When Your Child Has Dyslexia

Parents frequently tell me that their school districts refuse to recognize their child’s diagnosis of dyslexia.  One school psychologist defines dyslexia as “simply a fancy word for a disorder that involves reading.”  Other parents are told by their districts that dyslexia is merely an umbrella term for a reading difficulty or a medical diagnosis that is not relevant to specific planning for the child in his or her IEP.   These parents are often frustrated and confused when schools won’t even insert the term “dyslexia” anywhere within the IEP.  But guidance from the Department of Education makes it explicitly clear that dyslexia is recognized by the IDEA. An October 2015 “Dear Colleague” letter from the Department of Education states: “there is nothing in the IDEA that would prohibit the use of the terms dyslexia, dyscalculia, and dysgraphia in IDEA evaluation, eligibility determinations, or IEP documents.”  Why is this letter so important for students with dyslexia, dyscalculia, or dysgraphia?  Because calling a duck a duck may be needed not only to ensure that students with dyslexia are deemed eligible for special education services but also that they receive appropriate remediation for their dyslexia.