Parent Resources

If you would like to request a hardcopy of the Texas Dyslexia Handbook, please contact Dr. Karis Johnson at kajjohnson@scuisd.org.

The handbook contains guidelines for school districts to follow as they identify and provide services for students with dyslexia. In addition, information regarding the state's dyslexia statutes and their relation to various federal laws are included.

Updates effective as of June 30, 2024

Updated August 2024 

On August 9, 2024, the Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) was updated and added to the end of the Dyslexia Handbook.  The FAQ contains continued and updated guidance for the implementation of HB 3928.  You can locate the updated Handbook on the TEA Dyslexia and Related Disorders Website.

This document represents frequently asked questions (FAQs) received by the Texas Education Agency (TEA) in relation to the State Board of Education’s (SBOE’s) Dyslexia Handbook: Procedures Concerning Dyslexia and Related Disorders, 2024 Update (Handbook).

This resource from the Texas Education Agency includes information about:

• Characteristics of Dyslexia and Related Disorders

• Evaluation and Identification

• Effective Instructional Strategies

• Components of Instructional Delivery

• Instructional Accommodations and Modifications

Dyslexia is a language-based learning disability.  Students with dyslexia usually experience difficulties with other language skills such as spelling, writing, and pronouncing words.  Dyslexia affects individuals throughout their lives; however, its impact can change at different stages in a person’s life.  It is referred to as a learning disability because dyslexia can make it very difficult for a student to succeed academically in the typical instructional environment, and in its more severe forms, will qualify a student for special education, special accommodations, or extra support services.

About 13–14% of the school population nationwide has a handicapping condition that qualifies them for special education.  Current studies indicate that one half of all the students who qualify for special education are classified as having a learning disability (LD) (6–7%).  About 85% of those students have a primary learning disability in reading and language processing. Nevertheless, many more people—perhaps as many as 15–20% of the population as a whole—have some of the symptoms of dyslexia, including slow or inaccurate reading, poor spelling, poor writing, or mixing up similar words.  Not all of these will qualify for special education, but they are likely to struggle with many aspects of academic learning and are likely to benefit from systematic, explicit, instruction in reading, writing, and language.

Dyslexia occurs in people of all backgrounds and intellectual levels.  People with dyslexia can be very bright.  They are often capable or even gifted in areas such as art, computer science, design, drama, electronics, math, mechanics, music, physics, sales, and sports.

In addition, dyslexia runs in families; parents with dyslexia are very likely to have children with dyslexia.  For some people, their dyslexia is identified early in their lives, but for others, their dyslexia goes unidentified until they get older.

The problems displayed by individuals with dyslexia involve difficulties in acquiring and using written language.

It is a myth that individuals with dyslexia “read backwards,” although spelling can look quite jumbled at times because students have trouble remembering letter symbols for sounds and forming memories for words.

Other problems experienced by people with dyslexia include the following:

• Learning to speak

• Learning letters and their sounds

• Organizing written and spoken language

• Memorizing number facts

• Reading quickly enough to comprehend

• Persisting with and comprehending longer reading assignments

• Spelling

• Learning a foreign language

• Correctly doing math operations

Not all students who have difficulties with these skills have dyslexia.  Formal testing of reading, language, and writing skills is the only way to confirm a diagnosis of suspected dyslexia.

Special education is available because of a federal law called the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA), which provides students with disabilities and their parents special legal rights to receive these individualized learning opportunities.  This form is a summary of rights, required to be given to parents after a referral has been made.

Dyslexia is an example of a specific learning disability under the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA).

If a district suspects that a student may have dyslexia, including after evaluation or use of a reading screener, the district must:

1.  provide the parent a form explaining the rights available under IDEA that may be additional to the rights available under Section 504;

2.  comply with all federal and state requirements regarding any evaluation of the student; and

3.  if the student is evaluated for dyslexia or a related disorder, also evaluate the student in any other areas in which the district suspects the student may have a disability.

Under the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA), you and your child have legal protections during the evaluation and individualized education program (IEP) process.  These protections are called Procedural Safeguards.

To listen to the audio version of the Notice of Procedural Safeguards, click here.

To view the American Sign Language (ASL) version of the Notice of Procedural Safeguards, click here.

If a child's evaluation is delayed or denied, compensatory services may be needed to help them make up for missed progress or skills.  Compensatory services can be provided in many ways, such as:

• Before, after, or during the school day

• Over weekends or school breaks

• By outside service providers 

The ARD committee has the discretion to decide what compensatory services are needed and how to provide them.  When deciding on compensatory services, it's important to consider how to reduce the impact of missed services and help the child progress. 

Parents can request an ARD committee meeting at any time by putting their request in writing to an administrator.  The school must respond to the request and let the parent know if they agree to meet.