Special-needs private schools across the Valley
A disability ESA can be several times the base amount. Here are Phoenix-area private schools that specialize in autism, learning differences, hearing and vision loss and therapeutic support, and how the account pays for them.
A child with an IEP, MET report or 504 plan from an Arizona public school can receive an ESA well above the base amount, and the Valley has an unusually wide set of specialist schools to spend it at. Autism academies run campuses from Goodyear and Glendale to Tempe and Gilbert, central Phoenix has long-established programs for deaf and blind children, and learning-differences schools sit in Phoenix, Scottsdale and the East Valley.
Start with the evaluation. The disability category on your district paperwork sets the dollar range, so get that right before you compare schools. Then visit, ask how each school uses your child's plan, and ask whether therapies on campus are billed separately through ClassWallet.
Autism & behavioral support
Autism is the single largest disability group in Arizona's ESA, and the Phoenix area has several schools built around it, from Goodyear and Glendale to Tempe, Gilbert and Scottsdale.
20 schools →Learning differences & dyslexia
For dyslexia, ADHD and other learning differences, the Valley has small schools with structured literacy and low ratios, and the ESA category usually falls under specific learning disability or other health impairment.
45 schools →Deaf, hard of hearing & blind or low vision
Central Phoenix has long-established programs for children who are deaf, hard of hearing, blind or have low vision, and these categories carry some of the highest ESA amounts.
2 schools →Schools with a special-education or learning-differences focus (42)
| School | Type | Community | Grades | STO lists | Students* |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| A+ Academy Dropout Recovery Program 7541 S Willow Dr., Tempe 85283 | Independent Schools | Tempe & Chandler | 12 | None found | 10 |
| Accel 10251 N 35th Ave, Phoenix 85051 | Independent Schools | Central Phoenix | K-12 | 2 APESF, School Choice Arizona | 180 |
| Accel East Campus 1430 E Baseline Rd, Tempe 85283 | Independent Schools | Tempe & Chandler | K-12 | None found | 67 |
| ACES Gilbert 4633 E Galveston St., Gilbert 85295 | Independent Schools | Gilbert, Queen Creek & San Tan Valley | K-11 | None found | 195 |
| ACES Peoria 6815 W Cactus Rd, Peoria 85381 | Independent Schools | Glendale, Peoria & Surprise | 1-12 | None found | 320 |
| ACES Phoenix West 9000 W Mcdowell Rd, Phoenix 85037 | Independent Schools | Central Phoenix | K-12 | None found | 187 |
| Autism Academy for Education and Development 7541 S Willow Dr., Tempe 85283 | Independent Schools | Tempe & Chandler | 6-12 | None found | 116 |
| Autism Academy for Education and Development 6910 W Bell Rd., Ste C, Glendale 85308 | Independent Schools | Glendale, Peoria & Surprise | 5-12 | 2 APSTO, School Choice Arizona | 95 |
| Autism Academy of Education and Development 2061 S Gilbert Rd, Gilbert 85296 | Independent Schools | Gilbert, Queen Creek & San Tan Valley | K-12 | None found | 150 |
| Autism Academy-All Campuses Tempe · from STO lists only | Independent Schools | Tempe & Chandler | Not reported | 1 IBE | — |
| AZ Aspire Academy 2150 E Southern Ave, Tempe 85282 | Independent Schools | Tempe & Chandler | 1-12 | 1 IBE | 288 |
| AZ Aspire Academy 14062 N Territory Trl, Fountain Hills 85268 | Independent Schools | Scottsdale, Paradise Valley & Fountain Hills | K-12 | None found | 286 |
| AZ Aspire Academy 13341 W Indian School Rd Ste C305, Litchfield Park 85340 | Independent Schools | Goodyear, Avondale, Buckeye & the West Valley | K-12 | None found | 2700 |
| Banner Academy 1410 W 10th Pl, Tempe 85281 | Independent Schools | Tempe & Chandler | 6-12 | 1 School Choice Arizona | 31 |
| Breakthrough Academy - East Campus 3427 E Bell Rd, Phoenix 85032 | Independent Schools | North Phoenix, Cave Creek & Anthem | 1-8 | 4 APESF, APSTO, IBE, School Choice Arizona | 80 |
| Brightmont Academy 2222 W Pinnacle Peak Rd Ste 110, Phoenix 85027 | Independent Schools | North Phoenix, Cave Creek & Anthem | 1-12 | 1 IBE | 26 |
| Card Academy Chandler 290 S Alma School Rd Ste 1, Chandler 85224 | Independent Schools | Tempe & Chandler | 4-11 | None found | 20 |
