Special education in Bergen County runs town by town, not county wide

Learn how Bergen County's 70 school districts each handle special education for autistic children. Practical steps for ABA therapy access.

Published August 30, 2026 · Bergen County, New Jersey

Your school district, not the county, controls special education

In Bergen County, special education is not run by the county government. Each of the 70 municipalities has its own school district, and each district writes its own policies, hires its own staff, and decides how to evaluate children for services. If you live in Bergenfield, you deal with the Bergenfield Borough School District. If you live in Alpine, you deal with the Alpine School District. There is no single county office that handles your child's Individualized Education Program (IEP).

This matters because the process for getting ABA therapy through the school system can look different from town to town. Some districts have in-house behavior analysts. Others contract with private agencies. Some move quickly; others take longer. You need to learn the specific procedures of your local district.

Start with a written request for evaluation

If you suspect your child needs ABA therapy as part of their special education, you must request an evaluation in writing. Send a letter or email to the director of special education in your district. Use the phrase "request for initial evaluation under the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act" to trigger the legal timeline. The district must respond within 20 calendar days, but they may ask for your consent before starting. You do not need a doctor's referral to make this request.

If your child is under 3 years old, the process is different. You contact the New Jersey Early Intervention System directly. They will assign a service coordinator to your family. For children age 3 through 21, you work through your school district. After age 21, the Division of Developmental Disabilities takes over, but that is a separate system.

What ABA therapy looks like in an IEP

ABA therapy can be written into an IEP as a related service or as part of a special education program. The district must provide it at no cost to you if the IEP team determines it is necessary for your child to receive a free appropriate public education (FAPE). However, the district decides the provider, the location (school or home), and the number of hours. You can disagree and request mediation or a due process hearing, but that takes time.

Some families choose to use private ABA therapy outside of school. This is where the 108 ABA providers registered in Bergen County come in. Every town has at least one provider within 7 miles, so you have options. But private therapy is not covered by the school district. You would need to use your health insurance or pay out of pocket.

Using health insurance for ABA in New Jersey

New Jersey requires most health plans to cover ABA therapy for autism. If you have private insurance through an employer, call the customer service number on your card and ask: "Does my plan cover applied behavior analysis for autism? Is there a cap on visits or dollars? Do I need prior authorization?" Write down the name of the person you speak with and the date.

If your child is on NJ FamilyCare (the state Medicaid and CHIP program), ABA therapy is covered. But you must go through the managed care plan your child is enrolled in. These plans include Horizon NJ Health, Wellpoint, Aetna Better Health of NJ, and UnitedHealthcare Community Plan. Each plan has its own network of ABA providers. Call the plan to get a list of in-network providers in Bergen County. If no in-network provider is available within a reasonable distance, you may request a single case agreement for an out-of-network provider.

PerformCare for children age 3 to 21

For children age 3 and older, PerformCare is the single point of entry for the Children's System of Care. This is not a therapy provider. It is a call center that can help you find mental health and behavioral services, including ABA if it is medically necessary. You can call PerformCare to ask about resources, but they do not write IEPs or manage insurance claims. They can connect you to care coordinators who help navigate the system.

If your child is under 3

The New Jersey Early Intervention System handles children from birth to age 3. If your child has an autism diagnosis or developmental delays, you can self refer by calling the regional early intervention office for Bergen County. They will assign a service coordinator who will arrange an evaluation. If your child qualifies, ABA therapy can be included in the Individualized Family Service Plan (IFSP). Services are typically provided in your home or at a daycare center.

What to do when you hit a wall

Every district in Bergen County has a board of education that meets publicly. You can attend meetings and ask questions about special education policies. You can also request a copy of your district's parent handbook on special education. If you feel the district is not following the law, you can file a complaint with the New Jersey Department of Education's Office of Special Education. The process is free but slow. You can also contact the Statewide Parent Advocacy Network (SPAN) for free guidance.

Remember that no system is perfect. Wait times for evaluations and therapy depend on the district's staffing and the provider's availability. Some towns with many providers, like Hackensack (12 providers) or Montvale (9 providers), may have shorter waits. But even in those towns, the school district's timeline is separate from the provider's schedule. Be persistent, keep written records, and ask for everything in writing.