Manhattan has extraordinary special-education resources — if you know which are genuinely excellent and which are nearby. Below is a full, credential-vetted directory of the best providers in Manhattan — named, credential-vetted, and including free and sliding-scale options.
✓ Every provider here is vetted by credentials, never pay-to-play. How we choose →
A renowned school for students with dyslexia and language-based learning disabilities, built on explicit Orton-Gillingham instruction — with ~98% of students transitioning back to mainstream schools. Manhattan and White Plains.
A well-established PreK–8 school on the Upper West Side for bright children with learning differences — from ADHD to language and reading delays — with individualized, multisensory teaching.
A leading school (Chelsea) for students with learning disabilities, executive-function/ADHD challenges, and non-verbal learning disorder, known for its individualized, continuous-feedback model.
A grades 1-9 independent school exclusively for students with dyslexia and other language-based learning disabilities, using a multisensory Orton-Gillingham-based reading program.
A K-12 college-preparatory day school for students with dyslexia, dysgraphia, dyscalculia and other language-based learning disabilities, with built-in speech and occupational therapy.
A private school for children and young adults with autism spectrum disorder that delivers a transdisciplinary, applied-behavior-analysis (ABA) teaching model.
A Chelsea-based school serving students with autism from preschool through age 21 with a one-to-one student-teacher ratio rooted in applied behavior analysis.
A BCBA-led applied-behavior-analysis school for students ages 5-15 with autism, providing integrated speech, occupational, physical therapy and counseling.
A tuition-free public charter school for students with autism offering individualized, evidence-based instruction grounded in ABA with a 1:1 teacher-student ratio in most classrooms.
The citywide public special-education district serving students with autism, significant cognitive delays, emotional disabilities and sensory impairments, including ABA-based AIMS programs at Manhattan sites.
District-based public-school programs (available in Manhattan community schools) that support autistic learners through structured inclusion (Nest) and specialized small-class instruction (Horizon).
A K-12 Quaker college-preparatory day school for students with learning disabilities using Orton-Gillingham (PAF), Hochman writing and Structural Arithmetic, a short subway ride from Manhattan.
The renowned NYU Child Study Center — board-certified neuropsychologists providing comprehensive, school-ready evaluations for learning disabilities, ADHD, and autism.
Comprehensive neuropsychological and educational assessments for children and teens within one of the nation's leading academic medical centers.
A board-certified clinician offering comprehensive psychoeducational and neuropsychological assessments in Manhattan and Westchester — thorough evaluations with reports built for the school process.
The Academy's directory lists accredited Orton-Gillingham practitioners — the gold-standard credential for a private dyslexia tutor near you.
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.
A BHCOE-accredited ABA provider serving children birth–21 across NYC (home, school, and center-based), with credentialed BCBAs and individualized autism programming.
An internationally recognized pediatric speech and feeding therapy center (Park Ave & Union Square) with experienced CCC-SLP clinicians.
A pediatric speech and occupational therapy practice with a specialized sensory gym and PROMPT-trained therapists — speech, articulation, fluency, feeding, and sensory-motor support.
For more options, the Behavioral Health Center of Excellence directory lists every BHCOE-accredited ABA provider in NYC — the real quality bar for choosing ABA.
Dr. Jennifer Cross is board-certified in developmental-behavioral pediatrics and a Castle Connolly Top Doctor — comprehensive evaluation and diagnosis for autism, ADHD, and developmental concerns.
Board-certified developmental-behavioral pediatricians (with a dedicated ADHD clinic) who diagnose and manage autism, ADHD, and learning disorders — the medical anchor for a strong IEP.
A long-established NYC special-education advocacy practice that helps families through evaluations, IEPs, school placement, and the city's complex process.
NYC and Westchester special-education attorneys who handle IEP disputes, due process, and private-school tuition-reimbursement claims — central to how many NYC families get the right placement.
For more options, the Council of Parent Attorneys and Advocates' directory lists active, vetted special-education advocates and attorneys serving New York.
Columbia's Teachers College training clinic provides psychoeducational and neuropsychological assessments on a sliding scale that can go remarkably low — gold-standard testing made genuinely affordable.
Ferkauf Graduate School's psychology training clinic offers psychoeducational evaluations on a sliding-scale basis and states it will never turn away a family for financial reasons.
Federally funded and free — they help New York families understand their rights, the IEP/504 process, evaluations, and meetings. A great first call.
New York's protection & advocacy agency — free legal-rights information and help if your child's rights are being denied.
When you’re ready, an expert can review your child’s IEP and build your plan. See how it works →
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How do I start the special-education process in Manhattan?
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 Manhattan?
A New Story lists credential-vetted schools, evaluators, therapists, advocates, and the free public programs and parent centers in New York — searchable by ZIP, and free forever.