Hawaii Dyslexia Resources
Dyslexia screening starts in 2028-29. You can ask for an evaluation now and get parent support.
More about dyslexia help in Hawaii
Hawaii has one statewide public school system. Families can request a special education evaluation in writing and should keep the date of consent.
Act 242 became law in July 2026. Dyslexia-sensitive screening starts in 2028-29 in covered department schools; charter and Hawaiian-language immersion schools are excluded.
- 2028–29Screening law starts
- 32%4th graders at Proficient
- FreeParent help with IEPs
- 21Places to get help
Start here
The go-to contacts for families in Hawaii.
Free parent help
Leadership in Disabilities & Achievement of Hawaiʻi
Help with IEPs and parent rights, plus workshops, for Hawaii families of children with disabilities.
Special education office
Hawaii Special Education Parent Rights
Read special education rights in many languages and contact the state compliance office.
FreeEspañol中文+13 languages: Chuukese, ʻŌlelo Hawaiʻi, Iloko, 日本語, 한국어, Marshallese, Pohnpeian, Português, Samoan, Tagalog, ไทย, Lea fakatonga, Tiếng ViệtFree legal advocacy
Hawaii Disability Rights Center
Free advocates for problems with IEPs, 504 plans and school evaluations; they cannot take every case.
Free
More go-to contacts
Dyslexia association
International Dyslexia Association Hawaiʻi Branch(opens in a new tab)
Job help for adults
Hawaiʻi Division of Vocational Rehabilitation(opens in a new tab)
How to get help in Hawaii
The steps and deadlines in Hawaii rules.
Ask in writing
Request a special education evaluation from the school when you suspect a reading disability. Keep your request and the school's reply.
- Time limit: 15 days
Get the school's reply
Within 15 calendar days after your evaluation request, receive written notice proposing assessment and seeking consent, or refusing assessment.
- Time limit: 60 days
Track the evaluation
The initial evaluation is due within 60 calendar days after parental consent. An exception applies if you repeatedly fail or refuse to bring the student.
Review eligibility and supports
Review the evaluation with the team. Dyslexia may qualify as a learning disability when special education is needed; diagnosis alone does not qualify.
- Time limit: 15 days
Build the IEP
Meet within 15 calendar days after consent for initial services and within 30 days after eligibility; start services as soon as possible.
Ask for help if you disagree
If you disagree with the school's evaluation, ask about an independent evaluation at public expense. Mediation, complaints, and due process are options.
Hawaii dyslexia law
Each answer opens to what the law says and where.
Dyslexia screening
Starts 2028–29
What it says
From 2028-29, state-run schools screen K-3 and newly enrolled students for dyslexia. Charter and Hawaiian immersion schools are not covered.
Help after screening
Yes
What it says
State-run schools must give evidence-based help to students with dyslexia or reading difficulty found by screening, and track progress.
Teacher training
Yes
What it says
The education department must offer staff structured-literacy training and help teacher programs train new teachers in it.
Dyslexia defined in law
Yes
What it says
Act 242 defines dyslexia as a neurological learning disability affecting word recognition, spelling, and decoding.
Act 242 (2026), section 2(h) (2026)
State dyslexia handbook
Partly
What it says
Official literacy plans describe dyslexia-sensitive screening; a current standalone state dyslexia handbook was not confirmed.
State dyslexia specialist
Not sure
What it says
A statewide dyslexia coordinator was not confirmed from the official sources reviewed.
Science of reading law
Partly
What it says
Act 242 describes structured literacy (explicit, step-by-step phonics) and requires training in it, but not its use in every class.
- Compare dyslexia laws in every state
Dyslexia testing, tutoring and support in Hawaii
Pick what you need.
Help with IEPs and 504 plans
Free experts who know the rules.
Special Parent Information Network (opens in a new tab)
Read Hawaii's parent guide to special education and get parent-to-parent information and referrals.
Get tested
School testing is free. Clinics add detail.
Assets Transforming Lives Center (opens in a new tab)
Dyslexia evaluations from age 5, with virtual parent meetings and in-person testing on Oahu.
Chaminade Assessment Center (opens in a new tab)
Dyslexia evaluations from ages 3 to 22, with insurance options and intake-fee waivers.
Tutoring and programs
Explicit, structured reading help.
University of Hawaiʻi Reading Intervention Specialist Online Tutoring (opens in a new tab)
Free online reading tutoring for grades 1-12 below grade level; ask about space and next enrollment.
Audiobooks and tech
Keep learning while reading catches up.
Assistive Technology Resource Centers of Hawaiʻi (opens in a new tab)
Free assistive technology demonstrations and six-week device loans shipped to all Hawaiian islands.
For adults
It is never too late to get help.
Hawaiʻi Community College Disability Services (opens in a new tab)
College accommodations and assistive technology at Hilo and Palamanui, including distance courses.
