The Best Special Education Schools
We graded 8 companies on seven things customers actually report: satisfaction, reliability, workmanship, value, momentum, track record and how owners handle complaints.
From 814 Google reviews of 8 top-rated special education schools nationwide. Updated October 29, 2026.
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Best special education schools for private lessons
Clear ✕Job match = this company’s ★ on reviews Google tagged “Private lessons” (shrunk toward the category average when there are few), how many such jobs it has done, and its overall Experts Score.
What customers said about private lessons
A great place to get driver's ed for your teen and the online learning models are well done. Highly recommend.
We had a great experience with Jungle Driving! Our daughter recently completed driver’s ed, and what we loved most was being able to self-schedule her driving lessons. With her busy school and activity schedule, that flexibility was HUGE for us! The driving instructors were great and honestly the entire process was…
Jungle Driving is a fantastic program! I took adult lessons, and started out from having my instructor, Eric, driving because I was so anxious. After about four weeks of one-on-one driving, I received full certification and a license. Thank you so much Eric and the Jungle Driving staff for helping me gain so much confidence and control with driving.
Eric is an amazing driving instructor! My 19 year old daughter had been dealing with an extreme amount of anxiety about learning to drive, but Eric was very calm and thorough with her and we were able to get her full license after a little less than 2 months of lessons. Thank you so much! Highly recommend!
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Absolutely outstanding experience at Jungle Driving School! My son took the course so he could get his school/work permit, and he really enjoyed the instructions from the different instructors—Eric, Stacy, and Bret are truly amazing! Their professional, patient behind-the-wheel teaching built real confidence…
I took this course and it was amazing! I met, two of the structures,and both of them were amazing to work with. I gain a lot of confidence Behind the wheel when I took this course. I highly recommend it!
Overall ratings
Experts Score 0–100Experts Score (0–100)Absolute quality first: recency-weighted star average (≈54%), share of 1–2★ reviews (≈24%), customers’ price verdicts (≈14%), owner replies to critical reviews (≈7%); minus up to 10 points each for complaints flagged in Google review highlights and for a real slide in recent ratings. Hover a company’s score on its page for the full breakdown. and a letter grade per factor (A = top 20% of special education schools).
| # | Company | ScoreExperts Score (0–100)Absolute quality first: recency-weighted star average (≈54%), share of 1–2★ reviews (≈24%), customers’ price verdicts (≈14%), owner replies to critical reviews (≈7%); minus up to 10 points each for complaints flagged in Google review highlights and for a real slide in recent ratings. Hover a company’s score on its page for the full breakdown. | FactorsFactor grades, in orderSatisfaction (54%): Recency-weighted star average (2-year half-life), shrunk toward the category mean by review volume; the company’s own lifetime average as the prior; absolute: 4.0★ = 0, 5★ = 100.Reliability (24%): How rarely jobs go badly: share of 1–2★ reviews — 60% the last 24 months (or the 20 newest if fewer), 40% all-time; 0% = 100, 15%+ = 0; the category percentile can only raise it.Craft & service (0%): Google review highlights: Quality, Professionalism, Responsiveness, Punctuality — how rarely reviewers flag them as a negative, per review since highlights began; 0% = 100, 5%+ = 0. Subtracted from the score (up to −10), never averaged in — clean highlights are the norm, not a bonus.Value (14%): Customers’ own price verdicts (Great / Reasonable vs Overpriced) and Value highlights; 65% absolute (all “reasonable” ≈ 80, “great” = 100), the category percentile can only raise it.Momentum (0%): Penalises only a real slide: last-12-month average below lifetime (−0.5★ = 0). Still 4.8★+ over the last year, or steady/improving = 100. Subtracted from the score (up to −10), never averaged in.Replies to reviews (7%): How often the owner publicly replies to reviews under 5★ (1–4★). Needs 3+ such reviews, otherwise not counted; 65% absolute (80%+ replied = 100), the category percentile can only raise it.One letter per factor score: A = 80+, B = 60–79, C = 40–59, D = 20–39, F = below 20. | ★Google star rating as shown on Google Maps. | Typical billMedian bill customers of this company reported in their reviews (needs 3+ priced reviews). |
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| 1 | Jungle Driving SchoolAtkins, IA | A 98How the Experts Score is calculatedEach factor is scored 0–100 on absolute terms (standing in the category can only raise it), then weighted; problems flagged in review highlights or a recent slide in ratings are subtracted:Satisfaction 59%98+57.5Reliability 26%95+24.8Value 15%100+15.2Experts Score= 98Not enough data for replies to reviews; its weight is shared by the others.Grade A: A = 80+, B = 60–79, C = 40–59, D = 20–39. Needs 10+ reviews. | AA–AA– | 5.00 | — |
| 2 |  Walde Firth Orthodontic SpecialistsWashington, MO | A 86How the Experts Score is calculatedEach factor is scored 0–100 on absolute terms (standing in the category can only raise it), then weighted; problems flagged in review highlights or a recent slide in ratings are subtracted:Satisfaction 64%91+57.8Reliability 28%87+24.6Replies to reviews 8%41+3.4Experts Score= 86Not enough data for value; its weight is shared by the others.Grade A: A = 80+, B = 60–79, C = 40–59, D = 20–39. Needs 10+ reviews. | AA––AC | 4.90 | — |
