New York Dyslexia Resources
NY rules name dyslexia as a learning disability. A 2025 law creates a state dyslexia center to set K-5 screening standards.
More about dyslexia help in New York
Schools must evaluate a student within 60 days of a parent’s written consent. State guidance says schools may use the word dyslexia in evaluations and IEPs.
Since 2025, districts must confirm that pre-K to grade 3 reading teaching is evidence-based, including phonics. A 2025 law created a state Center for Dyslexia and Dysgraphia to set screening and training standards.
Start here
The go-to contacts for families in New York.
State dyslexia guidance
New York State Education Department: Dyslexia Guidance
State guidance and Q&A: schools may name dyslexia in evaluations and IEPs.
FreeSpecial education office
New York State Education Department: Office of Special Education
Parent guides, rights notices, and complaint forms for special education in New York.
FreeFree legal advocacy
Disability Rights New York
Free legal and advocacy help for children and adults with disabilities in New York.
Free(518) 432-7861 or (800) 993-8982
Help for your part of New York
Erie, Niagara, and 6 more counties1 contact
Kings and Queens counties1 contact
Long Island2 contacts
New York City3 contacts
New York City and Long Island1 contact
New York outside New York City and Long Island2 contacts
More go-to contacts
How to get help in New York
The steps and deadlines in New York rules.
Ask for an evaluation in writing
Send a dated, written request to your district’s Committee on Special Education (CSE) chairperson or the school principal.
Give written consent
The CSE asks for your written consent before testing. The evaluation timeline starts when the district receives it.
- Time limit: 60 days
Testing done within 60 days
The school must finish the evaluation within 60 days of receiving your consent.
- Time limit: 60 school days
IEP and services in 60 school days
The CSE meets with you to decide eligibility and write an IEP. Services must start within 60 school days of your consent.
Disagree? Ask for an outside test
If you disagree with the school’s evaluation, you can ask for one independent evaluation at public expense.
- Time limit: 15 days
Use mediation or a hearing
You can ask for mediation or an impartial hearing. After a hearing request, the district must hold a resolution meeting within 15 days.
New York dyslexia law
Each answer opens to what the law says and where.
Dyslexia screening
Partly
What it says
New students get a reading skills screen. A 2025 law has a new state center set yearly K-5 dyslexia screening standards.
8 NYCRR 117.3; N.Y. Educ. Law § 319 (L. 2025, ch. 615) (2025)
Help after screening
Partly
What it says
Struggling readers must get targeted, research-based help, with written notice to parents. Dyslexia-specific standards are still to come.
8 NYCRR 100.2(ii); 8 NYCRR 117.3(d); N.Y. Educ. Law § 319(3)(f)
Teacher training
Partly
What it says
Most teacher programs do not yet require dyslexia training. July 2026 proposed rules would add it; the new state center must set standards.
N.Y. Educ. Law § 319(3)(d); proposed 8 NYCRR 52.21 and 80-3.7 (2025)
Dyslexia defined in law
Partly
What it says
State rules list dyslexia as a learning disability but do not define it. The new state center must write a definition.
State dyslexia handbook
Yes
What it says
Now: NYSED’s 2018 guidance and Q&A explain dyslexia, evaluations, and IEPs. A fuller state guidebook is due by December 2027.
N.Y. Educ. Law § 305(56) (L. 2017, ch. 216); § 319(4) (2017)
State dyslexia specialist
Partly
What it says
A 2025 law creates a state Center for Dyslexia and Dysgraphia, led by a director the Commissioner appoints.
Science of reading law
Yes
What it says
Public school districts must confirm each year that pre-K to grade 3 reading teaching follows evidence-based practice, including phonics.
- Compare dyslexia laws in every state
Dyslexia testing, tutoring and support in New York
Pick what you need.
Official help
What your state says schools must do.
NYC Public Schools: The IEP Process (opens in a new tab)
Serves New York City
How to ask NYC Public Schools for a special education evaluation and an IEP.
Help with IEPs and 504 plans
Free experts who know the rules.
Long Island FACE Center (Long Island University) (opens in a new tab)
Serves Long Island
Free workshops and referral help for Long Island families of students with disabilities.
Lower Hudson FACE Center (Westchester Institute for Human Development) (opens in a new tab)
Serves Westchester, Putnam, and Rockland counties
Free help and training for families of students with IEPs; resources in English and Spanish.
