Helping students achieve their personal best as children of God
Specialized education for children with cognitive disabilities
For over 60 years, Morning Star Catholic School has been a place of hope, growth, and belonging for children with cognitive disabilities. We are the only special needs school within the Diocese of Orlando, fully accredited by the Florida Catholic Conference, and serve students in grades K–12, ages 5-22 years old.
At Morning Star Catholic, we welcome students with a range of cognitive impairments and related challenges, including but not limited to Learning Disabilities, Autism, ADD/ADHD, Epilepsy, Tourette Syndrome, and Down Syndrome.
Every child’s success looks different — and every success is celebrated. Some students transition back to general education, while others remain with us through graduation, receiving individualized instruction and compassionate care every step of the way.
Our Services & Programs
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Academic Program
We offer small student-to-staff ratios to ensure that our students receive the attention they deserve, all within a faith-filled, technology rich environment.
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![Two girls sitting at a table looking at a laptop. One girl is wearing a blue checkered shirt and a white headband, while the other girl is wearing a dark shirt and green headphones.]()
Behavior Program
Our dedicated behavioral support team — including a Board Certified Behavior Analyst (BCBA), Registered Behavior Technician (RBT), and Behavioral Technician (BT) — offers personalized assessments, classroom support, and tailored interventions to help every student thrive.
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![A woman, wearing a white t-shirt, helps a person on the floor by holding their hand and arm, with a store aisle in the background.]()
Therapy Program
We welcome leading providers to our campus during the school day to offer speech, occupational, behavioral, dance, and music therapy, supporting the unique needs and growth of our students.
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Catholic Education
With daily prayer, religious instruction, weekly Mass, and service opportunities, we help students deepen their relationship with God while building character, compassion, and a heart for others.
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![Life Skills]()
Life Skills
We encourage our students toward as much independence as they can achieve with our on-campus life-skills lab which includes a kitchen, living room, bedroom, bathroom, and utility area.
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![Two students organizing and sorting yellow and green donated shirts on tables and racks.]()
Job Training
Eligible high school students can enroll in our on-campus job training program, which includes site visits to local employers where they can gain hands-on experience in real-world settings.
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![Group of diverse students standing on steps, some raising their hands, smiling, in front of a brick building.]()
Inclusive Programs
We are proud to partner with Bishop Moore Catholic High School and St. Charles Borromeo to offer inclusive programs such as Peers as Partners, Unified Sports, and more, fostering connection, collaboration, and community for all students.
“Morning Star has truly been a Godsend for our daughter. The teachers and staff are top-notch and attentively focus on the individual needs of each student. Our daughter has thrived under Morning Star’s care and instruction. We are fortunate to have an amazing asset like Morning Star in
our Central Florida
community.”
— Larry Walters, High School Parent
See the Difference…
When children feel safe, accepted, and encouraged, everything changes. See how that difference looks at Morning Star.
Explore our campus and hear our students share what makes Morning Star Catholic School so meaningful to them — from special friendships to teachers who believe in them. This video is a window into the everyday moments that make a lifelong impact.
FAQs
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You can find a breakdown of our price on our Admissions page.
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Yes! We strongly encourage parents to apply for the Family Empowerment Scholarship for Unique Abilities (FES-UA), administered through Step Up For Students (SUFS).
Additional scholarship opportunities may also be available upon request. Our goal is to ensure that cost is never a barrier for families seeking the right educational environment for their child.
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Morning Star Catholic School serves a broad range of students with cognitive, developmental, and learning differences. Many families come to us seeking a more personalized, supportive environment outside of the public school setting, with small class sizes and individualized instruction tailored to each child’s needs. While we support a variety of learning profiles, the best way to determine if Morning Star is the right fit for your child is to connect with our team directly. We’re happy to learn more about your child and discuss how we might be able to support them.
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Yes, we’d love to have you! No child has ever been turned away from Morning Star Catholic School because of race, religious preference, or an inability to pay.
Morning Star Catholic School
930 Leigh Ave
Orlando, FL 32804
(407) 295-3077
School Communications
Orlando Catholic Schools are held to the highest standards and go through accreditation with The Florida Catholic Conference (FCC) every 5-7 years. This ensures that all Catholic schools meet or exceed the State of Florida educational requirements in addition to National Standards and Benchmarks for Effective Catholic Elementary and Secondary Schools.
