Miami is a deeply bilingual city, and culturally responsive, Spanish-speaking help matters here. This is Miami's own directory, ranked by real credentials (ABPP, BHCOE, Orton-Gillingham accreditation, COPAA, board-certification) — never by reviews or who pays — with bilingual and Spanish-speaking options flagged throughout. Start with the free Florida 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 →
Fully accredited independent school operating since 1968, specializing in grades 4-12 for students with learning challenges including ADHD, dyslexia, and high-functioning autism with small classes and individualized plans.
Specialized school and program for students on the autism spectrum and with related social/communication disabilities, using ABA-based behavior and occupational therapy and a Positive Discipline model.
Accredited school combining academics with on-site clinical therapies, offering general and special education plus a dedicated Autism Center for students from Pre-K through 12th grade.
Nonprofit K-12 special education school delivering individualized instruction integrating technology and therapeutic supports for children with varying exceptionalities, including autism and intellectual disabilities.
K-12 school providing comprehensive educational and therapeutic programs for children with physical, cognitive, emotional, and social disabilities, operating since 2005 with multiple Miami-area campuses.
A 60+ year accredited private day school for students of average-to-superior intellect with dyslexia and related language-based learning differences, using the Orton-Gillingham-based McGlannan Method.
A Miami-Dade K-8 day school specializing in language-based learning differences (including dyslexia) with individualized, research-based instruction — Miami's only IB program of its kind.
A Miami special-education school supporting students with a wide range of learning differences — autism, ADHD, and dyslexia — with small classes, veteran special-needs teachers, and life-skills programming.
A Cognia-accredited school for children with autism (founded by autism parents) — intensive ABA-based instruction across early-intervention, academy, vocational, and adult programs.
The University of Miami's Debbie School (at the Mailman Center) provides early-childhood education for young children with developmental disabilities, including autism and hearing loss — research-grounded, interdisciplinary teaching.
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.
Tuition-free Miami-Dade County Public Schools specialized choice program established in 2009, the county's first dedicated autism choice school, using intensive communication and multisensory methods. Programs change year to year.
The district's Exceptional Student Education division provides free IEP-driven services across schools, including autism support classrooms, EBD programs, and specialized centers. Offerings and placements change year to year.
District-wide autism support spanning Pre-K through transition, with multisensory ASD classrooms, TEACCH-model Pre-K programs, and community-based instruction at the secondary level. Free to residents; programs change year to year.
Free district program providing therapeutic, structured settings for students with emotional/behavioral disabilities through dedicated center schools and school-based clusters. Programs change year to year.
Free prekindergarten program for children with disabilities, including inclusive autism settings that pair typically developing peers with children on the spectrum using evidence-based, data-driven instruction. Programs change year to year.
State-funded, university-based center (collaboration of UM and Nova Southeastern) offering free consultation, support, and guidance toward diagnosis for individuals with autism and related disabilities of all ages across the region.
A South Miami practice offering a full suite of child evaluations — ADHD, psychoeducational, developmental, gifted/IQ, and autism assessment using ADOS-2 and MIGDAS-2 standardized tools. Bilingual clinicians available.
A Miami team of licensed clinical psychologists doing tailored psychological, ADHD, gifted/IQ, and psychoeducational evaluations for children, teens, and adults across the Coral Gables / Brickell / Doral area.
A Coral Gables Medical Plaza practice led by Aldrich Chan, PsyD, providing neuropsychological evaluations and cognitive rehabilitation. Confirm pediatric/age range and board certification when you book.
Nicklaus Children's Neuroscience Institute includes board-certified neuropsychology led by Brandon Korman, PhD, ABPP, plus bilingual (English/Spanish) pediatric neuropsychologists such as Kayleen Ball, PsyD and Yadira Mir, PsyD — evaluations for autism, ADHD, and learning disorders.
A Coral Gables bilingual (Spanish/English) child neuropsychologist, Nicklaus-fellowship-trained, with extensive experience evaluating ADHD, autism, genetic disorders, and learning disorders. Confirm ABPP board certification when you book.
The Hispanic Neuropsychological Society's directory helps you find bilingual, bicultural neuropsychologists — the right credential and the right language for an accurate evaluation of a Spanish-speaking child.
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.
Provides Orton-Gillingham instruction for struggling readers, including those with dyslexia, in individual and small-group settings.
A South Florida dyslexia learning center whose specialists are trained in the Orton-Gillingham method, serving Miami-Dade, Broward, Palm Beach, and Monroe counties.
A South Florida reading and dyslexia practice led by a Certified Academic Language Practitioner and Structured Literacy/Dyslexia Interventionist trained in Orton-Gillingham, remediating dyslexia and language-based learning difficulties.
