The San Gabriel Valley — Pasadena, Glendale, Arcadia, Alhambra, Monrovia, South Pasadena — has board-certified evaluators, the region's flagship learning-differences school (Frostig), and strong bilingual advocacy, but it's scattered and hard to sort. This is the SGV's own directory, ranked by real credentials (ABPP, BHCOE, Orton-Gillingham accreditation, COPAA, board-certification) — never by reviews or who pays. Start with the free Regional Center entitlement, then the best evaluators, schools, therapists, doctors, and advocates near you. Then, if you want it, an expert reads your child's records and builds your plan.
We don't rank by star ratings — they're noisy and easy to game. Every group below earns its place by credentials: board certification, school accreditation, professional licensure, and standing in the field's real professional bodies. The honest bar, not the loudest reviews.
SG/PRC is the California Regional Center for the San Gabriel and Pomona Valleys — one of 21 statewide. Most services are free regardless of age or income, and the diagnosis/eligibility assessment is free. If your child has (or may have) autism, intellectual disability, cerebral palsy, epilepsy, or a related condition, start here — it's a state entitlement, not charity. Call to begin an eligibility screening.
A practice with neuropsychologists board-certified by ABPP (and AACN) — Dr. Shivani Saible and Dr. Scott Porter — providing comprehensive child and adolescent evaluations that identify learning disabilities, ADHD, autism, and giftedness.
A UCLA-trained clinical neuropsychologist (Insight Collective, South Pasadena) specializing in assessments for ADHD, autism, and cognitive/learning disorders. Confirm ABPP board certification when you book.
A Pasadena interdisciplinary center offering neuropsychological, psychological, and developmental assessments for learning differences, autism, ADHD, and twice-exceptional profiles — plus educational and occupational therapy under one roof.
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.
The San Gabriel Valley's flagship learning-differences school (Pasadena, since the 1950s) — WASC-accredited, grades 1–12, a 6:1 ratio, and special-education-credentialed teachers. Serves students with dyslexia, dyscalculia, ADHD, high-functioning autism, and complex learning challenges.
The California Association of Private Special Education Schools lists state-certified nonpublic schools across the San Gabriel Valley — the verified way to find specialized placements beyond Frostig.
The Academy's directory lists accredited Orton-Gillingham practitioners across the San Gabriel Valley — the gold-standard credential for a private dyslexia tutor, verified by training rather than advertising.
Lindamood-Bell's Pasadena learning center offers intensive, research-based reading and comprehension instruction for dyslexia and reading struggles — ask about an evaluation and intensive blocks.
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 BHCOE-accredited ABA provider offering research-based home- and center-based autism treatment across Pasadena and the San Gabriel Valley — accredited for clinical quality, not chosen by ad spend.
A BHCOE-accredited South Pasadena provider delivering multidisciplinary services — ABA, speech, and occupational therapy — in schools, homes, clinics, and online for children with special needs.
The Behavioral Health Center of Excellence directory lists accredited ABA providers across the SGV (such as Autism Spectrum Therapies in San Gabriel and Inizio Interventions in Pasadena) — 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.
Children's Hospital LA's developmental-behavioral pediatrics (Sunset Blvd, close to the SGV) — board-certified diagnosis and care for autism, ADHD, and neurodevelopmental concerns.
For Kaiser members in the San Gabriel Valley, board-certified developmental pediatricians evaluate and diagnose autism and developmental concerns within the Kaiser system.
The Council of Parent Attorneys and Advocates' directory lists active, vetted special-education advocates and attorneys serving the San Gabriel Valley — the field's real professional standard.
A San Gabriel Valley special-education firm handling FAPE, placement disputes, IEP enforcement, mediation, and due process — and they work in English and Spanish. Free initial consultation.
A Pasadena special-education law office representing families in IEP disputes, placement, and due process across Southern California.
California's Office of Administrative Hearings publishes an official list of free and reduced-cost special-education advocates and attorneys statewide — a verified, no-cost starting point if money is tight.
LA County's free Help Me Grow program screens children for developmental and behavioral concerns and connects families to services — a no-cost first step if you're worried but unsure where to begin.
UCLA's training clinic provides comprehensive neuropsychological and psychoeducational assessments with income-based fees — gold-standard testing well below typical private cost (ask about current availability).
For eligible residents, LA County DMH provides free or low-cost mental-health assessments and services — a safety net when private evaluation isn't affordable.
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.
A short message — your child, your San Gabriel Valley district, and what you're facing. We set up a secure way to share the IEP.
We review the records against your rights and match your child to the right San Gabriel Valley providers from the vetted directory above.
A clear written plan, plus a vetted San Gabriel Valley advocate, found and recommended for you, for the in-person help.
Free first reply with honest next steps. No pressure, no surprises — just an expert in your corner.
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