504 plan
Section 504 plan
A free, written list of supports, like extra time or audiobooks, for a student with a disability who does not need special education.
In the guides for 24 states, most in:
Words Schools Use, Explained
29 dyslexia and special education terms, in plain words.
ADA
Americans with Disabilities Act
The federal civil rights law that bans disability discrimination at work, in schools and colleges, in tests like the SAT, and in public places.
ADHD
Attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder
A condition that affects attention, activity, and impulse control. Many students with dyslexia also have ADHD.
In the guides for:
AOGPE
Academy of Orton-Gillingham Practitioners and Educators
A nonprofit that certifies Orton-Gillingham teachers and accredits schools and training programs that teach the approach.
Assistive technology
Tools like text-to-speech, audiobooks, and speech-to-text that help people with disabilities read and write.
BOCES
Boards of Cooperative Educational Services
Regional agencies in New York that run shared programs for groups of school districts, including special education classes and teacher training.
In the guides for:
Child study team
The New Jersey school district team, usually a psychologist, a learning specialist, and a social worker, that evaluates students and writes IEPs.
In the guides for:
CSE
Committee on Special Education
The New York school district team that decides whether a student qualifies for special education and writes the IEP.
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DIBELS
Dynamic Indicators of Basic Early Literacy Skills
A short reading check schools give a few times a year to spot students who need help early.
FACE Center
Family and Community Engagement Center
Regional centers funded by New York State that help families of students with disabilities understand special education.
In the guides for:
GED
General Educational Development test
A high school equivalency test for adults who did not finish high school.
In the guides for:
IDEA
Individuals with Disabilities Education Act
The federal law that gives students with disabilities, including dyslexia, the right to a free evaluation and to special education.
IEP
Individualized Education Program
A free, written plan for a student who qualifies for special education. It sets goals and lists the teaching and services the school must give.
Multisensory
Multisensory teaching
Learning with more than one sense at once, such as saying a sound while tracing its letter. It is a core part of Orton-Gillingham teaching.
NAEP
National Assessment of Educational Progress (The Nation's Report Card)
A national reading and math test given to a sample of students in every state, so states can be compared fairly.
NJDOE
New Jersey Department of Education
The state agency that oversees New Jersey's public schools, including special education.
In the guides for:
NVLD
Nonverbal learning disability
A learning difference that affects visual-spatial, motor, and social skills, while spoken language is often strong.
NYSED
New York State Education Department
The state agency that oversees New York's public schools, including special education.
In the guides for:
Orton-Gillingham
Orton-Gillingham (OG)
A way of teaching reading step by step, with lots of practice. Students see, say, hear, and write each sound, and most dyslexia programs are built on it.
In the guides for 27 states, most in:
Parent center
Parent Training and Information Center (PTI)
A free, federally funded center that helps families understand special education and their rights. Every state has at least one.
In the guides for 15 states, most in:
Phonemic awareness
Hearing and playing with the separate sounds in spoken words, like the three sounds in 'cat'. It is the base that phonics builds on.
In the guides for:
PIAAC
Program for the International Assessment of Adult Competencies
A survey of adults' reading and math skills. Adults at Level 1 or below can usually read only short, simple texts.
Proficient
NAEP Proficient
NAEP's mark for solid, competent work at a grade level. NAEP says it is a high bar and not the same as being on grade level.
RTI
Response to Intervention
A school process that gives struggling students extra help in steps and tracks their progress. It cannot be used to delay a special education evaluation.
SEPAG
Special Education Parent Advisory Group
A group of parents that gives a New Jersey school district advice on special education.
In the guides for:
SEPTA
Special Education PTA
A parent-teacher association for families of students with disabilities in a school district.
In the guides for:
SPAN
SPAN Parent Advocacy Network
New Jersey's free parent center for special education questions, funded by the U.S. Department of Education.
In the guides for:
Structured literacy
Teaching reading directly and in order: sounds, letters, syllables, word parts, and sentences, with lots of practice. It is the approach research supports for dyslexia.
In the guides for 22 states, most in:
TRAID
Technology-Related Assistance for Individuals with Disabilities
New York State's assistive technology program: regional centers where people with disabilities can try out and borrow devices.
In the guides for: