you find board-certified developmental-behavioral pediatricians across central Arkansas — 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 Little Rock area — the field's real professional standard.
The Arkansas PTI's trained specialists help families prepare for and understand IEP meetings at no cost — a respected, statewide free alternative to hiring a private advocate first.
Arkansas's protection & advocacy agency offers free legal information and advocacy for special-education rights — a no-cost first stop before hiring a private advocate or attorney.
The Hannah School offers full scholarships for its dyslexia-dedicated program — making a specialized, structured-literacy education reachable for families who couldn't otherwise afford private tuition. A standout no-/low-cost option in Little Rock.
For children birth to 3, First Connections provides free developmental evaluations and early-intervention supports — the earliest, no-barrier place to start in Arkansas.
The Center for Arkansas Legal Services provides free civil legal help to income-eligible families across central Arkansas — a no-cost route to legal assistance, including some education and benefits matters.
The Arkansas Disability Coalition offers free workshops and one-on-one parent support statewide — a rich free resource for families learning their rights and navigating the system.
First Connections is Arkansas's early-intervention program (DHS Division of Developmental Disabilities Services) for children birth to 3 with a delay or disability — free developmental evaluation and supports at home or in the community. Anyone can refer a child. The earliest, no-barrier place to start.
The Arkansas Parent Training and Information Center (a project of the Arkansas Disability Coalition) offers free help understanding your rights, the IEP/504 process, evaluations, and meetings — empowering parents as decision-makers and advocates. A great first call.
Arkansas's federally mandated protection & advocacy agency — 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 Arkansas families understand their rights, the IEP/504 process, evaluations, and meetings. A great first call.
Arkansas'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 Little Rock?
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 Little Rock?
A New Story lists credential-vetted schools, evaluators, therapists, advocates, and the free public programs and parent centers in Arkansas — searchable by ZIP, and free forever.