San Diego has a top children's hospital with a board-certified pediatric neuropsychology service, a respected college-prep school for learning differences, and a renowned university speech clinic — but finding the genuinely excellent help near you is the hard part. This is San Diego's own credential-vetted directory of the best evaluators, schools, therapists, and doctors, plus free and low-cost options.
A great specialist across the county usually isn't practical day-to-day. Pick your area for a deeper, credential-ranked directory of the best local evaluators, schools, therapists, doctors, and advocates — each led by your free San Diego Regional Center.
✓ Every provider here is vetted by credentials, never pay-to-play. How we choose →
San Diego's premier K-8 program for students with language-based learning differences (dyslexia), using explicit/systematic structured instruction, assistive technology, and small 8:1 classes.
A WASC-accredited nonpublic school serving students with autism, emotional disability, specific learning disability, and mild/moderate intellectual disability; every teacher is special-education credentialed.
A Del Mar college-preparatory independent day school (founded 1988 by pediatricians and parents) for bright students with learning differences — small classes and an individualized, strengths-based approach.
For more options, California's certified nonpublic-school (NPS) directory lists state-approved special-education schools your district can be required to fund — verify current certification and fit.
Coeducational college-prep day school (grades 5-12) for bright students with learning differences (dyslexia, ADHD, processing/executive-function challenges). All teachers hold master's degrees in special education; all administrators are learning-differences specialists. Founded 1988 by pediatricians; 100% of graduates earn a diploma and ~70% enter college. Accredited by the Western Association of Schools and Colleges, certified by the CA Dept. of Education, and a member of NAIS and CAPSES.
Operator of CA Department of Education-certified nonpublic schools for students with learning challenges. Foundations Academy serves grades 1-12; Compass Academy (grades 2-5) is an intensive intervention program for students with dyslexia, dyscalculia, ADHD, anxiety, and language-based learning disabilities. Multiple campuses (Point Loma, Clairemont, La Mesa, Oceanside); experienced with IEPs and structured-literacy intervention. CAPSES member.
Nonpublic school operated by ACES, a national ABA provider, serving students grade 1 through transition (ages 18-22) with autism spectrum disorder and related disabilities. Established 2004. Uses Applied Behavior Analysis and evidence-based methodologies; the director and program coordinators are credentialed special educators and several staff are Board Certified Behavior Analysts (BCBAs). CA Dept. of Education certified and CAPSES member.
California nonprofit (founded 1972) operating five WASC-accredited, CA Dept. of Education-certified nonpublic, nonsectarian schools serving students ages ~3.5-22 with autism, communication, learning, social, and behavioral needs on contract with public districts. Research-based instruction; Mt. Helix Academy (TK-9) and Children's Workshop (BCBA-led, ages 3-12) anchor the network. CAPSES member.
One of San Diego's first private special-education settings for students with autism (founded 1973), operated by Vista Hill. CA Dept. of Education-certified nonpublic school serving students ages 5-22 with moderate-to-severe intellectual/developmental disabilities, autism, emotional disturbance, and behavioral challenges. Intensive staff-to-student ratio with special-education teachers, speech and occupational therapists, counselors, and psychologists; vocational and transition services. CAPSES member.
Nonpublic school of the 130-year-old San Diego Center for Children, accredited by the Western Association of Schools and Colleges. Serves students ages 5-22 with mental, emotional, and/or behavioral health challenges that have significantly impacted school performance. Every teacher is credentialed in special education; Common Core diploma-bound curriculum plus remedial reading, speech/language therapy, OT, social skills, and individual therapy. CAPSES member.
CA Dept. of Education-certified nonpublic special-education day school (ages ~5-21) operated by Specialized Education Services, Inc. (SESI). Intensive, structured, individualized program for students with learning disabilities and behavioral/emotional needs who have struggled in traditional settings; small classes aligned to IEP goals with counseling, speech and language therapy, OT, adaptive PE, and transition services. CAPSES member.
Private nonprofit, WASC-accredited school serving students (grades 6-12, plus young-adult transition) with autism spectrum disorder and similar learning differences. Authorized to serve students through the CA nonpublic-school (NPS) option for qualifying families and districts. Small class sizes, academic rigor, and a structured social-skills program. Located in Laguna Hills (south Orange County), within roughly 45 miles of North County San Diego families.