| 3 |  Little Sunshine's Playhouse of Lake St. LouisWashington, MO | A 83How the Experts Score is calculatedEach factor is scored 0–100 on absolute terms (standing in the category can only raise it), then weighted; problems flagged in review highlights or a recent slide in ratings are subtracted:Satisfaction 69%85+58.8Reliability 31%77+23.7Experts Score= 83Not enough data for value, replies to reviews; its weight is shared by the others.Grade A: A = 80+, B = 60–79, C = 40–59, D = 20–39. Needs 10+ reviews. | AB––A– | 4.85 | — |
| 4 | A 81How the Experts Score is calculatedEach factor is scored 0–100 on absolute terms (standing in the category can only raise it), then weighted; problems flagged in review highlights or a recent slide in ratings are subtracted:Satisfaction 55%79+43.1Reliability 24%84+20.4Value 14%100+14.1Replies to reviews 7%57+4Craft & service penalty95−0.5Experts Score= 81Grade A: A = 80+, B = 60–79, C = 40–59, D = 20–39. Needs 10+ reviews. | BAAAAC | 4.69 | — | |
| 5 |  Gracie Barra WashingtonWashington, MO | B 72How the Experts Score is calculatedEach factor is scored 0–100 on absolute terms (standing in the category can only raise it), then weighted; problems flagged in review highlights or a recent slide in ratings are subtracted:Satisfaction 69%84+58.2Reliability 31%73+22.5Craft & service penalty15−8.5Experts Score= 72Not enough data for value, replies to reviews; its weight is shared by the others.Grade B: A = 80+, B = 60–79, C = 40–59, D = 20–39. Needs 10+ reviews. | ABF–A– | 4.88 | — |
| 6 |  Vocational Transition CenterLubbock, TX | B 62How the Experts Score is calculatedEach factor is scored 0–100 on absolute terms (standing in the category can only raise it), then weighted; problems flagged in review highlights or a recent slide in ratings are subtracted:Satisfaction 69%65+45Reliability 31%55+16.9Experts Score= 62Not enough data for value, replies to reviews; its weight is shared by the others.Grade B: A = 80+, B = 60–79, C = 40–59, D = 20–39. Needs 10+ reviews. | BC––A– | 4.64 | — |
| 7 | Four Oaks - Jane Boyd Community HouseAtkins, IA | B 61How the Experts Score is calculatedEach factor is scored 0–100 on absolute terms (standing in the category can only raise it), then weighted; problems flagged in review highlights or a recent slide in ratings are subtracted:Satisfaction 64%58+36.8Reliability 28%83+23.4Replies to reviews 8%7+0.6Experts Score= 61Not enough data for value; its weight is shared by the others.Grade B: A = 80+, B = 60–79, C = 40–59, D = 20–39. Needs 10+ reviews. | CA––AF | 4.45 | — |
| 8 |  Capri CollegeAtkins, IA | C 48How the Experts Score is calculatedEach factor is scored 0–100 on absolute terms (standing in the category can only raise it), then weighted; problems flagged in review highlights or a recent slide in ratings are subtracted:Satisfaction 55%42+22.9Reliability 24%49+11.9Value 14%96+13.6Replies to reviews 7%25+1.8Momentum penalty79−2.1Experts Score= 48Grade C: A = 80+, B = 60–79, C = 40–59, D = 20–39. Needs 10+ reviews. | CC–ABD | 4.48 | — |
What jobs cost
What customers paid, from the price Google asks reviewers to report.
| Job | Low25th percentile: 1 in 4 customers paid less than this. | TypicalMedian of the bill customers reported in their Google review (Google asks reviewers for a price range; we use the middle of each range). | High75th percentile: 1 in 4 customers paid more than this. | FairOf customers who rated the price, the share who chose “Great price” or “Reasonable” rather than “Overpriced”. |
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Special Education Schools at a glance
How the 8 special education schools we rated compare, and what customers praise most.
Experts Score grades
A = score 80+, F = below 20.
- Grade A450%
- Grade B338%
- Grade C113%
- Grade D00%
- Grade F00%
Google ratings
Average stars per company.
- 4.90★ and up225%
- 4.80–4.89★225%
- 4.60–4.79★225%
- Below 4.60★225%
What customers praise
Share of Google review highlights.
- Quality327%
- Professionalism545%
- Responsiveness00%
- Punctuality00%
- Value327%
Was the price fair?
All price verdicts left with reviews.
- Great price4868%
- Reasonable2028%
- Overpriced23%
- Not sure11%
Price verdicts by year
Share calling it great / reasonable / overpriced.
How we grade
Satisfaction (54%) — Recency-weighted star average (2-year half-life), shrunk toward the category mean by review volume; the company’s own lifetime average as the prior; absolute: 4.0★ = 0, 5★ = 100.
Reliability (24%) — How rarely jobs go badly: share of 1–2★ reviews — 60% the last 24 months (or the 20 newest if fewer), 40% all-time; 0% = 100, 15%+ = 0; the category percentile can only raise it.
Craft & service (penalty, up to −10) — Google review highlights: Quality, Professionalism, Responsiveness, Punctuality — how rarely reviewers flag them as a negative, per review since highlights began; 0% = 100, 5%+ = 0. Subtracted from the score (up to −10), never averaged in — clean highlights are the norm, not a bonus.
Value (14%) — Customers’ own price verdicts (Great / Reasonable vs Overpriced) and Value highlights; 65% absolute (all “reasonable” ≈ 80, “great” = 100), the category percentile can only raise it.
Momentum (penalty, up to −10) — Penalises only a real slide: last-12-month average below lifetime (−0.5★ = 0). Still 4.8★+ over the last year, or steady/improving = 100. Subtracted from the score (up to −10), never averaged in.
Replies to reviews (7%) — How often the owner publicly replies to reviews under 5★ (1–4★). Needs 3+ such reviews, otherwise not counted; 65% absolute (80%+ replied = 100), the category percentile can only raise it.