Alabama Dyslexia Resources
K-3 students receive reading screening and intervention. Get free parent help and ask for a school evaluation.
More about dyslexia help in Alabama
Alabama requires K-3 reading screening and support for students with reading difficulties or characteristics of dyslexia. A 2026 law bans guessing-based word reading in public K-12 schools; the state also publishes a dyslexia guide.
A school evaluation is due within 60 calendar days after the district receives your signed consent, with specified exceptions. Eligibility is decided within 30 calendar days after evaluation; an IEP meeting follows within 30 calendar days if eligible.
Start here
The go-to contacts for families in Alabama.
Free parent help
Alabama Parent Education Center
Free training and one-to-one help for parents preparing for IEP and 504 meetings.
FreeState dyslexia guidance
Alabama Dyslexia Resource Guide
Official guidance on dyslexia screening, reading intervention, and classroom accommodations.
FreeSpecial education office
Alabama Special Education Services
State special education guidance, forms, timelines, and regional contacts.
Free
Help for your part of Alabama
Autauga, Baldwin, and 62 more counties1 contact
Talladega, Calhoun, and St. Clair counties1 contact
More go-to contacts
Dyslexia association
International Dyslexia Association Alabama Branch(opens in a new tab)
Department of education
Alabama State Department of Education(opens in a new tab)
Adult reading help
Alabama Community College System Adult Education(opens in a new tab)
Job help for adults
Alabama Department of Rehabilitation Services(opens in a new tab)
How to get help in Alabama
The steps and deadlines in Alabama rules.
- Time limit: 15 school days
Ask for reading help now
For a consistent K-3 reading deficiency, the school must notify you in writing within 15 school days. Ask about the reading plan.
Request a school evaluation
Write to your district about suspected disability. Request an evaluation and keep a copy; ask for written notice if the school refuses.
- Time limit: 60 days
Give written consent
Evaluation is due within 60 calendar days after the district receives signed consent, including summer, with specified exceptions.
- Time limit: 30 days
Review the eligibility decision
The school must decide initial eligibility within 30 calendar days after completing the evaluation. Participate in the decision.
- Time limit: 30 days
Help write the learning plan
If eligible, an IEP meeting is due within 30 calendar days. Your separate consent is needed before initial special education services.
Ask for help if you disagree
You may request an independent evaluation at public expense; the school must fund it or seek a hearing without unnecessary delay.
Alabama dyslexia law
Each answer opens to what the law says and where.
Dyslexia screening
Yes
What it says
K-3 students receive approved reading screening; assessment systems must identify characteristics of dyslexia.
Ala. Code §16-6G-3(e); Alabama Dyslexia Resource Guide, p.17 (2019)
Help after screening
Yes
What it says
K-3 students with reading deficiencies or dyslexia characteristics must receive reading intervention and improvement plans.
Ala. Code §16-6G-5(b)-(e) (2019)
Teacher training
Yes
What it says
Public elementary teacher preparation requires nine reading/literacy credits; elementary teachers receive reading coaching.
Ala. Code §16-6G-6(d)-(f) (2019)
Dyslexia defined in law
Yes
What it says
State law defines dyslexia as a neurological learning challenge affecting word recognition, spelling, and decoding.
Ala. Code §16-6G-2(4) (2019)
State dyslexia handbook
Yes
What it says
The education department publishes an Alabama Dyslexia Resource Guide; the opened edition was revised in August 2022.
State dyslexia specialist
Partly
What it says
State law oversees regional and local reading specialists; a separately designated statewide dyslexia coordinator was not confirmed.
Science of reading law
Yes
What it says
K-3 core reading follows reading science; a 2026 law bans three-cueing word reading across public K-12 schools.
Ala. Code §16-6G-5(a); 2026 SB168 enrolled, §§3-5; FY26-2069 (2026)
- Compare dyslexia laws in every state
Dyslexia testing, tutoring and support in Alabama
Pick what you need.
Help with IEPs and 504 plans
Free experts who know the rules.
Alabama Special Education Dispute Resolution (opens in a new tab)
State forms for mediation, complaints, due process, and facilitated IEP meetings.
Get tested
School testing is free. Clinics add detail.
Alabama Language-based Literacy Program (opens in a new tab)
University literacy evaluation and structured literacy treatment for students and adults, including dyslexia.
Auburn University Speech and Hearing Clinic (opens in a new tab)
Literacy evaluation and reading treatment, with income-based reduced fees and telehealth options.