| Children's Center for Neurodevelopmental Studies 5430 W Glenn Dr., Glendale 85301 | Independent Schools | Glendale, Peoria & Surprise | PK-12 | 1 APSTO | 63 |
| Chrysalis Academy School for Children With Autism 1250 N 77th St., Scottsdale 85257 | Independent Schools | Scottsdale, Paradise Valley & Fountain Hills | 1-12 | None found | 41 |
| Desert Voices Oral Learning Center 3426 E Shea Blvd, Phoenix 85028 | Independent Schools | Central Phoenix | PK-K | 4 APESF, APSTO, IBE, School Choice Arizona | 2 |
| Empower Academy 7641 E Guadalupe Rd Ste B106, Mesa 85212 | Independent Schools | Mesa & Apache Junction | 3-12 | None found | 38 |
| Gateway Academy 3939 E Shea Blvd, Phoenix 85028 | Independent Schools | Central Phoenix | 6-12 | 2 APSTO, IBE | 107 |
| Gompers Private School 6601 N 27th Ave, Phoenix 85017 | Independent Schools | Central Phoenix | 6-12 | None found | 10 |
| Hope Academy for Autism Mesa · from STO lists only | Independent Schools | Mesa & Apache Junction | Not reported | 2 APSTO, IBE | — |
| Lexington Life Academy 1337 S Gilbert Rd Ste 112, Mesa 85204 | Independent Schools | Mesa & Apache Junction | K-12 | None found | 488 |
| Lexington Life Academy - Phoenix 6301 W Indian School Rd, Phoenix 85033 | Independent Schools | Central Phoenix | K-12 | None found | 147 |
| LIFE - Lauren's Institute for Education 1305 S Gilbert Rd, Gilbert 85296 | Independent Schools | Gilbert, Queen Creek & San Tan Valley | PK-12 | 3 APESF, APSTO, School Choice Arizona | 157 |
| New Way Academy 5048 E Oak St., Phoenix 85008 | Independent Schools | Central Phoenix | 2-12 | 4 APESF, APSTO, IBE, School Choice Arizona | 254 |
| Pathways School 1540 N Burk St., Gilbert 85234 | Independent Schools | Gilbert, Queen Creek & San Tan Valley | K-12 | None found | 117 |
| Pieceful Solutions 5222 E Baseline Rd, Gilbert 85234 | Independent Schools | Gilbert, Queen Creek & San Tan Valley | K-12 | 1 APSTO | 169 |
| Science Prep Academy 1375 E Broadway, Phoenix 85004 | Independent Schools | Central Phoenix | 6-12 | None found | 17 |
| Sierra Academy of Scottsdale 9128 E San Salvador Dr., Scottsdale 85258 | Christian Schools | Scottsdale, Paradise Valley & Fountain Hills | 2-12 | 1 ACSTO | 41 |
| Sierra School Gilbert 875 S Cooper Rd, Gilbert 85233 | Independent Schools | Gilbert, Queen Creek & San Tan Valley | 1-12 | None found | 34 |
| Sierra School of Peoria 8155 W Thunderbird Rd, Peoria 85381 | Independent Schools | Glendale, Peoria & Surprise | K-12 | None found | 70 |
| St. Dominic Savio Academy 550 W Warner Rd, Chandler 85225 | Independent Schools | Tempe & Chandler | K-12 | 3 APESF, APSTO, IBE | 30 |
| Star Autism Academy 5807 N 43rd Ave, Phoenix 85019 | Independent Schools | Central Phoenix | K-9 | None found | 56 |
| Story Autism Center Chandler · from STO lists only | Independent Schools | Tempe & Chandler | Not reported | 1 School Choice Arizona | — |
| The Foundation for Blind Children 1234 E Northern Ave, Phoenix 85020 | Independent Schools | Central Phoenix | PK-4 | 2 APSTO, School Choice Arizona | 39 |
| The Jones-Gordon School 4800 E Doubletree Ranch Rd, Paradise Valley 85253 | Independent Schools | Scottsdale, Paradise Valley & Fountain Hills | 1-12 | 4 APESF, APSTO, IBE, School Choice Arizona | 166 |
| The United School of Autism 9590 E Shea Blvd Bldg C, Scottsdale 85260 | Independent Schools | Scottsdale, Paradise Valley & Fountain Hills | 1-11 | 1 IBE | 71 |
| Thriving Minds Academy 850 S Ironwood Dr. #110, Apache Junction 85120 | Independent Schools | Mesa & Apache Junction | Not reported | None found | 1 |
| Victory Autism Academy 1781 N Central Ave, Goodyear 85338 | Independent Schools | Goodyear, Avondale, Buckeye & the West Valley | K-12 | None found | 316 |
* Enrollment reported to the NCES Private School Survey (2023-24 or 2021-22). "STO lists" counts the School Tuition Organizations whose published school list included the school (Oct 2026). Arizona has no state list of ESA schools; ask each school whether it accepts ESA payments through ClassWallet.
Does your child have an IEP, MET report or 504 plan?
An advisor will explain how the disability category sets your ESA amount and which Valley schools serve your child's needs.