We encourage you to watch these two webinars from RIDE and RIPIN. They explain why structured literacy is so important for students with dyslexia and guide families through how to navigate supports and services in Rhode Island schools. 

Explaining Dyslexia to Your Child

When talking to your child about dyslexia, it’s important to help them understand that there is nothing “wrong” with them—their brain processes language in a different way, which impacts reading. Reading is not something our brains are naturally wired to do; it’s a skill that develops through practice and teaching. Thanks to neuroplasticity, the brain can build new pathways, just like muscles get stronger with training. You can explain that interventions are like batting practice in baseball or practicing scales on an instrument—the more you practice the right way, the stronger those skills become. Remind your child that they are not alone, that many successful people have dyslexia, and that needing extra help is not a weakness but a pathway to building confidence and success. 

The purpose of this page is to provide resources to help parents and guardians understand the IEP process. Getting the IEP can be a challenge, but it is also important to ensure the student's needs are addressed through the IEP process. It is very common for a child to receive an IEP, but receive ineffective interventions. DDRI is hopeful with the passage of the Right to Read Act, that schools will build more knowledge and awareness about early literacy and dyslexia to empower their teachers to empower all students.  Watch the videos below for a helpful overview of dyslexia and literacy practices that support all students, especially those with dyslexia. 

Parent Guide to the IEP Process for Dyslexia

Introduction

If your child is struggling to read, write, or spell, you are not alone. Many families feel overwhelmed when they start the process of asking for help at school. Dyslexia is a Specific Learning Disability (SLD) under the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA). That means your child may be eligible for an Individualized Education Program (IEP) that provides specialized instruction and support.

The IEP process can feel confusing, and sometimes it seems like schools put up barriers. The best tool you have as a parent is data: progress monitoring charts, test scores, writing samples, and clear evidence that your child is not making the growth they need. This guide will help you know what to collect, what to ask, and what to say in meetings.

Remember: You are your child’s best advocate.

Step 1: Collect Evidence of Struggles

Checklist for Parents
☐ Save writing samples showing spelling and grammar errors
☐ Gather RICAS or state test results
☐ Ask for screening/benchmark scores (Acadience, iReady, STAR, MAP, DIBELS, etc.)
☐ Print teacher comments/emails about reading or writing struggles

Sample Questions

• “Can you show me where my child is compared to grade-level standards?”
  
  

• “Which screenings show weaknesses in decoding, fluency, or comprehension?”
  
  

If they say…

• “Your child is only a little behind.”
  
  

  • You can say: “Even being one year behind in reading is significant. How will the gap close without specialized instruction?”
    
    

Step 2: Ask for Progress Monitoring Data

Checklist for Parents
☐ Request progress monitoring data with graphed charts. Ensure graphs show baseline, trend line, and goal line
☐ Confirm which intervention program is being used and by whom (were they trained?)
☐ Ask how many minutes per week and group size
☐ Track if your child is catching up or falling further behind

Sample Questions

• “Can you show me my child’s progress monitoring graph?”
  
  

• “What is my child’s rate of improvement compared to expected growth?”
  
  

• “Are the skills from intervention transferring to classroom reading and writing?”
  
  

If they say…

• “We just need more time.”
  
  

  • You can say: “The data already shows slow progress. IDEA requires looking at whether the growth rate will allow my child to reach grade level.”

Step 3: Ensure Comprehensive Testing

Checklist for Parents
☐ Request testing in all of these areas:

• Phonological awareness
  
  

• Decoding (phonics, word reading)
  
  

• Oral reading fluency
  
  

• Spelling/encoding
  
  

• Reading comprehension
  
  

• Rapid Automatized Naming (RAN)
  
  

Sample Questions

• “Which assessments will be used, and which subtests will be given?”
  
  

• “Will the evaluation include both timed and untimed measures of reading?”
  
  

• “How will the evaluation capture my child’s fluency and ability to read with automaticity?”
  
  

If they say…

• “We don’t test all those areas.”
  
  

  • You can say: “IDEA requires evaluation in all areas of suspected disability, not just selected subtests. A comprehensive evaluation for dyslexia must include phonological awareness, decoding, spelling, comprehension, and timed measures like oral reading fluency and rapid naming.”

