Metro Milwaukee covers four counties — Milwaukee, Waukesha, Ozaukee, and Washington — and far more than downtown: Wauwatosa, West Allis, Waukesha, Brookfield, Mequon, Oak Creek, West Bend, Pewaukee. This directory is built so a family ANYWHERE in metro Milwaukee can find genuinely excellent help nearby, not just options clustered downtown. It's ranked by real credentials (ABPP, BHCOE, Orton-Gillingham/IMSLEC accreditation, COPAA, board-certification) — never by reviews or who pays. Start with the free Wisconsin options (Birth to 3 is run by your county), 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 →
Parent-founded nonprofit day school serving neurodivergent students ages 5-21 (autism, dyslexia and related profiles), acting as the official school of record with an individualized whole-person model. Founded 2017 with a specialized special-education teaching staff.
Nonprofit, nonsectarian day school serving students grades 3-12 and young adults 18-21 with intellectual and developmental disabilities, providing each student an individualized program. Has educated this population since 1956.
Independent college-prep school whose Academic Resource Center supports students with dyslexia, autism, executive-function and language-processing needs through specialists in communication sciences and special education. Fully accredited by the Independent Schools Association of the Central States (ISACS) and a National Association of Independent Schools member.
A nonprofit serving children with autism, cerebral palsy, Down syndrome, ADHD, sensory and motor delays, and rare conditions — early-childhood special education, a Birth to 3 program, psychology services, and on-site OT, PT, and speech therapy.
A nonprofit founded by people with dyslexia offering dyslexia screening, language/math/written-expression remediation, distance learning (WILDD Global), and CLASS teacher-certification — with free consultations and financial-assistance pathways.
Kradwell School (Wauwatosa) serves students with dyslexia, ADD/ADHD, autism spectrum disorder, and other learning and emotional challenges — flexible, individualized instruction for students who need an alternative to a traditional classroom.
WI FACETS can help you compare additional metro-Milwaukee school options for dyslexia, autism, and learning differences at no cost — including district special-education programs and Wisconsin's open-enrollment and special-needs scholarship options.
The Wisconsin branch of the International Dyslexia Association lists vetted dyslexia schools, programs, and trained tutors across metro Milwaukee — a credible way to find structured-literacy options beyond Kradwell.
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.
The district's special-education department provides free IEP-driven services across all disability categories, including dedicated autism programming and comprehensive special-education units at designated schools. Programs change year to year, so confirm current placements and capacity with the district.
Milwaukee Public Schools' autism-specific specialized services support the academic and behavioral needs of students on the spectrum within the public system at no cost to families. Availability and locations of comprehensive units vary by year; verify placement options directly.
Academic medical-center neuropsychology division at Froedtert and Children's Wisconsin offering diagnostic evaluation to aid diagnosis and direct treatment for children and adults, including autism, ADHD and learning disabilities. University-affiliated, board-certified clinicians.
University-based psychological-services clinic providing autism-related assessment through Marquette's clinical training program, supervised by licensed psychologists. A lower-cost, credentialed option affiliated with the university.
Dr. Kate McGravey leads comprehensive neuropsychological evaluations assessing learning, cognition, and mental health — ADHD, autism, and learning disabilities in children, adolescents, and young adults — plus therapy and IEP consultation, on the west side of the metro.
A clinical team of a licensed psychologist, BCBAs, and licensed counselors providing diagnostic evaluations, psychological assessments, ABA, outpatient counseling, and Parent-Child Interaction Therapy (PCIT) for children with autism and related needs.
The Medical College of Wisconsin's pediatric neuropsychology division at Children's Wisconsin — led by Amy Heffelfinger, PhD, ABPP and six pediatric neuropsychologists — evaluates learning disabilities, ADHD, and autism, with a Preschool & Infant (P.I.N.T.) clinic for children under 6 and a dedicated Autism Clinic.
A private pediatric neuropsychology practice in Pewaukee (Waukesha County) — comprehensive evaluation of autism, ADHD, and learning disabilities, important coverage for families on the western side of the metro.
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 (in Brookfield, Mequon, or Oak Creek), instead of trusting star ratings.
Part of the Scottish Rite-supported national network, the Children's Dyslexia Center of Milwaukee (790 N. Van Buren St.) provides free, multi-year Orton-Gillingham tutoring by certified instructors — IMSLEC-accredited and IDA-recognized. One of the best no-cost reading resources in the metro.
Cy Simonsgaard, M.Ed., is a Certified Academic Language Therapist with a master's in multisensory reading education and 700+ hours of Orton-Gillingham training (Atlantic Seaboard Dyslexia Education Center). With 12+ years of experience, Milwaukee Dyslexia provides structured multisensory instruction for students who couldn't learn to read through traditional school methods.
The Academy's directory lists accredited Orton-Gillingham practitioners across metro Milwaukee — searchable by area so you can find one near Waukesha, Mequon, or Oak Creek. The gold-standard credential 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.
