Colorado Dyslexia Resources
Dyslexia screening expands in 2027–28. Request evaluation now and get parent help in English or Spanish.
More about dyslexia help in Colorado
Colorado requires reading support for students with significant reading deficiencies. Universal dyslexia screening starts by 2027–28: kindergarten in the last 90 days, and grades 1–3 in the first 90 days of the school year.
Ask your school for an evaluation now; you do not have to wait for the new screening rules. The usual evaluation deadline is 60 calendar days after written consent; an initial IEP is due within 90 calendar days of consent.
- 2027–28Screening law starts
- 36%4th graders at Proficient
- FreeParent help with IEPs
- 23Places to get help
Start here
The go-to contacts for families in Colorado.
Free parent help
PEAK Parent Center
Parent advice in English and Spanish, plus free and low-cost training on disability rights.
Free and paidEspañolState dyslexia guidance
Colorado Department of Education Dyslexia Guidance
Official dyslexia handbook, screening guidance, and Colorado law information.
FreeSpecial education office
Colorado Department of Education Office of Special Education
State special education information, forms, and parent procedural safeguards.
Free
More go-to contacts
Free legal advocacy
Disability Justice(opens in a new tab)
Free audiobooks
Colorado Talking Book Library(opens in a new tab)
Parent-led dyslexia group
Colorado Kids Identified with Dyslexia(opens in a new tab)
Department of education
Colorado Department of Education Reading Support(opens in a new tab)
Adult reading help
Literacy Coalition of Colorado(opens in a new tab)
Job help for adults
Colorado Division of Vocational Rehabilitation(opens in a new tab)
How to get help in Colorado
The steps and deadlines in Colorado rules.
Request an evaluation
Write to your school about reading and spelling concerns. Ask for a special education evaluation and keep a dated copy.
Review and give written consent
Review what the school will assess. Give written consent; a request alone does not start the evaluation deadline.
- Time limit: 60 days
Complete evaluation and eligibility
Evaluation and eligibility are normally due within 60 calendar days of consent. Limited exceptions or agreed extensions apply.
- Time limit: 90 days
Develop the initial IEP
If eligible, develop the initial IEP within 90 calendar days of evaluation consent—not 90 extra days after evaluation.
Ask about classroom access
Ask for needed reading supports and assistive technology. For disability discrimination or access, ask the district's 504 coordinator.
Use parent help and dispute options
Contact PEAK for help. If you disagree, ask about an independent evaluation, mediation, a state complaint or due process.
Colorado dyslexia law
Each answer opens to what the law says and where.
Dyslexia screening
Starts 2027–28
What it says
Now: K-3 reading tests during the year. By 2027-28: a dyslexia screener, kindergarten in the last 90 days, grades 1-3 in the first 90.
Help after screening
Yes
What it says
Students with significant reading deficiencies qualify for targeted evidence-based intervention and a READ plan.
Teacher training
Yes
What it says
K–3 teachers and grades 4–12 reading interventionists must complete evidence-based reading training.
SB19-199; SB22-004 (2019)
Dyslexia defined in law
Yes
What it says
State law defines dyslexia as a neurobiological learning disability affecting word recognition, spelling and decoding.
State dyslexia handbook
Yes
What it says
The education department publishes a Colorado Dyslexia Handbook and screening guidance.
State dyslexia specialist
Not sure
What it says
State dyslexia guidance and a working group are confirmed; a dedicated current statewide coordinator is unconfirmed.
Science of reading law
Yes
What it says
Reading staff need evidence-based training; principal and administrator science-of-reading training evidence is required from 2024–25.
SB19-199; SB22-004 (2022)
- Compare dyslexia laws in every state
Dyslexia testing, tutoring and support in Colorado
Pick what you need.
Help with IEPs and 504 plans
Free experts who know the rules.
Colorado Department of Education IEP Process (opens in a new tab)
IEP forms, eligibility guidance and parent rights documents in several languages.
Get tested
School testing is free. Clinics add detail.
Children’s Hospital Colorado Learning Services (opens in a new tab)
Dyslexia evaluations and Orton-Gillingham-based learning therapy for students.
Colorado Literacy & Learning Center (opens in a new tab)
Dyslexia evaluations for students and adults, with separate screening and diagnostic options.
Dyslexia Foundation of Western Colorado (opens in a new tab)
Serves Mesa, Montrose, and 3 more counties
Sliding-scale dyslexia screening and family advocacy on the Western Slope.
University of Denver Developmental Neuropsychology Clinic (opens in a new tab)
Dyslexia-related evaluations for students and emerging adults; income-based evaluation funding may help.
Tutoring and programs
Explicit, structured reading help.
Dyslexia Solutions of Colorado (opens in a new tab)
In-person Denver and nationwide online reading tutoring for ages 5 through adult.
Words Without Limits (opens in a new tab)
Reading therapy through school partners and funded online therapy for students unable to afford private help.
Audiobooks and tech
Keep learning while reading catches up.
Colorado School Assistive Technology Loan Library (opens in a new tab)
Try assistive technology through your public school's designated team; families cannot borrow directly.