Mid-West FACE Center (Monroe One BOCES) (opens in a new tab)
Serves Monroe, Genesee, and 7 more counties
Free special education training and help for families in Monroe and eight nearby counties.
New York State Office of Special Education Educational Partnership (opens in a new tab)
Find your regional family center for special education training and support, by county.
Get tested
School testing is free. Clinics add detail.
Center for Psychological Services (Adelphi University) (opens in a new tab)
Serves New York City and Long Island
Sliding-scale testing for learning and school problems, all ages, in Manhattan and Garden City.
Leonard Krasner Psychological Center (Stony Brook University) (opens in a new tab)
Psychological testing for academic problems, ages 3 to adult; fees based on income.
McShane Center for Psychological Services (Pace University) (opens in a new tab)
Sliding-scale testing for possible learning disabilities, for children and adults, in Lower Manhattan.
NYU Steinhardt Center for Counseling and Community Wellbeing (opens in a new tab)
Sliding-scale testing for learning disabilities and differences, at a university clinic in Manhattan.
Parnes Clinic (Ferkauf Graduate School of Psychology, Yeshiva University) (opens in a new tab)
Serves New York City
Low-cost learning evaluations for children on a sliding scale, at a Bronx training clinic.
Queens College Psychological Center (opens in a new tab)
Sliding-scale learning and achievement testing for children and adults at Queens College in Flushing.
St. John’s University Center for Psychological Services (opens in a new tab)
Sliding-scale testing for school learning problems, for children and adults, in Queens.
The Psychological Center (City College of New York) (opens in a new tab)
Sliding-scale testing for children and adults who struggle with reading, writing, or school.
Tutoring and programs
Explicit, structured reading help.
Central New York Children's Dyslexia Center (opens in a new tab)
Serves Oneida County
Free one-on-one Orton-Gillingham-based tutoring for students with dyslexia, twice a week after school.
IREAD (Intensive Reading Education and Development) Program, NYC Public Schools (opens in a new tab)
Serves New York City
Smaller co-taught public school classes with structured reading help for students with dyslexia.
Literacy Academy Collective (opens in a new tab)
Serves New York City
Partner of NYC's public literacy academies; summer and after-school reading programs on the Lower East Side.
Literacy Nassau (opens in a new tab)
Serves Nassau County
Donation-based Orton-Gillingham tutoring for students with dyslexia; Orton-Gillingham training for teachers.
New York City Children's Dyslexia Center (opens in a new tab)
Serves New York City
Free one-on-one Orton-Gillingham-based tutoring for students with dyslexia, twice a week after school.
Rochester Children's Dyslexia Center (opens in a new tab)
Serves Monroe County
Free one-on-one Orton-Gillingham-based tutoring for students with dyslexia, twice a week after school.
The Churchill Center: #OneChurchill Reading Initiative and Free Reading Assessments (opens in a new tab)
Serves New York City
Free reading checks for ages 5 and up, and free after-school Orton-Gillingham classes for grades 1-3.
The Gow School Summer Program (opens in a new tab)
Five-week summer program for ages 8-16 with dyslexia and other learning differences; boarding or day.
Audiobooks and tech
Keep learning while reading catches up.
ADAPT Community Network TechWorks (NYC Regional TRAID Center) (opens in a new tab)
Serves New York City
Try and borrow assistive technology for free at TechWorks centers in Brooklyn and Manhattan.
TRAID Program (Technology-Related Assistance for Individuals with Disabilities) (opens in a new tab)
Borrow and try assistive technology devices through a regional center in your area.
Parent groups
Families who have been there.
Learning Disabilities Association of New York State (opens in a new tab)
Information and referrals for people with learning disabilities and their families; contact by web form.
Wantagh SEPTA: Understanding Dyslexia and More (opens in a new tab)
Serves Wantagh
Wantagh SEPTA page of videos, books, and tips about dyslexia and related learning differences.
For adults
It is never too late to get help.
Literacy Buffalo Niagara (opens in a new tab)
Serves Erie and Niagara counties
Free one-on-one reading and English tutoring for adults in Erie and Niagara counties.
Literacy New York (opens in a new tab)
Find an adult literacy program near you for help with reading, writing, math, or English.
