Arizona Dyslexia Resources
Kindergarten and grade 1 dyslexia screening is required; Encircle Families gives free special education help.
More about dyslexia help in Arizona
Arizona screens public-school students in kindergarten and grade 1 for dyslexia indicators within 45 calendar days. Schools must use evidence-based reading instruction and provide reading interventions.
Ask for an evaluation in writing if you suspect a disability. Encircle Families gives free parent support; university clinics, talking books, and local adult literacy programs offer other help.
Start here
The go-to contacts for families in Arizona.
Free parent help
Encircle Families
Free special education help and parent mentoring for Arizona families, in English and Spanish.
FreeEspañolState dyslexia guidance
Arizona Department of Education Dyslexia Guidance
Official dyslexia screening, training, handbook, and family guides for Arizona schools.
FreeSpecial education office
Arizona Department of Education Exceptional Student Services
Special education rights, evaluation guidance, and connections to dispute help.
Free
More go-to contacts
Dyslexia association
International Dyslexia Association Arizona(opens in a new tab)
Job help for adults
Arizona Vocational Rehabilitation(opens in a new tab)
How to get help in Arizona
The steps and deadlines in Arizona rules.
- Time limit: 15 school days
Ask in writing
Request a special education evaluation. Within 15 school days, the school must start reviewing existing data or give written refusal.
Give informed written consent
The 60-calendar-day clock starts when the school receives informed written consent, not when you first ask.
- Time limit: 60 days
Check the evaluation deadline
Evaluation and eligibility are due in 60 calendar days. A 30-day extension needs written agreement and must benefit the student.
Review eligibility together
The evaluation team decides special education eligibility. A dyslexia screening result alone is not this decision.
- Time limit: 30 days
Write the first IEP
If eligible, the school must hold the first IEP meeting within 30 calendar days of the eligibility decision.
Ask for dispute help
Contact Exceptional Student Services for special education disputes. Section 504 discrimination complaints go to federal civil rights staff.
Arizona dyslexia law
Each answer opens to what the law says and where.
Dyslexia screening
Yes
What it says
Public schools screen kindergarten and grade 1 within 45 calendar days of the school year starting or later enrollment.
Help after screening
Yes
What it says
Schools plan evidence-based intervention from reading assessments and offer parents a choice of reading support strategies.
Teacher training
Yes
What it says
Each K-3 school needs at least one trained teacher, literacy coach, or specialist; this duty was due July 1, 2022.
Dyslexia defined in law
Yes
What it says
Law defines dyslexia as neurological, with difficulties in word recognition, spelling, and decoding.
State dyslexia handbook
Yes
What it says
The education agency publishes a dyslexia handbook and family guides, including a Spanish family guide.
State dyslexia specialist
Yes
What it says
The education department must designate a dyslexia specialist to support school districts and charter schools.
Science of reading law
Yes
What it says
K-3 reading curricula must include explicit, systematic phonological awareness, phonics, fluency, vocabulary, and comprehension.
- Compare dyslexia laws in every state
Dyslexia testing, tutoring and support in Arizona
Pick what you need.
Get tested
School testing is free. Clinics add detail.
University of Arizona Assessment of Behavior and Learning for Excellence Clinic (opens in a new tab)
Learning-disorder evaluations for students and adults; some online and grant-funded options.
Tutoring and programs
Explicit, structured reading help.
Arizona State University Pediatric Communication Clinic (opens in a new tab)
Language and literacy therapy for students, with financial aid for qualified families.
On-Track Tutoring (opens in a new tab)
One-to-one reading intervention using Wilson and Lindamood-Bell programs near Phoenix.
Audiobooks and tech
Keep learning while reading catches up.
Arizona Technology Access Program (opens in a new tab)
Try assistive devices at home or school, with free shipping for short-term loans.
For adults
It is never too late to get help.
Adult Literacy Plus of Southwest Arizona (opens in a new tab)
Adult education, English, tutoring, and workforce preparation in Southwest Arizona.
Literacy Connects Adult Basic Literacy (opens in a new tab)
Adult reading help with a volunteer tutor in Tucson, at a library, or on Zoom.
