Finding the right school takes time. Here's where to start.
Choosing a specialized school can be a complicated and involved process, and most families are doing it for the first time under real pressure. These pages are here to make the next step clearer.
Understand the placement process
Placements usually run through your school division or a state agency. Knowing who decides, and on what timeline, changes what you can ask for.
Shortlist schools that fit
Filter member schools by day or residential program, by region, and by the services your child needs.
Visit, and ask hard questions
Nothing replaces walking the building during a normal school day. Take the question list with you.
What to ask on a visit
Compiled with NAPSEC, VAISEF's national affiliate. Take these with you — a good school will welcome every one of them.
What is the student-to-teacher ratio
Are degrees or certificates available on completion
Is vocational training offered? Does the school place students with local employers?
Are the students you see engaged in age-appropriate activities at a similar functioning level?
How often are parent and staff conferences held
What are the qualifications of teachers and related-service staff
What does "accredited" actually mean?
It means a team of people who run schools like this one visited, reviewed the programme against published standards, and signed their names to the result. It is not a self-declaration, and it is not automatic — the authority comes from the Virginia Board of Education through the Virginia Council for Private Education.
- On-site review by peer educators
- Published standards, applied consistently
- Health, safety and staffing verified
- Re-reviewed on a fixed cycle
Ready to look at schools?
101 accredited member schools across 57 Virginia communities.