All K-12 New Orleans public schools, and most public early childhood programs, are required to meet your child’s needs as identified on his / her Individualized Education Plan or Individualized Accommodations Plan. We encourage you to reach out to schools and programs directly to ask more about their special education services and staff. You can research your options by viewing school profiles and you can also review this Overview of Specialized Programs and the NOLA-PS Specialized Program Guide. Reach out to Justin Allison (jallison@nolapublicschools.com) with questions.

All K-12 LEAs are required to serve your child, if they have an exceptionality associated with a disability. Gifted and Talented exceptionalities must be written in the charter for the Louisiana Department of Education to require the school to provide such services. Please email hpaczak@nolapublicschools.com if you have questions or concerns about special education programming.

Additional resources for families and students with exceptionalities
For additional information about programs, organizations, and resources available throughout the city for individuals with exceptionalities, please check out the 2023 Special Education Resource Guide. The Resource Guide is a living document that contains more than 20 areas of assistance, boasting more than 170 organizations and providers. Resources to assist families obtain housing, extra-curricular activities, financial aid, transportation, and employment opportunities are just a few of the categories the Guide contains. 

Children with special needs and children whose home language is not English may be eligible to receive services but must still qualify to participate in publicly funded programs. These children may be able to be served through other funding sources such as Title I, 8(g), and IDEA.

IMPORTANT: Not all early childhood programs offer special education services. Please contact your preferred program(s) before applying to them to ensure they are able to meet your child’s needs.