The Academy's directory lists accredited Orton-Gillingham practitioners across Miami — 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.
ABA provider with board-certified behavior analysts (BCBAs) and trained therapists delivering evidence-based, individualized autism therapy across in-home, clinic, and telehealth settings in Miami and South Florida.
ABA therapy practice founded and led by a BCBA with 20+ years of experience, providing individualized behavior-analytic services to Miami families since 2004.
Led by a Florida-licensed, ASHA-certified speech-language pathologist with autism specialty certification (ASDCS), providing bilingual pediatric speech-language therapy for children ages 0-17 in Coral Gables and across Miami.
Long-standing clinic (30+ years) with bilingual certified, licensed speech-language pathologists and registered occupational therapists diagnosing and treating pediatric speech, language, and developmental disorders.
A therapist-owned Coral Gables pediatric practice with state-licensed, bilingual occupational and speech-language therapists offering diagnostic and therapeutic services and developmental screenings.
A Miami pediatric therapy and family-wellness center with bilingual therapists across speech-language, occupational, physical therapy, and psychology.
A BHCOE-accredited provider delivering center-based ABA therapy for young children (ages 1-6) with autism in a preschool-like setting with individualized treatment plans.
A BHCOE-accredited ABA provider serving Miami — evidence-based 1:1 ABA in home, community, center, and telehealth — accredited for clinical quality, not chosen by ad spend.
A BHCOE-accredited ABA provider serving Miami — evidence-based 1:1 ABA in home, community, center, and telehealth — accredited for clinical quality, not chosen by ad spend.
A bilingual pediatric practice providing speech-language and occupational therapy in English and Spanish — supporting children with autism, developmental delays, and sensory needs.
The Behavioral Health Center of Excellence directory lists accredited ABA providers across Miami (such as ABA Pro Support and Sunshine Behavioral Health, which provides full Spanish-language ABA) — the real quality bar.
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 (filter for bilingual).
A University of Miami specialty clinic dedicated to in-depth autism evaluations, providing diagnostic and therapeutic services for individuals with ASD and related challenges.
The University of Miami Mailman Center (a top-10 U.S. program for neurodevelopmental disabilities) offers board-certified developmental-behavioral pediatrics and full interdisciplinary evaluations — with bilingual clinicians across its ten disciplines.
Nicklaus Children's developmental-behavioral pediatricians (including the Dan Marino Outpatient Center) diagnose and treat autism, ADHD, and developmental concerns with a family-centered, often bilingual team.
A special-education law firm founded by parents of a child with special needs, offering IEP consultations, file reviews, representation at IEP meetings and due-process hearings, and expert testimony across Florida.
Independent advocacy by a certified K-12 special-education teacher and former Miami-Dade special-education coordinator (COPAA member) — IEP/504 representation, evaluation help, goal monitoring, and behavior-plan support.
A South Florida independent IEP advocate serving Miami-Dade and surrounding counties, available by video and willing to travel across South Florida for meetings.
Free civil legal help for income-eligible families, including some education and benefits matters, with Spanish-speaking staff — a no-cost route to legal assistance.
The Council of Parent Attorneys and Advocates' directory lists active, vetted special-education advocates and attorneys serving Miami — the field's real professional standard.
Legal Services of Greater Miami provides free civil legal help to income-eligible families — a no-cost route to legal assistance, including some education and benefits matters, with Spanish-speaking staff.
Florida's Department of Education offers free dispute-resolution options for special education — facilitated IEP meetings, mediation, state complaints, and due process — a no-cost path when you disagree with your district.
NSU Health's clinic (Davie) treats children's speech, language, and communication delays at low cost, delivered by supervised graduate clinicians — and it has bilingual (Spanish) specialists.
Florida's FDLRS network provides free child screenings, evaluations, and parent support to help identify learning and developmental needs and connect families to school services.
For children birth to 3, Florida's Early Steps provides developmental evaluations and therapies at free or sliding-scale cost — the earliest, no-barrier place to start.
For children birth to 3, Florida's Early Steps provides developmental evaluations and therapies at free or sliding-scale cost. The earliest, no-barrier place to start if you have any concern about your baby or toddler.
Florida's federally mandated protection & advocacy agency — free legal information, a special-education helpline, and representation when a child's rights are denied. A powerful free resource before you pay anyone.
Florida's federally funded Parent Training and Information Center — free help understanding your rights, the IEP/504 process, evaluations, and meetings (Spanish available). A great first call.
Federally funded and free — they help Florida families understand their rights, the IEP/504 process, evaluations, and meetings. A great first call.
Florida'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 Miami?
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 Miami?
A New Story lists credential-vetted schools, evaluators, therapists, advocates, and the free public programs and parent centers in Florida — searchable by ZIP, and free forever.