Special education in Virginia

What Virginia calls special education, how long each step takes, who to call, free help, paying for services, and how the state scores.

Special education in Virginia

Special education is called

Special Education

The IEP meeting

IEP team meeting

Eligibility team

Eligibility group

Evaluation timeline

65 business days. 65 business days from receipt of referral to eligibility decision (8 VAC 20-81-60)

IEP timeline

IEP within 30 calendar days of eligibility

Transition planning starts

14 (being checked)

Rights transfer to the student at

Developmental delay category

2 to 6 (state rule allows from age 2; child count shows 3 to 6)

Dyslexia law

yes: Virginia Literacy Act and SB 352 (2024): K-3 universal literacy screening for students at risk incl. dyslexia

State categories

Developmental delay from age 2

Find your district and schools

209 districts and charter districts. 115 special education schools and 7 public charter schools.

Get your Hall Pass Schools in Virginia Services for children in Virginia (on Disability Atlas)

The state office and your options when you disagree

State special education office

Virginia Department of Education, Office of Special Education (804) 786-0116

Procedural safeguards (your rights notice)

Read the state's notice

Mediation

Ask for mediation

State complaint

File a state complaint

Due process

Ask for a due process hearing

Ombudsman

VDOE Parent Ombudsman for Special Education

Free help for families

Parent centers

Formed Families Forward
Community Parent Resource Center (CPRC), Fairfax
(703) 539-2904
Parent Educational Advocacy Training Center (PEATC)
Parent Training and Information Center (PTI), Warrenton
(703) 923-0010

Disability rights agency

disAbility Law Center of Virginia
Protection and Advocacy Agency, Richmond
(804) 225-2042

Advocacy groups in Virginia

Paying for it

Medicaid for children

FAMIS Plus (Virginia Medicaid for children), Cover Virginia

CHIP

FAMIS

Apply

Apply for coverage

Medicaid for children with disabilities, whatever the family's income

no (KFF 2026)

Schools bill Medicaid for health services

yes

Autism insurance law

yes. any age; ABA $35,000 per year unless insurer elects more

Scholarship or ESA for students with disabilities

general-limited: Education Improvement Scholarships tax credit (income-limited, higher limit for SWD)

How school, Medicaid and insurance fit together

How Virginia scores

First edition. These grades are new (November 2026) and the weights may still change. Texas graduation data is being confirmed with the state.

State of Schools

C+

Rank 15 of 51

State of Support

C-

Rank 33 of 51

Combined

Rank 28 of 51

Pillar	Grade
Following the law	A-
Learning together	C-
Results	C
School funding	D+
Family protections	A-
Options and transition	C+

IDEA determination 2026: Meets. How we grade.

Sources for this page are listed in the SPED Atlas research tables (state terms, state help, paying for it). Items marked "being checked" are waiting on a primary source.

Last reviewed: November 2026. Rules, programs and phone numbers change. Check with the office named on this page. Report outdated or wrong information.