New Hampshire Dyslexia Resources
K–3 dyslexia screening is required now; explicit reading instruction through grade 5 starts July 1, 2027.
More about dyslexia help in New Hampshire
Public and charter schools screen K–3 students for dyslexia risk and provide evidence-based help. A 2024 law requires explicit, systematic reading instruction through grade 5 beginning July 1, 2027.
Request a special education evaluation whenever you suspect a disability. The Parent Information Center explains your rights; free dyslexia tutoring centers and adult literacy programs provide other routes to help.
Start here
The go-to contacts for families in New Hampshire.
Free parent help
Parent Information Center of New Hampshire
Information and support for special education, reading screening, evaluations, and disagreements.
State dyslexia guidance
New Hampshire Department of Education Dyslexia Guidance
Official dyslexia screening and intervention guidance for New Hampshire schools.
FreeSpecial education office
New Hampshire Department of Education Bureau of Special Education Support
State special education information and parent-rights contacts.
Free
More go-to contacts
Parent-led dyslexia group
Decoding Dyslexia - New Hampshire(opens in a new tab)
Adult reading help
New Hampshire Adult Education(opens in a new tab)
Job help for adults
Vocational Rehabilitation New Hampshire(opens in a new tab)
How to get help in New Hampshire
The steps and deadlines in New Hampshire rules.
- Time limit: 60 school days
Ask for screening results
K–3 screening is due within 60 school days of entry. Ask for the results and written intervention plan; screening is not a diagnosis.
Ask for help now
A low score means a closer reading test within 30 days. If your child is referred for special education, accommodations start within 21 days of screening.
- Time limit: 15 business days
Put your referral in writing
Send a special education referral to the school. Within 15 business days, the IEP team decides next steps and gives written notice.
- Time limit: 60 days
Give consent and review testing
After written consent is received, initial testing and the eligibility meeting are due within 60 calendar days. Ask for reports before the meeting.
- Time limit: 30 days
Write the IEP together
If eligible, the team meets within 30 days to begin the IEP. Ask for reading goals, instruction, accommodations, and progress reports.
Get help if you disagree
Contact the Parent Information Center. If you dispute the school evaluation, ask in writing for an independent evaluation at district expense.
New Hampshire dyslexia law
Each answer opens to what the law says and where.
Dyslexia screening
Yes
What it says
Public and charter schools screen K–3 students within 60 school days of entry, again that year, and at least twice a year through grade 3.
Help after screening
Yes
What it says
Evidence-based help starts by January 1 (late entrants: within 60 school days of screening). Parents get the findings and a written plan.
Teacher training
Partly
What it says
Teachers must have dyslexia materials, and public teacher programs must teach awareness; not every teacher must be trained.
RSA 200:61 I–II (2016)
Dyslexia defined in law
Yes
What it says
State law defines dyslexia as a neurobiological learning disability affecting word recognition, spelling, and decoding.
RSA 200:58 I (2016)
State dyslexia handbook
Yes
What it says
The education agency publishes dyslexia screening guidance, an August 2023 technical advisory, and implementation resources.
State dyslexia specialist
Yes
What it says
The education agency must contract with or employ a qualified reading specialist to support districts with dyslexia and related disorders.
RSA 200:60 I–II (2023)
Science of reading law
Starts July 2027
What it says
From July 1, 2027, explicit, systematic phonics and other core reading skills are required through grade 5 in public and charter schools.
RSA 189:53; 2024 chapter 30 (2024)
- Compare dyslexia laws in every state
Dyslexia testing, tutoring and support in New Hampshire
Pick what you need.
Get tested
School testing is free. Clinics add detail.
Dartmouth Health Children's Interdisciplinary Child Development Program (opens in a new tab)
Child developmental and educational evaluations for learning disabilities and other concerns in Lebanon.
Dartmouth Health Hanover Psychiatry Adult Neuropsychological Evaluation (opens in a new tab)
Adult neuropsychological evaluation of reading, math, and possible learning disabilities.
NH Neuropsychology, LLC (opens in a new tab)
Neuropsychological evaluations for learning disabilities, including dyslexia, across ages.
Tutoring and programs
Explicit, structured reading help.
LTR Tutoring Associates (opens in a new tab)
Wilson Reading System, Fundations, and Just Words tutoring for students and adults.
Nashua Children's Dyslexia Center (opens in a new tab)
Free tutoring for students with dyslexia in Nashua; contact the center about applications.
Seacoast Children's Dyslexia Center (opens in a new tab)
Free tutoring for students with dyslexia in Rochester, plus tutor training.
The Reading Foundation (opens in a new tab)
Orton-Gillingham tutoring and reading-skills assessment for students and adults in Amherst.
Audiobooks and tech
Keep learning while reading catches up.
Assistive Technology New Hampshire (opens in a new tab)
Try assistive devices through short-term loans and find discounted equipment across New Hampshire.
For adults
It is never too late to get help.