Every clinician here is board-certified (ABPP-CN) and a Diplomate of the American Board of Clinical Neuropsychology, doing diagnostic evaluations for autism, ADHD, and learning disabilities in children.
Led by Rob Gray, PhD, ABPP, board-certified in clinical neuropsychology with pediatric subspecialty, providing neuropsychological evaluations for autism, ADHD, and learning disabilities.
Elisabeth C. Thurlow, PsyD (licensed psychologist) provides comprehensive autism, ADHD, learning-disorder, and psychoeducational evaluations for all ages from a La Jolla office.
Pediatric neuropsychological testing for autism, ADHD, learning disabilities, and IEP-eligibility questions in children ages 7 and up.
D. Michael Campbell is a board-certified school neuropsychologist (ABSNP) leading comprehensive neuropsychological assessments of attention, memory, processing, executive function, and learning for children and adults.
Rady Children's pediatric neuropsychology service is led by Robert Gray, PhD, ABPP (clinical & training director), board-certified in clinical neuropsychology with pediatric subspecialty. Comprehensive, school-ready evaluations for learning disabilities, ADHD, and autism; its Developmental Evaluation Clinic has sites across San Diego County.
The American Board of Professional Psychology's directory lists clinicians who passed board certification in clinical neuropsychology — the real credential to look for in a private evaluator near you.
North County dyslexia center providing one-on-one Orton-Gillingham structured-literacy intervention, dyslexia screening, and literacy evaluations for grades K-8.
Founded by Kelli Sandman-Hurley, Ed.D., providing Orton-Gillingham and Structured Word Inquiry reading, writing, and spelling instruction for students of all ages, plus parent and tutor training.
Evidence-based one-to-one reading instruction (Lindamood Phoneme Sequencing, Seeing Stars, Visualizing and Verbalizing) for students with dyslexia, ADHD, and autism.
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 multidisciplinary autism center integrating ABA, speech-language, occupational, and music therapy plus developmental pediatrics and autism diagnostic evaluations under one roof.
BHCOE-accredited provider delivering in-home and clinic-based ABA therapy across San Diego County, with learning centers in Chula Vista and Oceanside.
A multidisciplinary provider with San Diego-area clinics integrating ABA, speech-language pathology, and occupational therapy — research-based, with personalized, family-centered care.
For more options, the BHCOE directory lists accredited ABA providers in the San Diego area — the real quality bar for choosing ABA.
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.
Rady Children's Developmental Evaluation Clinic provides comprehensive neurodevelopmental evaluations for autism, ADHD, and learning concerns, with developmental-behavioral specialists across several county locations.
UC San Diego's developmental-behavioral pediatricians evaluate and coordinate care for children with developmental delays, autism, ADHD, and learning disorders.
Advocate Karla Maldonado supports San Diego County families through eligibility, evaluations, IEP/504 meeting attendance, school observations, and IEP-implementation follow-up.
A San Diego firm focused exclusively on disability and education law — IEPs, eligibility, 504 plans, and due-process hearings — led by an attorney advocating for special-needs families since 2010.
A California special-education law firm handling IEPs, eligibility, 504 plans, due-process hearings, and federal appeals (including 9th Circuit), with a San Diego office.
The Council of Parent Attorneys and Advocates' directory lists active, vetted special-education advocates and attorneys serving the San Diego area — the field's real professional standard.
San Diego's free civil legal-aid program — for income-eligible families, a route to legal help (including some education matters) at no cost.
San Diego State University's clinic (since 1941) provides low-cost speech and language evaluation and therapy for children, with student clinicians supervised by ASHA-certified, state-licensed faculty.
For children birth to 5, First 5 San Diego's Healthy Development Services offers developmental screening, and speech, behavior, and parenting support at free or low cost — an early, no-barrier place to start.
Federally funded and free — they help California families understand their rights, the IEP/504 process, evaluations, and meetings. A great first call.
California'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 San Diego?
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 Diego?
A New Story lists credential-vetted schools, evaluators, therapists, advocates, and the free public programs and parent centers in California — searchable by ZIP, and free forever.