Georgia Dyslexia Law: Screening, Evaluations, and Remedies

The Georgia dyslexia law requires every public school to screen students in kindergarten through third grade for characteristics of dyslexia three times a year, provide evidence-based reading intervention to students who show those characteristics, and give parents information and a role at each step. The framework began with SB 48 in 2019 and was strengthened by HB 307 in 2025. If your child attends a Georgia public school, here is what the school owes you, what screening does and doesn’t do, and what you can do when the process breaks down.

Who Gets Screened and When

All students in kindergarten through grade three must be screened for characteristics of dyslexia three times per year using state-approved tools. That’s a meaningful expansion from the original 2019 law, which required universal screening only for kindergartners starting in the 2024–2025 school year and limited screening in grades one through three to students already flagged through the response-to-intervention process.¹

The three-times-per-year schedule lets schools catch students who don’t show signs at the start of kindergarten but begin struggling as reading demands increase. Trained personnel administer the screenings, and schools must report data to the Georgia Department of Education annually by June 30, including the number of students screened, the number identified with dyslexia characteristics, and the interventions provided.¹

Schools must obtain informed consent before screening, and you can decline screening for your child entirely.¹

What the Screening Actually Measures

A “qualified dyslexia screening tool” under the statute must measure phonological awareness, phonemic decoding efficiency, sight word reading efficiency, rapid automatic naming, and accuracy of word reading on grade-level text.¹

In plain terms, screeners check whether a child can hear and manipulate individual sounds in words, connect letters to sounds, recognize common words quickly, and read grade-appropriate text accurately. The State Board of Education maintains the approved list, and the Georgia Department of Education publishes a free universal reading screener each year by July 15.²

One thing to be clear about: a screening is not a diagnosis. It flags students who show characteristics of dyslexia so the school’s Student Support Team can decide whether intervention is needed and what kind. A positive screen means “look closer,” not “your child has dyslexia.”

After screening, you receive notification of the results. If your child is identified as showing characteristics of dyslexia, the school must give you information and resource materials, including the Department of Education’s Dyslexia Resource Guide for Georgia Families.²

What Happens After a Student Is Identified

Once a screening identifies a student, the school is expected to provide evidence-based intervention through its response-to-intervention framework. The statute ties screening directly to intervention, so identified students should begin receiving targeted support without waiting for a formal special education referral.¹

Intervention typically follows a multi-tiered approach. Tier one is high-quality classroom reading instruction for all students. Students who don’t respond adequately move to tier two, which involves more intensive small-group instruction. Tier three is the most intensive and individualized. Schools monitor progress at each tier and adjust based on how the student responds.

Structured Literacy

Effective dyslexia intervention looks different from typical general classroom reading instruction. It uses structured literacy methods that are explicit, sequential, and multisensory. The Orton-Gillingham approach is one widely used framework. It breaks reading and spelling into small, manageable skills, teaches the rules of language directly rather than through exposure, and has students engage through seeing letters, hearing sounds, speaking words, and writing by hand.³

If your child is receiving intervention, ask what specific program the school is using, how progress is being measured, and how often it’s reviewed. If progress isn’t happening, the school should be adjusting the intervention rather than continuing the same program longer.

IEPs and 504 Plans

Some students with dyslexia qualify for formal protections under federal law. An Individualized Education Program (IEP) under the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act provides specialized instruction and related services tailored to the student. A 504 plan under the Rehabilitation Act provides accommodations like extended time on tests, audio versions of texts, or permission to use assistive technology. An IEP includes specialized instruction designed to help the student make progress; a 504 plan ensures equal access to the existing curriculum.⁴

A student does not need to be failing academically to qualify for a 504 plan. Section 504 covers any student with a physical or mental impairment that substantially limits a major life activity, and reading counts. Many students with dyslexia who are passing their classes still qualify because they are working significantly harder than their peers to keep up.

Requesting an Evaluation Yourself

If you’re concerned about your child’s reading but the routine screening hasn’t flagged a problem, or if your child is older than third grade and outside the automatic screening window, you can request that the school evaluate your child. Put the request in writing. Under federal law, schools must respond within a reasonable time, and a written request creates the paper trail that protects your rights if the process stalls.

Keep copies of screening results, report cards, and every written communication with the school. Schools are required to report intervention data to the state, so information about what your child is receiving and how they’re progressing should be readily available.

If the School Isn’t Complying

When you believe your child’s school is not following Georgia’s screening requirements or is not providing adequate intervention, federal law gives you several ways to push the issue. These options escalate in formality, and the right choice depends on the situation.

Independent Educational Evaluation

If you disagree with the school’s evaluation of your child, you have the right to request an independent educational evaluation at public expense. The school must then either pay for the outside evaluation or file for a due process hearing to prove that its own evaluation was adequate. The school cannot require you to explain why you disagree, and it cannot unreasonably delay responding. You are entitled to one independent evaluation at public expense each time the school conducts an evaluation you dispute.⁵

Private neuropsychological or educational evaluations for dyslexia typically cost between $900 and $5,000 depending on the evaluator and your location. This right exists so families aren’t stuck paying that bill when they have legitimate concerns about the school’s assessment.

Mediation

Mediation is a voluntary process where you and the school sit down with a trained, impartial mediator to work out a solution. The state pays for the mediator, and sessions must be scheduled promptly at a convenient location. Anything discussed stays confidential and cannot be used against either side in a later hearing or court proceeding. If you reach an agreement, it becomes a legally binding contract enforceable in state or federal court.⁶

Mediation tends to be most productive when there’s genuine room for compromise. It preserves the working relationship with the school and resolves issues faster than formal proceedings.

State Complaints and Due Process Hearings

When mediation isn’t appropriate or has failed, you have two formal options. A state complaint is filed with the Georgia Department of Education and alleges that the district violated a specific requirement of federal or state law. The state education agency generally has 60 days to investigate and issue a written decision with findings of fact and corrective actions if warranted.

A due process complaint is filed directly against the school district and leads to a formal hearing before an impartial hearing officer. The complaint must describe the problem, identify the child and school, and propose a resolution. This is the more adversarial route and often involves legal representation on both sides.⁷

Choosing mediation cannot be used to deny or delay your right to a due process hearing. You can pursue both paths if needed, and attempting mediation first does not waive your formal hearing rights.⁶

Practical Next Steps

If your child is in K–3, confirm with the school that screening is happening, ask for the results, and ask what tool is being used. If screening flagged your child, ask what intervention program is in place, who is delivering it, and how progress will be measured and reported to you. Ask whether anyone on the intervention team holds Georgia’s dyslexia endorsement or equivalent training.

If you suspect dyslexia and screening didn’t catch it, or if your child is older than third grade, submit a written request for evaluation. Save every document. If the school’s response is inadequate, start with the least adversarial option that fits your situation and escalate from there. The formal rights exist because the informal process doesn’t always work, and using them doesn’t close off the possibility of returning to a cooperative footing later.

1
Justia. Georgia Code 20-2-159.6 – Screening for Dyslexia and Related Disorders; Training and Professional Development; Pilot Program Evaluating Early Intervention; Data Reporting
2
Georgia Department of Education. Dyslexia Informational Handbook
3
Orton-Gillingham.com. The Orton-Gillingham Approach
4
Congressional Research Service. The Rights of Students with Disabilities Under the IDEA, Section 504, and the ADA
5
Individuals with Disabilities Education Act. Sec. 300.502 – Independent Educational Evaluation
6
Individuals with Disabilities Education Act. Sec. 300.506(b) – Mediation
7
Individuals with Disabilities Education Act. Sec. 300.508 – Due Process Complaint