San Antonio is a deeply bilingual city, and culturally responsive, Spanish-speaking help matters here. This is San Antonio'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 Texas 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 private middle and high school (grades 6-12) built on one-to-one teaching for students with learning, social, or emotional differences. Accredited by Cognia, which includes SACS CASI.
Full-day structured day-treatment and educational program for children ages 3-21 on the autism spectrum, built on applied behavior analysis and staffed by special-education certified teachers focusing on language, social, academic, and functional-living skills.
A year-round San Antonio K–12 private school for children with different learning styles — dyslexia, anxiety, high-functioning autism, and other learning needs — offering special education, general education, and gifted-and-talented tracks.
Since 1985, The Winston School San Antonio has provided college-prep education to bright students with dyslexia, dysgraphia, dyscalculia, ADHD, and language-based learning differences — ISAS-accredited, an IDA member, with an 8:1 ratio.
The Autism Treatment Center provides school and therapeutic services for children and adults with autism in San Antonio — a long-standing Texas nonprofit serving the lifespan.
Navigate Life Texas (a state resource, in English and Spanish) helps families find special-education schools, services, and supports across San Antonio — the verified way to locate the right placement.
Part of the Autism Treatment Center of Texas (founded 1976), the San Antonio campus runs a Texas Education Agency-certified, year-round educational program for students with autism and related disorders, ages 3-22. Low student-to-teacher ratios, an adapted/individualized curriculum tied to each student's educational goals, and wraparound therapeutic and residential supports. Licensed/certified by TEA, Texas DARS, and the Texas Department of Labor — a long-established, credentialed specialized school rather than a tutoring center.
A tuition-free Texas public charter school operated by Responsive Education Solutions, opened in 2010 and dedicated exclusively to young children on the autism spectrum (ages ~3-7) with a focus on early, intensive intervention. Maximum class size of seven students with specialized staff. As a TEA-authorized open-enrollment charter it operates under full state oversight — a credentialed, disability-specific public option for early learners.
San Antonio's first public charter school dedicated entirely to dyslexic learners, approved by the Texas State Board of Education through the Generation 28 charter process and opened Fall 2024. Tuition-free, structured-literacy-centered (Orton-Gillingham aligned) instruction with classes capped at 12 so teachers can deliver diagnostic, strength-based reading instruction. Currently serving the early elementary grades and expanding upward. A state-authorized, disability-specific charter rather than a private tutoring program.
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.
One of the metro's largest districts with a long-established special-education department offering self-contained, resource, and inclusion programs plus specialized services for autism, deaf/hard-of-hearing, and visual impairment from birth to age 22. Programs change year to year.
The largest district in the region, with a comprehensive special-education department, dyslexia services, and an annual special-education community resource fair. Programs change year to year.
Small, high-performing district whose Educational Development Center coordinates individualized special-education services emphasizing parent involvement and transition to self-reliance. Programs change year to year.
Tuition-free open-enrollment public charter school designed specifically for young children on the autism spectrum. Programs change year to year.
Hospital-based multidisciplinary autism evaluation (4-8 hours) combining neurodevelopmental pediatrics, neuropsychology, audiology, speech-language pathology, occupational therapy, and social work. Referral from the child's physician required.
Provides comprehensive autism diagnostic evaluations for young children under the direction of a licensed clinical psychologist, paired with on-site ABA and developmental services.
Dr. April Abrego, PsyD, provides comprehensive neuropsychological and psychological evaluations for children, teens, and young adults navigating attention, learning, behavior, and developmental concerns — with feedback and tailored recommendations.
A San Antonio practice offering comprehensive psychological and psychoeducational evaluations for children and teens — autism, ADHD, learning disorders, and academic functioning — using research-based, normed instruments.
UT Health San Antonio's neuropsychology program — board-certified faculty Jeremy Davis, PsyD, ABPP and A. Campbell Sullivan, PsyD, ABPP — serves Latinx and Spanish-speaking communities with bilingual evaluations for learning, attention, and neurodevelopmental conditions.
Gilbert Martinez, PhD, ABPP-CN — board-certified in clinical neuropsychology — provides comprehensive private evaluations for learning disabilities, ADHD, and autism in San Antonio.
A multidisciplinary San Antonio team (neuropsychologists, psychometrists, counselors) offering specialized bilingual (English/Spanish) neuropsychological services. Confirm the evaluator's ABPP board certification when you book.
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.
A San Antonio nonprofit delivering scientifically-based, multisensory Take Flight dyslexia instruction (reading, comprehension, handwriting, spelling) at no charge to families with a dyslexic child.
Founded by Deborah Restaino, CALT, this practice provides one-on-one Certified Academic Language Therapy and Scottish Rite Take Flight dyslexia intervention to San Antonio-area families, in person and online.
The Academy's directory lists accredited Orton-Gillingham practitioners across San Antonio — the gold-standard credential for a private dyslexia tutor, verified by training rather than advertising (Winston SA is an IDA member school).
