In 1953, The Special School was started in a space furnished by Greensboro College while Dr. H.H. Hudson was president.  Teaching the six disabled children was Mrs. Lillian Washburn Neill.  Acting as consultant to the school was Mrs. J.E. Peck, wife of Dr. J.R. Peck, Director of Special Education in Greensboro City Schools.

May 20, 1955 was the date of the Special School's first commencement exercise.  In September of that year, a second and third classroom was added to increase facilities needed. 

In 1957, The Greensboro Special School was authorized by the United Fund of Greensboro to stage a campaign for $50,000 for a school building fund as additional space was needed.  The Junior Chamber of Commerce, the O'Henry Civitan Club were just a few of the many organizations who aided in this project.  Temple Emmanuel, the Special School under the supervision of Greensboro City School System was established on September 2, 1957.

During 1959, due to the growth of the Special School, new quarters were again needed and for the first time the school was placed in a public school building within a regular school.  The school selected by the Superintendent was Vandalia Elementary School, where it remained until 1961.  In 1961, it moved to Lindley Elementary School.  The Special School then moved to McIver School on West Lee Street in 1969.

In 1974, The Special Education Program moved to its current site in the old Proximity Junior High School complex on Summit Avenue.  The name was changed from C. D. McIver School to McIver Education Center in 1994.