Parent groups
Families who have been there.
DenCoKID (opens in a new tab)
Serves Denver County
Denver parent support, school advocacy and shared dyslexia resources.
For adults
It is never too late to get help.
Durango and Cortez Adult Education Center (opens in a new tab)
Adult basic education and high-school-equivalency support in Durango and Cortez; free tutoring for students.
Lamar Community College Adult Career Educational Center (opens in a new tab)
Low-cost adult high school diploma classes with tutoring and advising in Lamar.
Northeastern Junior College Adult Education (opens in a new tab)
Free adult reading, writing and high-school-equivalency classes in northeastern Colorado; tests cost extra.
For teachers
Orton-Gillingham and structured literacy training.
The Reading League Colorado (opens in a new tab)
Colorado chapter with evidence-based reading resources and educator events.
Schools for dyslexia in Colorado
Each one has a documented reading program. Ask to see it.
7 of 7 shown
- Dyslexia school
Denver Academy(opens in a new tab)
Denver · Denver County · Grades 2-12
Grades 2–12 school where lower-school teachers use Orton-Gillingham methods for students with dyslexia.
Financial aid - Dyslexia school
Havern School(opens in a new tab)
Littleton · Jefferson County · Grades K-8
K-8 school in Littleton for students with dyslexia and learning disabilities, with Orton-Gillingham reading.
Financial aid - PublicExtra reading help
Foothill Elementary School(opens in a new tab)
Boulder · Boulder County · Grades K-5
Small-group Orton-Gillingham reading intervention in a Boulder public elementary school.
- PublicExtra reading help
Lowry Elementary School(opens in a new tab)
Denver · Denver County · Grades K-5
Small-group reading support with Really Great Reading at a Denver public elementary school.
- CharterExtra reading help
Orton Academy(opens in a new tab)
Colorado Springs · El Paso County · Grades 2-8
Tuition-free grades 2–8 charter school with daily dyslexia therapy and Take Flight intervention.
- Public districtClassroom program
Cherry Creek School District(opens in a new tab)
Arapahoe County
Kindergarten–grade 3 Fundations classroom instruction, documented in the 2026–27 literacy map.
- Public districtClassroom program
Durango School District(opens in a new tab)
Durango · La Plata County
Every kindergarten to grade 2 teacher uses an Orton-Gillingham approach in daily reading lessons.
Dyslexia help by county in Colorado
Local schools, groups, and services in each guide.
How Colorado 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.
Colorado dyslexia questions
Must I pay for a private dyslexia diagnosis to request school help?
No. The school can evaluate your child, and school teams can identify dyslexia. A private evaluation can add information, but you do not need one to ask for help.
SourceWhen does universal dyslexia screening start?
By the 2027–28 school year. Kindergarten screening is in the last 90 days, and grades 1–3 screening in the first 90 days; current reading support does not wait for that date.
SourceIs screening the same as an evaluation or diagnosis?
No. Screening flags risk and guides teaching. A special education evaluation decides if your child has a disability and what help they need.
SourceWhere can I get parent advice in Spanish?
PEAK Parent Center offers parent advising in English and Spanish. It provides referrals and information on special education and inclusion, plus free and low-cost services.
SourceCan adults get help?
Adult education offers reading and diploma support, and the talking-book library serves eligible adults. Vocational rehabilitation currently has a waitlist in all priority categories.
SourceWhere can I get free help with an IEP or 504 plan in Colorado?
PEAK Parent Center (719-531-9400) and Disability Justice help families for free, by phone or in meetings with the school.
Are there schools for dyslexia in Colorado?
Yes. This guide lists 2 schools built for students with dyslexia: Denver Academy (Denver), Havern School (Littleton). Public districts with reading programs are listed too.
Can someone with dyslexia get free audiobooks in Colorado?
Yes. Colorado Talking Book Library lends free audiobooks to readers whose dyslexia makes print hard to read.
How well do students read in Colorado?
In 2024, 36% of Colorado 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
- Arizona dyslexia resources22 places to get help
- Kansas dyslexia resources26 places to get help
- Nebraska dyslexia resources23 places to get help
- New Mexico dyslexia resources29 places to get help
- Oklahoma dyslexia resources27 places to get help
- Utah dyslexia resources20 places to get help
- Wyoming dyslexia resources23 places to get help
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Sources for this page (6)
- Signed Senate Bill 25-200
- sos.state.co.us — 4.03(1)(d)(i); federal IEP meeting rule also requires 30 days after eligibility determination.
- ed.cde.state.co.us — Pages 5–7 cover independent evaluation requests: district must fund or seek due process without unnecessary delay, subject to rules. PEAK parent help independently opened.
- ed.cde.state.co.us — No absence-of-law claim inferred from missing specialist contact.
- leg.colorado.gov — Section 2 adds definition; school eligibility rules also include dyslexia within specific learning disability.
- ed.cde.state.co.us — Official page states reporting begins with 2024–2025 budget year. No unverified three-cueing ban asserted.
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Dyslexia resources in every state