Literacy Partners (opens in a new tab)
Serves New York City
Reading classes for any adult 18 or older, online or in person, with one-on-one tutoring.
Literacy Rochester (opens in a new tab)
Serves Monroe County
Free one-to-one tutoring in reading, math, and English for adults 18 and older in Monroe County.
Literacy Solutions NY (opens in a new tab)
Serves Westchester and Rockland counties
Free one-to-one and class tutoring for adults who want to read better, in Westchester and Rockland.
Literacy Suffolk (opens in a new tab)
Serves Suffolk County
Free one-on-one reading tutoring for adults 16 and older who are out of school, often at libraries.
Southern Westchester BOCES Adult Literacy Program (opens in a new tab)
Serves Westchester County
Free high school equivalency, English, and citizenship classes for adults 21+ in southern Westchester.
For teachers
Orton-Gillingham and structured literacy training.
Putnam/Northern Westchester BOCES: Wilson Language Training (opens in a new tab)
Serves Westchester and Putnam counties
Wilson Reading System certification and Fundations and Just Words workshops for teachers.
Rose Institute for Learning and Literacy (Manhattanville University) (opens in a new tab)
Orton-Gillingham and dyslexia certificate courses for teachers, mostly online, with mentored practice.
The Windward Institute (opens in a new tab)
Reading courses for teachers, and free K-3 reading screenings for families in English and Spanish.
Schools for dyslexia in New York
Each one has a documented reading program. Ask to see it.
12 of 30 shown
- Dyslexia school
The Gow School(opens in a new tab)
South Wales · Erie County · Grades 5-12
Boarding and day school for grades 5-12 with dyslexia, built on its Reconstructive Language program.
BoardingFinancial aid - Dyslexia school
Stephen Gaynor School(opens in a new tab)
New York · New York County · Grades PK-8
Pre-K to grade 8 school for students with language-based learning differences, built on Orton-Gillingham.
Financial aidAOGPE-accredited OG instructional program - Dyslexia school
The Windward School (Manhattan campus)(opens in a new tab)
New York · New York County · Grades 1-8
Grades 1-8 school for students with dyslexia; daily Orton-Gillingham-based reading (PAF).
Financial aid - Dyslexia school
The Windward School(opens in a new tab)
White Plains · Westchester County · Grades 1-9
Day school for students in grades 1-9 with dyslexia; daily Orton-Gillingham-based reading (PAF).
Financial aid - Public dyslexia program
South Bronx Literacy Academy (PS 642)(opens in a new tab)
Bronx · Bronx County · Grades 2-6
Free NYC public school for struggling readers at risk for dyslexia, with daily small-group PAF reading.
- Public dyslexia program
Central Brooklyn Literacy Academy (CBLA)(opens in a new tab)
Brooklyn · Kings County · Grades 2-4
Free NYC public school in Crown Heights for struggling readers and students with dyslexia.
- Dyslexia school
Mary McDowell Friends School(opens in a new tab)
Brooklyn · Kings County · Grades K-12
K-12 Quaker school in Brooklyn for students with dyslexia and other learning disabilities.
Financial aid - Dyslexia school
The Sterling School(opens in a new tab)
Brooklyn · Kings County · Grades 2-6
Grades 2-6 school for students with dyslexia; small classes and daily Orton-Gillingham reading sessions.
- Dyslexia school
The Norman Howard School(opens in a new tab)
Rochester · Monroe County · Grades 5-12
Grades 5-12 school for students with learning disabilities; daily Wilson Reading System classes.
Financial aid - Dyslexia school
Vincent Smith School(opens in a new tab)
Port Washington · Nassau County · Grades 1-12
Private school for students in grades 1-12 with dyslexia and other learning disabilities.
- Dyslexia school
The Churchill School and Center(opens in a new tab)
New York · New York County · Grades K-12
K-12 school for students with dyslexia and language disorders; Orton-Gillingham reading in grades K-6.
Financial aid - Dyslexia school
The Gateway School(opens in a new tab)
New York · New York County · Ages 5-14
School for ages 5-14 with learning disabilities, using Orton-Gillingham-based reading.
- See all 6 in the New York County guide
Dyslexia help by county in New York
Local schools, groups, and services in each guide.
