What happens next when I am notified that my student has characteristics of Dyslexia?

If a student is identified as potentially having characteristics of Dyslexia based on the screening, families are notified, and a meeting is held to create a plan of support. The meeting includes families and teachers coming together to determine which instructional supports the student needs. The plan of support will include instruction that is direct and explicit and aligned with the recommendations of the Georgia Department of Education's Dyslexia Informational Handbook.

As the student engages in this instructional plan, additional data is gathered and progress is monitored. If the student isn't making progress after the plan is put in place, the team meets again and determines next steps, which might include more intensive intervention, additional supports, or referral for evaluation to consider Section 504 or special education eligibility.

What additional supports are there for students who have received a Dyslexia diagnosis?

If screening results point to a child's difficulty with Reading and prior intervention has taken place, for students with disabilities there are two additional options for intervention: Section 504 Plans and Special Education:

Section 504 Plan:
- Provides accommodations for students who have a disability through supports in the general education setting.

Special Education:
- Provides an Individualized Education Plan (IEP), which outlines specific goals, services, and supports tailored to their unique needs.

See below more information the difference between a 504 Plan and an IEP.

Section 504 Plans and Dyslexia

Section 504 is a federal law that prohibits discrimination against individuals with a disability in any program receiving federal assistance.

To fulfill its obligation under Section 504, the Forsyth County School System recognize a responsibility to avoid discrimination in policies and practices regarding its personnel, students and their parents. No discrimination against any person solely due to his/her disability will knowingly be permitted in any of the programs and practices in the school system.

Georgia Public Schools have specific responsibilities under the Act, which include the responsibility to identify, evaluate, and if the child has a current disability and is determined to be eligible under Section 504, to afford access to appropriate educational programs through an accommodation plan.

To be eligible under Section 504 students must have a mental or physical impairment that “substantially limits a major life’s activity”. Students with Dyslexia may qualify for accommodations under Section 504.

504 Plans vs. IEPs

A 504 plan is different from an individualized education plan (IEP). The main difference is that a 504 plan accommodates for a student in the general classroom setting. A 504 plan is monitored by classroom teachers. A student with an IEP, as part of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA), may receive accommodations and special education services in a special or general educational setting, depending on the student's need. IEP services are delivered and monitored by special education staff.

In many cases, a student with Dyslexia may benefit from accommodations through a 504 plan if the student does not qualify for special education services.

Dyslexia and Special Education

Specific Learning Disability

For some students with characteristics of dyslexia, more individualized instruction may be needed to address reading deficits. In some instances, special education settings may be deemed appropriate. In these cases, dyslexia is categorized as a Specific Learning Disability (SLD), and the evaluation process for determining eligibility for special education services will be implemented. Link to GaDOE site on Specific Learning Disabilities Eligibility

According to the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA), “The term ‘specific learning disability’ means a disorder in one or more of the basic psychological processes involved in understanding or in using language, spoken or written, which may manifest itself in the imperfect ability to listen, think, speak, read, write, spell, or do mathematical calculations. This term includes such conditions as perceptual disabilities, brain injury, minimal brain dysfunction, dyslexia, and developmental aphasia. This term does not include a learning problem that is primarily the result of visual, hearing, or motor disabilities, of mental retardation, of emotional disturbance, or of environmental, cultural, or economic disadvantage." (IDEA, 2004, 20 U.S.C. §1401 [30])

Specially Designed Instruction for Students Eligible for Special Education Services

Students who are found eligible to receive special education services based on the IDEA criteria will receive “Specially Designed Instruction” (SDI) to address areas of reading difficulty through the implementation of an Individualized Education Program (IEP). SDI is the instruction delivered to a student with an IEP to help the student access the general education curriculum. SDI goes beyond differentiated instruction and addresses the unique needs that exist because of a student’s disability.

The IEP of a student identified with a SLD in foundational reading skills (e.g., dyslexia) must contain the components required by IDEA, such as the present level of academic achievement and functional performance, goals, supplementary aids and services, accommodations, placement, and the participation in the state and district accountability system.

Because dyslexia is a disorder that affects decoding, word recognition, spelling, and reading fluency, the IEP of a student with a SLD in reading must include standards based and/or functional reading goals that address foundational skills (and objectives if necessary), as well as accommodations to facilitate their performance in the general education curriculum.

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