How should I work with my child’s school to get them tested for a reading disability or dyslexia?

If you are concerned about your child’s progress learning to read, you are not alone! It is estimated that 1 in 5 people has dyslexia worldwide. Our team put together some tips for working with your child’s school to figure out if they have a reading disability or are dyslexic.

• Parents/caregivers can request an evaluation from their child’s public school. Even if a child attends a private school, the home school/the public school to which they are assigned is STILL responsible for the evaluation.
• If your child does have dyslexia, the school will probably use a different curriculum to teach your child.
• Schools might not use dyslexia as a “diagnosis” – they will probably define it as a reading disability. A doctor cannot diagnose that. It can be identified by a speech pathologist or school psychologist as a part of a private school evaluation or psychological evaluation. More and more schools are beginning to use the term dyslexia.
• The school will likely want to do a “Response to Intervention” process first, which they can if they want, but that process cannot be the reason for a delayed evaluation. The parent/caregiver needs to send an email (paper trail is important so that the process occurs in a timely manner) to the home school/ public school listing their concerns and request an evaluation. This will start the process.

In Ohio, there is a program called “parent mentors” that help families understand the special education process. Ohio Parent Mentors have experience going through the special education process with schools and can offer guidance and support.

The local Orton Gillingham Center is also a good resource to explore. Orton-Gillingham is an approach to supporting a student learning to read with dyslexia. There is a section for parents/caregivers on their website.

Central Ohio’s International Dyslexia Association website has more information and tips for supporting your child if they have dyslexia. The Ohio Department of Education website has information about the most up-to-date laws that schools have to follow related to dyslexia.

Ohio has a long history of parents and caregivers advocating for better support from the education system for students with dyslexia. Visit the Parents for Reading Justice website to take a free informational course for families about dyslexia and the history of dyslexia supports in Ohio schools. As a Center, we are advocating for and developing examples of clear, family-friendly communications about dyslexia screenings and instructional supports that Ohio schools can use.

What are the pros and cons to seeking an official Dyslexia diagnosis from a qualified provider such as a speech-language pathologist or a neuropsychologist?

Unfortunately, not all children are provided with the support they need in school if they are not correctly diagnosed with Dyslexia. Children with Dyslexia are sometimes incorrectly identified as having behavioral problems because of their frustrations with learning. Nationally, Hispanic and Black children are less likely than White children to be identified as having disabilities such as dyslexia in public schools. The benefits of getting a Dyslexia diagnosis are that your child’s school will be able to provide them with appropriate educational solutions. However, getting a Dyslexia diagnosis can be expensive and time consuming. Talk with your child’s school, medical providers, or Ohio’s Coalition for the Education of Children with Disabilities, about resources to support screening, identification, and appropriate instruction in school for Dyslexia so your child gets all the help they need.

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