- Bronx County (The Bronx)2 schools and districts9 local services
- Erie County (Buffalo)3 schools and districts3 local services
- Kings County (Brooklyn)4 schools and districts9 local services
- Monroe County (Rochester)2 schools and districts3 local services
- Nassau County5 schools and districts4 local services
- New York County (Manhattan)7 schools and districts12 local services
- Queens County (Queens)1 school or district11 local services
- Richmond County (Staten Island)1 school or district9 local services
- Suffolk County3 schools and districts4 local services
- Westchester County6 schools and districts6 local services
How New York 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 York dyslexia questions
Does New York require dyslexia screening?
Not as its own rule yet. Schools screen new students’ reading skills, and a 2025 law tells a new state center to set yearly screening standards for grades K-5.
SourceCan my child’s IEP say “dyslexia” in New York?
Yes. NYSED says nothing in federal or state rules stops schools from using the word dyslexia in evaluations and IEPs.
SourceHow long does a New York school have to evaluate my child?
The evaluation must be done within 60 days of your written consent. Services must start within 60 school days of consent.
SourceWhat is New York’s Back to Basics reading law?
Education Law §818 requires public school districts to confirm that pre-K to grade 3 reading teaching is evidence-based, including phonics. Districts first did this by September 1, 2025.
SourceWhere can New York families find a parent center?
In NYC: Advocates for Children, INCLUDEnyc, and Sinergia’s Metropolitan Parent Center. Starbridge serves the rest of the state except Long Island, which the Long Island Advocacy Center serves.
SourceAre there schools for dyslexia in New York?
Yes. This guide lists 14 schools built for students with dyslexia: Stephen Gaynor School (New York), The Gow School (South Wales), The Windward School (White Plains), and 11 more. Public districts with reading programs are listed too.
Can someone with dyslexia get free audiobooks in New York?
Yes. Andrew Heiskell Braille and Talking Book Library (New York Public Library) ((212) 206-5400) lends free audiobooks to readers whose dyslexia makes print hard to read.
How well do students read in New York?
In 2024, 31% of New York 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 (16)
- nysed.gov — NYSED dyslexia, dysgraphia, and dyscalculia page.
- nysed.gov — NYSED Q&A on dyslexia, dysgraphia, and dyscalculia, August 2018.
- nysed.gov — NYSED memo, August 2018, issuing three guidance documents under Chapter 216 of 2017. Education Law §319(4) requires a guidebook within two years of December 11, 2025.
- nysenate.gov — Education Law §305(56): guidance memorandum on dyslexia, dyscalculia, and dysgraphia.
- nysenate.gov — A2687 (companion S5569): signed December 11, 2025 as Chapter 615.
- nysenate.gov — Whether a director has been appointed was not confirmed: the NYSED dyslexia page opened 2026-10-12 does not mention the Center.
- nysenate.gov — Education Law §818: evidence-based reading instruction, pre-K to grade 3.
- nysed.gov — NYSED page on the P-3 literacy attestation, first due September 1, 2025. Added by Part B of Chapter 56 of the Laws of 2024 (Governor’s Back to Basics plan). Charter and nonpublic schools do not attest. No explicit three-cueing ban.
- regents.nysed.gov — Regents item, December 2024: 8 NYCRR 100.3(c) to implement Education Law §818 (Part B of Chapter 56 of the Laws of 2024).
- regents.nysed.gov — Board of Regents item, July 2, 2026: proposed teacher-preparation literacy rule. Adoption expected at the November 2026 meeting, effective November 25, 2026 if adopted. The 2024 Task Force report found most certification requirements do not address dyslexia.
- nysed.gov — NYSED Dyslexia and Dysgraphia Task Force report, December 2024, State Context section. NYSED’s 2018 Q&A gives a working definition, which is guidance, not law.
- nysed.gov — 8 NYCRR 200.5(h) (mediation) and 200.5(j)(2) (resolution meeting).
- law.cornell.edu — Response to intervention minimum requirements in 8 NYCRR 100.2(ii), including written notice to parents. 8 NYCRR 117.3(d) requires the same for students with low test scores.
- law.cornell.edu — 8 NYCRR 117.3, screening of new entrants and students with low test scores.
- governor.ny.gov — Governor’s press release, December 11, 2025.
- parentcenterhub.org — Federal parent center directory for New York.
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