Bright Academy Dyslexia Screening and Testing (opens in a new tab)
$50 dyslexia screening and $450 full testing for ages 5-85 in Mobile.
Greengate Services (opens in a new tab)
Fee-based dyslexia testing, tutoring, and summer reading programs open beyond enrolled students.
University of Alabama at Birmingham Civitan-Sparks Clinics (opens in a new tab)
Learning and developmental evaluations for ages 1-18, with financial help for uninsured families.
Tutoring and programs
Explicit, structured reading help.
Bright Academy After School Dyslexia Therapy (opens in a new tab)
After-school dyslexia therapy using structured, multisensory reading and spelling instruction.
Dyslexia Center of the Shoals (opens in a new tab)
Dyslexia evaluations and one-to-one structured literacy tutoring in the Shoals area.
Hettie Johnson Institute at Spring Valley (opens in a new tab)
Dyslexia screening and Neuhaus-based therapy in person or virtually.
Audiobooks and tech
Keep learning while reading catches up.
Accessing Potential Through Assistive Technology (opens in a new tab)
Free assistive technology demonstrations, short-term loans, and training for Alabama residents.
Parent groups
Families who have been there.
Learning Disabilities Association of Alabama (opens in a new tab)
Learning disability news, events, and an Alabama conference for families and teachers.
For adults
It is never too late to get help.
Bevill State Community College Adult Education (opens in a new tab)
Serves Fayette, Lamar, and 4 more counties
Free adult literacy and basic-skills classes, with hybrid online instruction in northwest Alabama.
The Literacy Council of Central Alabama (opens in a new tab)
Serves Jefferson, Shelby, and 3 more counties
Free one-to-one reading and writing tutoring for adults, in person or online in five central counties.
Wallace Community College Adult Education (opens in a new tab)
Serves Houston, Henry, and Barbour counties
Free adult basic-skills and literacy instruction at Dothan, Eufaula, and nearby sites.
For teachers
Orton-Gillingham and structured literacy training.
Alabama Scottish Rite Learning Centers (opens in a new tab)
Dyslexia webinars for families and educators, plus grants for teacher training.
Alabama Reading Teacher Development (opens in a new tab)
State guidance for reading-science, structured literacy, and dyslexia training for teachers.
University of Alabama Certified Academic Language Therapist Program (opens in a new tab)
Dyslexia therapy training with competitive scholarships for Alabama educators.
Schools for dyslexia in Alabama
Each one has a documented reading program. Ask to see it.
7 of 7 shown
- Dyslexia school
Spring Valley School(opens in a new tab)
Birmingham · Jefferson County · Grades K-12
Birmingham K-12 school with daily dyslexia therapy and structured literacy instruction.
- Dyslexia school
Greengate School at Randolph(opens in a new tab)
Huntsville · Madison County · Grades 1-6
Specialized grades 1-6 school using Orton-Gillingham instruction for students with dyslexia.
- Dyslexia school
Bright Academy(opens in a new tab)
Mobile · Mobile County · Grades 1-8
Grades 1-8 dyslexia school with daily Orton-Gillingham language therapy in Mobile.
Financial aid - Public district
Huntsville City Schools(opens in a new tab)
Huntsville · Madison County
District dyslexia department supports K-12 schools with intervention and teacher training.
Screens for dyslexiaDyslexia contact - Public district
Butler County Schools(opens in a new tab)
Butler County
K-3 reading screening and intervention information for Butler County families.
Screens for dyslexia - Public district
Birmingham City Schools(opens in a new tab)
Birmingham · Jefferson County
District dyslexia resource page shares family and classroom information.
Dyslexia contact - Public district
Madison City Schools(opens in a new tab)
Madison · Madison County
District dyslexia support page links families to student resources and dyslexia information.
Dyslexia contact
How Alabama reads
Students and adults, next to the whole U.S.
4th graders reading at Proficient
Public schools. The Nation's Report Card (NAEP), 2024
8th graders reading at Proficient
Public schools. The Nation's Report Card (NAEP), 2024
Adults who struggle to read
Ages 16 to 74 at or below Level 1 in a national adult skills survey (PIAAC), data through 2017
NAEP Proficient is a high bar, not the same as “on grade level.” Adult figures are model estimates. Sources: The Nation’s Report Card and the U.S. PIAAC Skills Map, both from NCES.
See reading scores in every stateAlso good, in every state
Bookshare (opens in a new tab)
Ebooks read aloud with highlighting, free for U.S. students with dyslexia; adults pay a yearly fee.