Step 4: Rule Out Exclusionary Causes

Checklist for Parents
☐ Bring documentation of attendance
☐ Bring results of hearing/vision screenings
☐ Confirm your child has had access to appropriate reading instruction

Sample Questions

• “How have you ruled out lack of instruction as the cause?”
  
  

• “Can you show evidence that my child has received systematic, explicit reading instruction?”
  
  

If they say…

• “It’s just a motivation problem.”
  
  

  • You can say: “Struggles with motivation are often the result of ongoing difficulty. The data shows this is more than motivation.”
    
    

The Key Focus: Lack of Response to Intervention

This is often the most important evidence for qualifying for an IEP.

• Ask for the progress monitoring graph that shows your child’s growth line compared to the expected growth line.
  
  

• Point out if the slope is flat or too shallow—that means your child is not catching up.
  
  

• Emphasize if your child cannot transfer skills from intervention to real classroom reading and writing.
  
  

Parent Script for Meetings

“My child has participated in interventions, but the data shows they are not making adequate progress. Their skills are not transferring to independent reading and writing. Under IDEA, this indicates a need for specialized instruction. I am requesting a comprehensive evaluation that includes phonological awareness, decoding, fluency, spelling, comprehension, and RAN.”

✅ Tip: Always follow up in writing after meetings to confirm what you asked and what the school agreed to provide. Keep copies of all data in a binder.

Key Areas to Look for in Testing

When schools or outside evaluators test for dyslexia, certain subtests are especially important. Here’s what they mean and what patterns are typical for students with dyslexia:

1. Phonological Awareness (awareness of sounds in words)

• Tests to look for: Elision (deleting sounds), Blending Words (putting sounds together), Phoneme Isolation
  
  

• What you may see:
  
  

  • Difficulty blending sounds into words (e.g., /c/ /a/ /t/ → cat)
    
    

  • Trouble breaking words apart or removing sounds (say smile without the /s/)
    
    

  • Low scores in these areas are a classic sign of dyslexia
    
    

2. Decoding and Word Reading

• Tests to look for: Nonsense Word Fluency,  Phonics subtests
  
  

• What you may see:
  
  

  • Struggles with reading nonsense words (e.g., plim, sot) because they can’t be memorized and must be sounded out
    
    

  • Errors applying phonics rules consistently
    
    

  • Over-reliance on guessing or sight words
    
    

3. Oral Reading Fluency (timed reading of connected text)

• Tests to look for: Oral Reading Fluency passages (words per minute and accuracy), Gray Oral Reading Test (GORT), or similar
  
  

• What you may see:
  
  

  • Slow, choppy reading even if words are eventually read correctly
    
    

  • Difficulty building automaticity (reading without effort)
    
    

  • Reading fluency scores well below comprehension of spoken language
    
    

4. Spelling (Encoding)

• Tests to look for: Spelling subtests (dictation, written spelling, sentence writing)
  
  

• What you may see:
  
  

  • Phonetically inaccurate spellings (e.g., bote for boat, frend for friend)
    
    

  • Inconsistent spelling of the same word
    
    

  • Weaknesses in applying phonics rules when writing
    
    

5. Rapid Automatized Naming (RAN)

• Tests to look for: RAN Letters, RAN Numbers, RAN Colors/Objects
  
  

• What you may see:
  
  

  • Slow speed in quickly naming letters, numbers, or symbols they know
    
    

  • This shows difficulty with automatic recall — linked to fluency struggles
    
    

  • Can be paired with phonological awareness weaknesses (Called "Double-Deficit" dyslexia)
    
    

Common Dyslexia Testing Profile (Pattern)

Weaknesses in:

• • Phonological awareness (Elision, Blending, Phoneme Isolation)
    
    

  • Decoding (especially nonsense word fluency)
    
    

  • Spelling/encoding
    
    

  • Oral reading fluency (timed)
    
    

  • Rapid Automatized Naming (RAN)
    
    

Relative strengths in:

• • Listening comprehension
    
    

  • Vocabulary
    
    

  • Reasoning and problem-solving skills
    
    

This pattern of strengths and weaknesses is one of the clearest signs of dyslexia.

Questions Parents Can Ask in Meetings

• “Did the evaluation include phonological awareness subtests like Elision and Blending?”
  
  

• “What were my child’s scores in nonsense word fluency and oral reading fluency?”
  
  

• “Were both timed and untimed measures included to check for automaticity?”
  
  

• “What were my child’s scores in RAN, and how does that relate to fluency struggles?”
  
  

• “Can you explain my child’s strengths compared to their weaknesses in reading?”
  
  

✅ Tip for Parents: Dyslexia is not just about accuracy—it’s about automaticity and fluency. That’s why timed measures (RAN, oral reading fluency, nonsense word fluency) are essential for identifying it.

Schools cannot diagnose dyslexia; however, they CAN identify characteristics of dyslexia to qualify the student for an IEP under the section Specific Learning Disability (SLD) in basic reading and/or fluency.  Schools can use the term dyslexia.  If you use the word diagnose at the meeting, the team may become resistant. 

• Helpful Guide to Understanding Screening versus Diagnostic Testing 

Independent Evaluation

If you do not feel the school's evaluation was comprehensive, you can request an independent educational evaluation at cost to the district. The district may give you names of evaluators, but you do not have to use those listed. As long as the cost of the person you select is comparable, the district should accept. Page 9 of the RI Procedural Safeguards details the process. The district will consider the outside evaluation, but are not required to provide an IEP if a family comes back with a diagnosis. 

• How to request an IEE (Independent Educational Evaluation)

• Dyslexia Assessment: What Is It and How Can it Help? 

• Schools cannot require RTI be done first to delay an evaluation. 

• Understanding Testing Scores

• School-based Identification of Dyslexia 

For each area of weakness identified in diagnostic testing, there should be a goal. A common mistake is for schools to write a goal based on comprehension, when the real struggle is phonemic awareness and decoding.  If this happens at your meeting, direct the team to the following resource on RIDE's website.  The appropriate diagnostic data is really important to write goals. The following links helps to explain this process.  Goals should be specific, measurable, attainable, relevant, and time-bound.

Example: Given a third-grade level reading passage, Thomas will read aloud at a rate of 115 words correct per minute (wpm) with 95% accuracy by the end of the school year. 

Non-Example: Thomas will improve his comprehension by decoding words and reading fluently with prosody. 

IEP Goals Red Flags  

1. Goals Are Too Vague or Broad

❌ “Improve reading skills.”

• No specific skill is targeted (decoding, fluency, spelling, comprehension, etc.).
  
  

• Doesn’t define what “improve” means.
  Why it’s a problem: You can’t measure growth without a concrete, observable skill.

2. Goals Don’t Match the Student’s Needs

❌ Goal focuses on comprehension strategies, but the student’s biggest barrier is word-level decoding.

• Dyslexia is primarily a phonological processing/decoding issue, so goals must target foundational skills before higher-order skills.
  Why it’s a problem: The IEP addresses symptoms, not the root cause.

3. Missing Measurable Criteria

❌ “Will read grade-level text fluently.”

• No accuracy rate, words correct per minute, or specific passage level.
  Why it’s a problem: Progress can’t be tracked reliably without measurable benchmarks.

4. Goals That Aren’t Based on Structured Literacy Principles

❌ “Will memorize sight words” without addressing phonics patterns.
Why it’s a problem: Dyslexia requires explicit, systematic phonics instruction, not rote memorization alone.

5. Relying on Accommodations as the Goal

❌ “Will use text-to-speech for all assignments.”

• Accommodations are supports, not skill growth.
  Why it’s a problem: It builds dependency without improving the underlying reading skill set.

6. Unrealistic Expectations Without a Growth Path

❌ A student reading at a 2nd-grade level is expected to be at grade level by year’s end without intermediate steps.
Why it’s a problem: Unrealistic goals set up the student (and teacher) for failure and don’t allow for scaffolded progress.

7. No Progress Monitoring Plan

❌ Goal doesn’t specify how often or with what tool progress will be checked (e.g., DIBELS, CORE Phonics Survey).
Why it’s a problem: Without consistent data collection, it’s impossible to adjust instruction effectively.

8. Too Many Skills Packed Into One Goal

❌ “Will improve decoding, fluency, comprehension, and spelling.”
Why it’s a problem: Each skill should have its own goal—otherwise you can’t tell which skill is progressing.

✅ Strong goals for dyslexia are:

• Specific: Pinpoint the exact skill (e.g., “decode multisyllabic words using syllable division rules”).
  