Literacy Phoenix (opens in a new tab)
Free adult reading, writing, English, and high school equivalency classes, online or in person.
Northland Pioneer College Adult Basic Education (opens in a new tab)
Serves Navajo and Apache counties
Adult reading and writing courses in northeastern Arizona, with tuition waivers for eligible students.
Pima Community College Adult Basic Education (opens in a new tab)
Free adult reading, writing, English, and high school equivalency classes in Tucson and online.
Prescott Valley Library Adult Literacy Group (opens in a new tab)
Serves Prescott Valley
Free one-to-one adult reading, writing, English, and dyslexia support in the Quad-Cities.
The Literacy Center (opens in a new tab)
Reading, writing, and English tutoring and classes for adults, teens, and children in Flagstaff.
Workplace Education and Literacy Coalition of Mohave County (opens in a new tab)
Serves Mohave County
Free reading and writing tutoring in Bullhead City, Kingman, and Lake Havasu City.
For teachers
Orton-Gillingham and structured literacy training.
The Jones-Gordon School Wilson Training (opens in a new tab)
Wilson Reading System training for educators at an Arizona dyslexia school.
Schools for dyslexia in Arizona
Each one has a documented reading program. Ask to see it.
3 of 3 shown
- Dyslexia school
New Way Academy(opens in a new tab)
Phoenix · Maricopa County · Grades K-12
K–12 school for students with dyslexia and other learning differences.
Financial aid - Dyslexia school
The Jones-Gordon School(opens in a new tab)
Paradise Valley · Maricopa County · Grades 1-12
Dyslexia school with Wilson Reading System instruction in grades 2–8 and high school support.
Wilson Accredited Training Partner School - Public districtClassroom program
Gilbert Public Schools(opens in a new tab)
Gilbert · Maricopa County
Daily Fundations reading and spelling lessons in kindergarten through grade 3.
Dyslexia help by county in Arizona
Local schools, groups, and services in each guide.
How Arizona 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.
Arizona dyslexia questions
When must Arizona screen for dyslexia?
Public schools screen kindergarten and grade 1 students within 45 calendar days after the school year starts, or after later enrollment. Screening identifies risk; it is not a diagnosis.
SourceDo school breaks pause an evaluation?
No. The 60-day period uses calendar days, including school breaks; a 30-day extension requires written agreement and must be in the student's best interest.
SourceWhere can families get free special education help?
Encircle Families is Arizona's federally funded parent center and offers free family support. Disability Rights Arizona also accepts requests for free disability-rights help, but cannot take every case.
SourceIs third-grade retention automatic for students with dyslexia?
No. The law lets a school promote a third grader diagnosed with a significant reading impairment, including dyslexia. Ask the school which exception applies and what reading help comes with it.
SourceWhat if I disagree with the school's evaluation?
You can request an independent educational evaluation at public expense if you disagree with the school's evaluation. This is a second opinion, not the initial school evaluation.
SourceCan adults get reading help?
Local adult literacy programs offer reading help, and the state adult education office lists programs statewide. These general literacy services are not necessarily dyslexia therapy.
SourceAre there schools for dyslexia in Arizona?
Yes. This guide lists 2 schools built for students with dyslexia: New Way Academy (Phoenix), The Jones-Gordon School (Paradise Valley). Public districts with reading programs are listed too.
Can someone with dyslexia get free audiobooks in Arizona?
Yes. Arizona Talking Book Library (800-255-5578) lends free audiobooks to readers whose dyslexia makes print hard to read.
How well do students read in Arizona?
In 2024, 26% of Arizona 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 (10)
- azleg.gov — D requires evidence-based curriculum with essential components; J(1) defines these as explicit and systematic instruction. No single named curriculum inferred.
- azleg.gov
- azleg.gov
- azleg.gov
- azed.gov
- encirclefamilies.org
- disabilityrightsaz.org
- azleg.gov
- azed.gov — Official guide hub describes handbook and English/Spanish family guides.
- azed.gov — Page distinguishes special education/IDEA disputes from Section 504 and general education issues.
We list official, nonprofit, university, and well-known services, checked by people. No paid listings. Not legal or medical advice; confirm details with each organization.
Dyslexia resources in every state