Above the Notch Community School and Coos Adult Education (opens in a new tab)
Serves Coos and Grafton counties
Adult basic education and high school completion support in Coos and northern Grafton counties.
Carroll County Adult Education (opens in a new tab)
Adult basic education, English tutoring, and high school completion help in Tamworth.
Keene Community Education (opens in a new tab)
Free adult reading, writing, and math instruction in small groups, individually, or online.
Lebanon Adult Education (opens in a new tab)
Free reading, writing, and math classes for adults age 18 and older in West Lebanon.
Nashua Adult Learning Center (opens in a new tab)
Free adult reading, writing, and math classes and tutoring; final high school equivalency tests cost extra.
New Hampshire Humanities Connections Adult Literacy (opens in a new tab)
Adult book discussions and up to four free books to build English and reading skills.
Pemi-Baker Literacy (opens in a new tab)
Serves Grafton and Belknap counties
Free adult reading, writing, math, and English tutoring in the Plymouth, Bristol, and Lincoln areas.
For teachers
Orton-Gillingham and structured literacy training.
Southern New Hampshire University Dyslexia Studies Graduate Certificate (opens in a new tab)
Online graduate certificate in dyslexia and language-based learning disabilities for educators.
Schools for dyslexia in New Hampshire
Each one has a documented reading program. Ask to see it.
4 of 4 shown
- Dyslexia school
Lexington Academy(opens in a new tab)
Hampstead · Rockingham County · Grades 3-6
Private grades 3–6 school for students with dyslexia and language-based learning disabilities.
- CharterClassroom program
Heartwood Public Charter School(opens in a new tab)
Jefferson · Coos County · Grades K-8
Tuition-free K–8 charter school in Jefferson with Fundations for early reading instruction.
- Public district
Sanborn Regional School District(opens in a new tab)
Rockingham County
DIBELS 8 dyslexia-risk screening in K–3, with a contact for students placed outside the district.
Screens for dyslexia - Public district
Dover School District(opens in a new tab)
Strafford County
K–4 reading screening with mCLASS DIBELS and reports sent to families.
Screens for dyslexia
Dyslexia help by county in New Hampshire
Local schools, groups, and services in each guide.
How New Hampshire 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.
New Hampshire dyslexia questions
Is screening a dyslexia diagnosis?
No. Screening finds risk; a low score leads to a closer reading test and a decision about extra help or an evaluation.
SourceMust we finish interventions before asking for an evaluation?
No. Reading interventions cannot delay or deny a special education evaluation when a disability is suspected.
SourceDoes a dyslexia diagnosis guarantee an IEP?
No. The school team must determine that the student has a disability that affects educational performance and needs special education.
SourceWhen should I ask about a 504 plan?
Ask when a disability substantially limits learning or another major life activity, even if special education is not needed. A 504 plan can provide accommodations and related services.
SourceWho pays for an independent evaluation?
Parents usually pay for a private evaluation. If you disagree with the school’s evaluation, you can ask for an independent one at district expense.
SourceCan dyslexia qualify for free accessible books?
Yes. The Talking Books Library lists dyslexia as a qualifying disability when standard print is difficult; an approved professional must certify eligibility.
SourceCan someone with dyslexia get free audiobooks in New Hampshire?
Yes. New Hampshire Talking Books Library (603-271-3429) lends free audiobooks to readers whose dyslexia makes print hard to read.
How well do students read in New Hampshire?
In 2024, 36% of New Hampshire 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
Learn more
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Sources for this page (12)
- RSA 200:58
- gc.nh.gov — Statute says 30 days for secondary assessment and 21 days for accommodations without specifying a day type; no calendar/school classification inferred.
- RSA 200:60 Reading Specialist — 2023 amendment effective May 19, 2023; statutory role, not a claim that every school employs a dyslexia specialist.
- RSA 200:61 — Materials program due June 30, 2017; public higher-education teacher preparation must provide explicit professional awareness.
- RSA 189:53 Literacy Skill Development in Elementary Grades — 2024 amendment effective July 30, 2024; instructional implementation begins July 1, 2027. No three-cueing ban is inferred.
- Ed 1107.01(c); Ed 1102.02(a),(n) — Initial evaluation includes eligibility; up-to-30-day agreed extension in subsection (e) applies only to reevaluations. Parent center confirms calendar days and 5-day advance reports.
- Evaluation
- HB 1828 (2026) docket — Teacher-preparation audit bill laid on Senate table May 7, 2026; not treated as enacted law.
- August 1, 2023 technical advisory — Advisory applies this alternative to students entering more than 60 school days after the beginning of the year. Distinguish agency implementation guidance from statutory wording.
- Official dyslexia guidance
- Developing and Approving the IEP — Parent center documents meeting, required goals/services/progress reports and consent. Timeline uses days, consistent with special education definition of day.
- Independent Educational Evaluations — District must grant request or initiate due process to defend its evaluation; team must consider results, not automatically adopt recommendations.
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Dyslexia resources in every state