Hawaiʻi Literacy (opens in a new tab)
Free adult reading and writing tutoring, with a new Molokai program and other island services.
Kauaʻi Community College Disability Services (opens in a new tab)
Kauai college accommodations, alternative formats, testing accommodations, and assistive technology.
University of Hawaiʻi at Hilo Disability Services (opens in a new tab)
Big Island college disability services, accommodations, and referrals for qualified students.
University of Hawaiʻi Maui College Disability Services (opens in a new tab)
Free college accommodations and intake support for students with disabilities on Maui.
For teachers
Orton-Gillingham and structured literacy training.
AIM Institute Hawaii Structured Literacy Professional Learning (opens in a new tab)
Virtual or hybrid structured-literacy training and implementation support for Hawaii educators.
University of Hawaiʻi Mānoa Literacy Specialist Program (opens in a new tab)
Graduate literacy specialist training for educators through an online University of Hawaii program.
University of Hawaiʻi Reading Intervention Specialist (opens in a new tab)
Online structured-literacy training with tuition funding for eligible Hawaii special educators.
Schools for dyslexia in Hawaii
Each one has a documented reading program. Ask to see it.
4 of 4 shown
- Dyslexia school
Assets School(opens in a new tab)
Honolulu · Honolulu County · Grades K-12
Slingerland reading instruction at a specialized K-12 school, with need-based tuition assistance.
Financial aid - PublicExtra reading help
Kapaʻa Elementary School(opens in a new tab)
Kapaa · Kauai County · Grades PK-5
Extra phonics and sound-awareness help (95 Percent Group, Heggerty) for students who need it.
- PublicClassroom program
Keolu Elementary School(opens in a new tab)
Kailua · Honolulu County · Grades PK-6
Fundations phonics in K-3 classrooms and Heggerty sound lessons in K-2, in the 2026-27 school plan.
- PublicClassroom program
Mākaha Elementary School(opens in a new tab)
Waianae · Honolulu County · Grades K-6
UFLI Foundations phonics in kindergarten and Heggerty sound lessons in K-2, in the 2026-27 school plan.
Dyslexia help by county in Hawaii
Local schools, groups, and services in each guide.
How Hawaii 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.
Hawaii dyslexia questions
Does Hawaii have a dyslexia screening law?
Yes: Act 242 (signed July 13, 2026) starts dyslexia screening in 2028-29 for K-3 students and students new to Hawaii public schools, in department schools but not charter or Hawaiian-language immersion schools. Ask your school what screening it offers now.
SourceHow long does a special education evaluation take?
The school must answer your request within 15 calendar days. The evaluation is then due within 60 calendar days after you give consent, unless the student is repeatedly not brought for testing.
SourceWho can help with an IEP in Hawaii?
Leadership in Disabilities & Achievement of Hawaii is the statewide Parent Training and Information Center. Ask for help understanding special education and preparing for school meetings.
SourceWhat if my student needs accommodations?
Ask the school about a 504 evaluation when disability substantially limits a major life activity. A 504 plan can provide accommodations and related services; special education eligibility is a separate decision.
SourceHow can families on other islands get reading help?
The University of Hawaii offers free online reading tutoring for eligible students, with limited space. A computer, internet access, and regular attendance are required; ask about late applications or the next enrollment period.
SourceWhere can I get free help with an IEP or 504 plan in Hawaii?
Leadership in Disabilities & Achievement of Hawaiʻi ((808) 536-9684) and Hawaii Disability Rights Center ((808) 949-2922) help families for free, by phone or in meetings with the school.
Can someone with dyslexia get free audiobooks in Hawaii?
Yes. Hawaiʻi State Library for the Blind and Print Disabled (808-733-8444) lends free audiobooks to readers whose dyslexia makes print hard to read.
How well do students read in Hawaii?
In 2024, 32% of Hawaii 4th graders scored Proficient in reading on the NAEP test (U.S.: 30%). Proficient is a high bar: solid grade-level reading and more.
Nearby states
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Sources for this page (5)
- Hawaii State Department of Education — Official agency homepage opened; no dyslexia coordinator claim made.
- February 2026 literacy grant update
- Signed Act 242 — Re-scored partial 2026-10-13: subsection (e) describes structured literacy and (d), (f) require training in it; no sentence requires all classroom reading to use it. No three-cueing ban. Charter and Hawaiian-language immersion schools excluded.
- Chapter 60, sections 8-60-52 to 8-60-61 — Section 8-60-57: department must without unnecessary delay fund the evaluation or file due process to defend its own; conditions apply.
- 2026 special education training, slide 3 — Both deadlines: 15 days after consent for initial services (Chapter 60 section 8-60-47) and federal 30 days after eligibility. Consent is not consent for evaluation.
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Dyslexia resources in every state