Reno and Northern Nevada — Sparks, Carson City, Minden, Gardnerville, Fernley, and the Truckee Meadows — have strong, credentialed help for kids with special needs, anchored by the University of Nevada, Reno and its no-cost autism center. This is Reno's own yellow pages of the best, most relevant help — named experts and clinics where we can verify them, not just directories. It's ranked by real credentials (ABPP, BHCOE, Orton-Gillingham/Barton, COPAA, CCC-SLP, OTR-L, board-certification) — never by reviews or who pays. In Nevada your free front door is Nevada Early Intervention Services (birth–3), state-run, and your school district's evaluation and IEP 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 →
Licensed private school (open since 2008) run by the nonprofit Second Start, serving K-12 students on the higher end of the autism spectrum and with similar disabilities. Social-cognitive model with an 8:1 student-to-staff ratio.
Long-standing accredited independent day school (founded 1997) recognized among Nevada's top private schools offering structured academic support for students with ADD/ADHD and learning differences.
Marvin Picollo School is Washoe County School District's public specialized school serving students with significant developmental and intellectual disabilities — small classes, integrated therapies, and life-skills programming. A long-established placement for students who need a fully specialized public setting.
Washoe County School District runs specialized classrooms and autism/behavior-support programs across its schools — the placement option many families use for a more specialized public setting within the district.
A searchable directory for comparing Reno-area private and special-education school options by location, grades, and program — useful if you're seeking a specialized placement.
A Cognia-accredited, Nevada DOE-licensed therapeutic school for grades 6-12 with state-licensed teachers, serving students who need integrated academic and behavioral-health support.
The public special-education department serving Reno, offering specialized program tracks (CLS, Strategies, Social Intervention Program) plus speech, OT/PT, assistive technology, and transition services.
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.
WCSD's regional special-education center serving students with significant physical and intellectual disabilities, with a roughly 3:1 student-to-teacher ratio. Free public placement through the district. Programs change year to year.
Clinical psychology practice led by a licensed psychologist specializing in neuropsychological evaluations for ADHD, learning disabilities, dyslexia, and autism, with individually tailored diagnostic batteries.
UCAN at the University of Nevada, Reno School of Medicine provides interdisciplinary autism evaluations at no cost to families — a team of child psychiatrists, psychologists, school psychologists, an OT, SLPs, and a developmental specialist. An outstanding, rigorous, free diagnostic home for Northern Nevada.
Dr. Dosheen Cook's Reno practice provides comprehensive neuropsychological and autism assessments for children and adolescents — empirically based, school-ready evaluations. Ask about board certification (ABPP) when you call.
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 the Reno area, instead of trusting star ratings.
Brightest Little Readers uses the Orton-Gillingham approach to teach foundational reading skills and phonics to children with dyslexia in Reno — systematic, explicit, multisensory structured literacy.
Dynamic Dyslexia Tutoring delivers the Barton Reading & Spelling System — an evidence-based, Orton-Gillingham-influenced program for reading, spelling, and writing — to Reno-area students with dyslexia.
The Academy of Orton-Gillingham and the Academic Language Therapy Association list accredited O-G practitioners and CALTs across Northern Nevada — searchable near Reno, Sparks, or Carson City. 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.
One of Northern Nevada's longest-operating behavior-analytic providers (since 2006), delivering BCBA-supervised ABA services to children across the Reno area.
Team of speech-language pathologists and occupational therapists providing pediatric speech and OT across Reno, Sparks, Carson City and Northern Nevada.
Pediatric wellness center staffed by a Doctor of Occupational Therapy (OTD, OTR/L) and an ASHA-certified speech-language pathologist (CCC-SLP) serving children in Reno.
Proud Moments ABA serves Reno-area children on the autism spectrum (birth–21) with applied behavior analysis at home, in school, or in-clinic. Proud Moments carries BHCOE accreditation — the real quality marker for ABA.
The Learning Consultants is a locally, women-owned ABA provider with clinics in South Reno and Sparks, delivering applied behavior analysis for children with autism — an established Northern Nevada autism-center option.
Desert Peak Therapies provides pediatric speech-language and occupational therapy in Reno with ASHA-certified (CCC-SLP) and licensed (OTR/L) clinicians treating a broad range of disorders and delays — a well-regarded local option.
The BHCOE directory lists accredited ABA providers across Northern Nevada, ASHA ProFind lists CCC-SLP speech therapists, and AOTA lists OTR/L occupational therapists — searchable by zip so families in Sparks, Carson City, or Fernley find the nearest.
The University of Nevada, Reno School of Medicine (with Renown Children's Hospital) and its UCAN team provide developmental-behavioral evaluation and management for autism, ADHD, and complex developmental conditions — Northern Nevada's academic developmental-medicine anchor.
The American Academy of Pediatrics' directory helps you find board-certified developmental-behavioral pediatricians across the Reno area — 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 Reno area — the field's real professional standard.
Nevada PEP (Parents Encouraging Parents) is Nevada's federally funded Parent Training and Information Center — free help understanding your rights, evaluations, IEPs, 504s, and transition, with trained parent specialists. A respected statewide free resource before hiring a private advocate.
Nevada'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 University Center for Autism and Neurodevelopment provides interdisciplinary autism evaluations at no cost to Northern Nevada families — one of the best no-cost diagnostic resources anywhere in the region.
Nevada Legal Services provides free civil legal help to income-eligible families across Northern Nevada — a no-cost route to legal assistance, including some education and benefits matters.
The Northern Nevada Center for Independent Living offers free information, referral, and peer support for people with disabilities and their families across the Reno area — a no-cost local hub when you're not sure where to turn.
For children birth to 3, Nevada Early Intervention Services provides free developmental evaluations and early-intervention therapies — the earliest, no-barrier place to start in the Reno area.
For children birth to 3 with a delay or disability, Nevada Early Intervention Services provides free evaluation and services (speech, OT, PT, developmental) — the Northern Nevada office serves the Reno/Sparks region. The earliest, no-barrier place to start.
At age 3, request a special-education evaluation in writing from Washoe County School District's Special Education Student Services (or your local district). This is the free legal route to an IEP and services under IDEA.
Nevada'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 Nevada families understand their rights, the IEP/504 process, evaluations, and meetings. A great first call.
Nevada'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 Reno?
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 Reno?
A New Story lists credential-vetted schools, evaluators, therapists, advocates, and the free public programs and parent centers in Nevada — searchable by ZIP, and free forever.