Center for Parent Information and Resources (CPIR) (opens in a new tab)
Find your state's federally funded parent center for help with special education.
International Dyslexia Association (IDA) Provider Directory (opens in a new tab)
Search IDA's directory for dyslexia testing, tutoring, therapy, and advocacy near you.
Job Accommodation Network (JAN) (opens in a new tab)
Free, confidential advice on job accommodations for adults with dyslexia, by phone or email.
Learning Ally (opens in a new tab)
Human-read audiobooks for students with dyslexia. Families pay yearly; your school may already offer it.
National Library Service for the Blind and Print Disabled (NLS) (opens in a new tab)
Free audiobooks by mail or app for children and adults with a reading disability like dyslexia.
Alabama dyslexia questions
Does a screening result mean a dyslexia diagnosis?
No: screening shows which students need reading help, and a school evaluation is a separate step. Ask what the results mean and which reading help will begin.
SourceCan a student get help without an IEP?
Yes: schools must give reading help to K-3 students with reading difficulties or signs of dyslexia, with or without an IEP. Ask about a reading improvement plan and whether a 504 plan is needed.
SourceHow long can a school evaluation take?
Evaluation is due within 60 calendar days after receipt of signed consent, with specified exceptions. Eligibility is decided within 30 more calendar days; school breaks and summer do not pause those deadlines.
SourceWho can help with IEP or 504 meetings?
The Alabama Parent Education Center offers free information and training, including help preparing for IEP and 504 meetings. The Alabama Disabilities Advocacy Program gives free legal help with some disability-rights problems, based on its case priorities.
SourceIs online reading help available?
The Hettie Johnson Institute offers virtual dyslexia therapy. The Literacy Council offers free adult reading tutoring online in Jefferson, Shelby, Walker, St. Clair and Blount counties; confirm intake and fit directly.
SourceWhere can I get free help with an IEP or 504 plan in Alabama?
Alabama Parent Education Center (866-532-7660) and Alabama Disabilities Advocacy Program (800-826-1675) help families for free, by phone or in meetings with the school.
Are there schools for dyslexia in Alabama?
Yes. This guide lists 3 schools built for students with dyslexia: Bright Academy (Mobile), Greengate School at Randolph (Huntsville), Spring Valley School (Birmingham). Public districts with reading programs are listed too.
Can someone with dyslexia get free audiobooks in Alabama?
Yes. Alabama Regional Library for the Blind and Physically Disabled (800-392-5671) lends free audiobooks to readers whose dyslexia makes print hard to read.
How well do students read in Alabama?
In 2024, 28% of Alabama 4th graders scored Proficient in reading on the NAEP test (U.S.: 30%). Proficient is a high bar: solid grade-level reading and more.
Neighboring states
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Sources for this page (15)
- alison.legislature.state.al.us — Subsection (c); monthly written progress updates; subsection (d) requires reading improvement plan within 30 days of identification.
- admincode.legislature.state.al.us
- alabamaachieves.org — January 2025 rights booklet pp.2-3: notice for proposed/refused evaluation and informed parental consent. Writing and keeping a copy are practical advice, not an added state deadline.
- springvalleyschool.org
- Disability advocacy eligibility and priorities
- Section 504 guide to support students with dyslexia
- alison.legislature.state.al.us — Current codification includes Acts 2022-392 and 2023-417; subsection (e), not original (b).
- alabamaachieves.org
- alabamaachieves.org — Current approved universal assessment options: mCLASS, iReady, aimswebPlus and STAR with CBMs; former MAP/Istation options removed.
- alison.legislature.state.al.us — Preparation requirement began 2020-21; foundational reading assessment for initial elementary certification; coaching during first five teaching years.
- alison.legislature.state.al.us
- alison.legislature.state.al.us — Section 5 continues with 2026 on next numbered line. Sections 3-4 restrict three-cueing and visual-memory word reading; educator-preparation approval and violation notices begin 2026-27.
- alabamaachieves.org — July 8, 2026 agency memo confirms enactment of SB168 and implementation. Context may support comprehension, not word recognition.
- admincode.legislature.state.al.us — Rule (2)(b): after initial eligibility; separate service consent explained in 2025 procedural safeguards, p.4.
- sites.ed.gov — Federal right when disagreeing with school evaluation, subject to agency criteria; no fabricated numeric response deadline. Alabama also offers mediation, complaints and due process.
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