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- and home-based applied behavior analysis for children with autism, delivered under Board Certified Behavior Analyst supervision; nationally operating provider serving San Antonio.
Group practice of licensed speech-language pathologists (CCC-SLP), occupational therapists (OTR/L), physical therapists, and educational diagnosticians serving children in clinic, school, and home settings.
Pediatric-only clinic providing individualized occupational, physical, and speech-language therapy by licensed clinicians who pursue year-round continuing education across developmental specialties.
Clinic- and home-based pediatric speech, occupational, and physical therapy for children from birth through age 20, staffed by licensed therapists.
Center-based ABA therapy for autistic children (18 months–10 years) delivered by Board-Certified Behavior Analysts (BCBA) and Registered Behavior Technicians, with autism testing and social-skills support.
A San Antonio pediatric clinic staffed by CCC-SLP speech-language pathologists and occupational therapists, providing speech and OT for children with developmental and learning needs.
A BHCOE-accredited multidisciplinary San Antonio clinic offering ABA, occupational therapy, and speech therapy together for children with autism and developmental delays (ages 18 months–12).
A BHCOE-accredited ABA provider with multiple San Antonio centers (Stone Oak and more) — center- and home-based applied behavior analysis for autistic children, accredited for clinical quality.
The Behavioral Health Center of Excellence directory lists accredited ABA providers across San Antonio (such as Centria Healthcare and Behavior Frontiers) — ask each about Spanish-speaking, culturally responsive staff.
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 San Antonio developmental-behavioral pediatrics practice providing developmental screenings, ADOS-2 autism assessment, and ADHD evaluation for children 0–21 in English and Spanish, with a medical diagnosis to unlock therapy services.
Jeri Penkava, MD — board-certified in both general pediatrics and developmental-behavioral pediatrics — diagnoses and treats autism spectrum disorders, ADHD, learning differences, and behavioral challenges in San Antonio.
A San Antonio nonprofit offering autism diagnostic evaluation pathways, therapeutic services, and caregiver/education-advocacy support to help families navigate the special-education system.
UT Health San Antonio's Section of Developmental-Behavioral Pediatrics (with University Health) — board-certified developmental pediatricians diagnose and treat autism, ADHD, developmental delay, and learning concerns, and help families advocate for services.
Clarity Child Guidance Center is South Texas's only nonprofit mental-health treatment center for children ages 3–17 — diagnosis and care for the emotional and behavioral needs that often accompany autism, ADHD, and learning disabilities.
A San Antonio special-education advocacy practice (founded by Sylvia Farber) offering bilingual help navigating the IEP/ARD and 504 processes, reviewing evaluations and IEPs, and attending school meetings; payment plans available.
A husband-and-wife-led Texas special-education law firm (Kevin & Liz Shields) handling IEP/ARD disputes, 504 plans, evaluations (FIE/IEE), discipline/MDR, and due process for San Antonio families.
A COPAA-member special-education advocate with 28 years in public schools who prepares parents for and attends ARD, IEP, 504, and MDR meetings for Texas families, primarily virtually statewide.
The Council of Parent Attorneys and Advocates' directory lists active, vetted special-education advocates and attorneys serving San Antonio (some bilingual, such as 101 Advocacy) — the field's real professional standard.
A Texas special-education law firm advocating for IEPs and resolving district disputes — IDEA, Section 504, ARD representation, and due process for San Antonio families.
TRLA provides free civil legal help (including some special-education matters) to income-eligible San Antonio families, with Spanish-speaking staff — a no-cost route to legal assistance.
Our Lady of the Lake University's Harry Jersig Center provides speech, language, and hearing evaluation and therapy in English and Spanish at no or low cost — supervised graduate clinicians on OLLU's west-side campus.
Any Baby Can provides services at no cost regardless of income to San Antonio families with a child (birth–17) who has a chronic illness, disability, or developmental delay — case management, autism services, and ECI.
For children birth to 3, Texas ECI provides developmental evaluations and therapies on a sliding scale — the earliest, no-barrier place to start, with no child turned away for inability to pay.
For children birth to 3, Texas ECI provides developmental evaluations and therapies on a sliding scale — no child is turned away for inability to pay. In San Antonio, Any Baby Can and other agencies deliver ECI. The earliest, no-barrier place to start.
Texas's federally mandated protection & advocacy agency — free legal information, a special-education helpline, and representation when a child's rights are denied (Spanish available). A powerful free resource.
Texas's federally funded Parent Training and Information Center — free help understanding your rights, the IEP/ARD/504 process, evaluations, and meetings. A great first call.
Federally funded and free — they help Texas families understand their rights, the IEP/504 process, evaluations, and meetings. A great first call.
Texas'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 San Antonio?
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 San Antonio?
A New Story lists credential-vetted schools, evaluators, therapists, advocates, and the free public programs and parent centers in Texas — searchable by ZIP, and free forever.