Applied Behavior Analysis program led by Board Certified Behavior Analysts who build and oversee individualized treatment plans, offering pre-intensive, intensive and ongoing ABA. Part of the long-established Easterseals disability-services network.
Provides diagnostic evaluations and personalized, BCBA-supervised ABA therapy for children as young as 12 months at its Milwaukee center. Combines early diagnosis with individualized behavior treatment.
Century-old therapy organization (the birthplace of occupational therapy in Milwaukee) delivering pediatric occupational, physical and speech therapy with individualized treatment plans. CMS-certified and the largest Birth-to-Three provider in Wisconsin.
A BHCOE-accredited ABA provider (current 2025 full accreditation) with learning centers in Brookfield and Mequon — naturalistic, play-based applied behavior analysis covering the west (Waukesha County) and north (Ozaukee County) sides of the metro.
A long-established, evidence-based ABA provider (now part of LEARN Behavioral) serving the Milwaukee area for over 30 years — contemporary applied behavior analysis in learning centers, home, school, and via telehealth for children with autism.
A pediatric rehabilitation practice focused on sensory processing, autism, ADHD, developmental delays, and neurological/visual challenges — offering sensory integration, aquatic therapy, and therapeutic listening for children.
A Milwaukee nonprofit and Milwaukee County Birth to 3 provider offering occupational, physical, and speech therapy to infants and young children, plus autism services and a young-child mental-health clinic (ages 0–6).
A BHCOE-accredited ABA provider with learning centers in Brookfield and Mequon — naturalistic, play-based applied behavior analysis covering the west (Waukesha County) and north (Ozaukee County) sides of the metro, accredited for clinical quality.
A BHCOE-accredited ABA provider serving the Milwaukee area (and West Bend) — a long-established, evidence-based applied behavior analysis program for children with autism, accredited for clinical quality rather than ad spend.
The Behavioral Health Center of Excellence directory lists accredited ABA providers across metro Milwaukee (including Early Autism Services and Total Spectrum) — searchable by zip so a family in West Allis, Oak Creek, or West Bend finds the nearest accredited center.
Dawn Wilson is an ASHA board-certified speech-language pathologist and founder of Speech Specialists Milwaukee (Whitefish Bay), providing pediatric speech and language therapy for children across the Milwaukee area.
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, searchable anywhere in metro Milwaukee.
Children's Wisconsin's developmental pediatrics team and Autism Clinic (with the Medical College of Wisconsin) provide expert diagnosis and management of autism, ADHD, and developmental concerns — board-certified care at the region's leading children's hospital.
The American Academy of Pediatrics' directory helps you find board-certified developmental-behavioral pediatricians across metro Milwaukee — the credential to verify for a formal autism or ADHD diagnosis.
Founder Sarah Whaley is a former general and special-education teacher (CESA-certified, Nationally Certified Deafblind Intervener) who guides families on services, teaching methods, and behavior strategies — with focus on autism, ADHD, developmental delays, emotional/behavioral, and complex needs at the elementary level.
The Council of Parent Attorneys and Advocates' directory lists active, vetted special-education advocates and attorneys serving metro Milwaukee — the field's real professional standard.
A Wisconsin special-education law practice (attorneys Zachary Meinen and Ally Seneczko) providing IEP advocacy and representation for children with disabilities — legal help when a district isn't meeting its obligations.
Legal Action of Wisconsin provides free civil legal help to income-eligible families across the Milwaukee region — a no-cost route to legal assistance, including some education and benefits matters.
The University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee's Speech & Language Clinic provides low-cost speech-language evaluation and therapy for children — delivered by graduate clinicians under licensed, ASHA-certified supervisors. (Marquette University also operates a speech and hearing clinic.)
The Autism Society of Southeastern Wisconsin provides free information, referrals, and family support across metro Milwaukee — connecting families to vetted local autism services alongside clinical care.
For children birth to 3, Wisconsin's Birth to 3 Program provides free developmental evaluations and early-intervention therapies through your county's program — the earliest, no-barrier place to start.
For children birth to 3, Wisconsin's Birth to 3 Program provides free developmental evaluation and early-intervention services (speech, OT, PT, developmental) — run county by county, so a family in Waukesha, Mequon, or West Bend reaches their own county's program (Milwaukee County: (414) 289-6799). The earliest, no-barrier place to start.
Wisconsin's federally mandated protection & advocacy agency, with a Milwaukee office — free information, rights coaching, and limited legal advocacy when a child's special-education rights are denied. A powerful free resource before you pay anyone.
Wisconsin's federally funded Parent Training and Information Center — free information and referral, workshops, IEP-process modules, individual assistance, and support groups for families across the state. A great first call.
Federally funded and free — they help Wisconsin families understand their rights, the IEP/504 process, evaluations, and meetings. A great first call.
Wisconsin'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 Milwaukee?
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 Milwaukee?
A New Story lists credential-vetted schools, evaluators, therapists, advocates, and the free public programs and parent centers in Wisconsin — searchable by ZIP, and free forever.