  

• Measurable: Include a baseline and a target (accuracy %, Words per Minute, # correct).
  
  

• Attainable: Based on student’s present level.
  
  

• Relevant: Aligned with the student’s primary area of need.
  
  

• Time-bound: Include a timeframe for mastery.

504 Plans and Dyslexia: What Parents Need to Know

Dyslexia exists on a continuum—some students have mild challenges that can be supported with accommodations, while others require intensive intervention. The decision between a 504 Plan and an Individualized Education Program (IEP) depends on the student’s individual needs, data from assessments, and input from both families and school teams.

What is a 504 Plan?

A 504 Plan is part of Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act, a civil rights law that ensures students with disabilities have equal access to learning. A 504 Plan is often a good fit for students with mild to moderate dyslexia who no longer need direct, specialized reading instruction but still need accommodations to show what they know and keep up with grade-level work.

These students may:

• Have had significant reading gaps remediated through prior interventions
  
  

• Read and write with accuracy, but more slowly than peers
  
  

• Benefit from extra processing time, organizational supports, and note-taking assistance
  
  

• Still find longer or dense text challenging without tools like audiobooks or text-to-speech
  
  

Examples of 504 accommodations:

• Extended time on tests and assignments
  
  

• Audiobooks or text-to-speech software
  
  

• Speech-to-text for writing tasks
  
  

• Access to class notes or outlines
  
  

• Use of graphic organizers
  
  

For some students, a Personal Literacy Plan (PLP)can also be used to assist 504 students who do not need (or don’t yet qualify for) an IEP.

How is an IEP Different From a 504 Plan? 

An Individualized Education Program (IEP) is governed by the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA). An IEP provides specialized instruction plus accommodations. This is appropriate for students with more significant dyslexia who need ongoing, structured literacy instruction to make progress. 

These students may:

• Struggle with decoding, spelling, and fluency despite accommodations
  
  

• Require systematic, explicit reading intervention delivered by a trained specialist
  
  

• Need measurable goals written into their plan with frequent progress monitoring
  
  

Examples of IEP supports:

• Small group or 1:1 structured literacy instruction
  
  

• Decoding, Encoding, and fluency goals
  
  

• Progress monitoring weekly/bi-weekly
  
  

• Support from a special education teacher
  
  

Using Data and Feedback to Decide

The decision between a 504 Plan and an IEP should be based on multiple sources of data, such as:

• Benchmark reading scores
  
  

• Progress monitoring results
  
  

• Classroom performance and grades
  
  

• Student self-reports about what supports help most
  
  

This varies from student to student. Some children mainly need accommodations, while others require direct, explicit teaching. Families and school teams should collaborate and revisit the plan regularly to ensure it meets the student’s needs.

Rights: IEP vs. 504

• IEP → Provides families with procedural safeguards under IDEA, including the right to request evaluations, participate in annual reviews, and challenge decisions through mediation or due process.
  
  

• 504 Plan → Provides civil rights protections but fewer procedural safeguards. Families still have rights, including the right to request accommodations, receive notice of changes, and file complaints if the plan is not implemented.
  
  

Examples: 

• Student A (504 Plan): A 9th grader with dyslexia who now reads on grade level after years of intervention but is slower than peers. He uses audiobooks for novels, needs extra time on tests, and benefits from graphic organizers.
  
  

• Student B (IEP): A 6th grader who continues to struggle with decoding and fluency. She receives structured literacy intervention 5 times a week and has reading goals written into her IEP, along with accommodations like speech-to-text.
  
  

• Student C (PLP + Monitoring): A 2nd grader identified through universal screening as at risk for dyslexia. The school provides small group intervention and tracks progress using a personal literacy plan. If progress stalls, the family and school may consider moving toward a 504 Plan or an IEP.
  
  

Tips for Parents at the Start of the School Year

• Create a one-page profile of your child’s strengths, challenges, and key supports.
  
  

• Highlight top priorities: Which accommodations or tools are non-negotiable for success?
  
  

• Clarify communication: Ask teachers their preferred method of contact and set a schedule for check-ins.
  
  

• Follow up early: Within the first month, make sure accommodations are in place.
  
  

• Keep it collaborative: Partner with teachers—share what works at home, and ask what’s working in the classroom.