North Carolina Dyslexia Resources
K-3 reading assessments and intervention are required. Request an evaluation and get free parent help.
More about dyslexia help in North Carolina
North Carolina law defines dyslexia and requires K-3 reading assessments. Students who struggle get reading help through an Individual Reading Plan.
Request an evaluation in writing. In most cases the school then has 90 calendar days to evaluate, decide eligibility and, if eligible, write the IEP.
- PartlyDyslexia screening law
- 30%4th graders at Proficient
- FreeParent help with IEPs
- 25Places to get help
Start here
The go-to contacts for families in North Carolina.
Free parent help
Exceptional Children's Assistance Center
Free parent help with special education, with trainings in English and Spanish.
FreeEspañolState dyslexia guidance
North Carolina Policies Governing Services for Children with Disabilities
Official state special-education rules, including the dyslexia definition and evaluation steps.
FreeSpecial education office
North Carolina Department of Public Instruction Exceptional Children Division
Read your special-education rights and options for resolving disagreements.
Free
More go-to contacts
Free legal advocacy
Disability Rights North Carolina(opens in a new tab)
Parent-led dyslexia group
Decoding Dyslexia North Carolina(opens in a new tab)
Dyslexia association
International Dyslexia Association North Carolina(opens in a new tab)
Department of education
North Carolina Department of Public Instruction(opens in a new tab)
Job help for adults
North Carolina Vocational Rehabilitation Services(opens in a new tab)
How to get help in North Carolina
The steps and deadlines in North Carolina rules.
Request an evaluation in writing
Describe your student's reading concerns and strengths. Give the written referral to the teacher, principal or district; keep a copy.
Give informed consent
Review and consent to the proposed evaluation. Consent to evaluation is separate from consent to start special-education services.
- Time limit: 90 days
Track the 90-day referral deadline
Within 90 calendar days of receiving the written referral, the district must evaluate, decide eligibility and, if eligible, develop the IEP and placement.
Review the learning plan
Help decide eligibility and needed instruction. If eligible, help write the IEP; services must be available as soon as possible after it is developed.
Ask for help if you disagree
Ask for written notice. If you disagree with the school's evaluation, request an independent evaluation; mediation and complaints are also options.
North Carolina dyslexia law
Each answer opens to what the law says and where.
Dyslexia screening
Partly
What it says
K-3 reading assessments are required. The 2017 dyslexia law requires review of screening tools, not universal dyslexia-specific screening.
Help after screening
Yes
What it says
K-3 reading difficulties must be addressed through literacy interventions in the student's Individual Reading Plan.
Teacher training
Yes
What it says
The 2021 law requires reading-science training for NC Pre-K and K-5 educators; 2017 law requires dyslexia training opportunities.
S.L. 2021-8, section 3(c)-(e); S.L. 2017-127, section 3 (2021)
Dyslexia defined in law
Yes
What it says
North Carolina defines dyslexia as a specific learning disability involving accurate or fluent word recognition, spelling, and decoding.
S.L. 2017-127 (2017)
State dyslexia handbook
Partly
What it says
Official disability policies cover dyslexia. The parent center has a toolkit; a standalone state dyslexia handbook was not confirmed.
State dyslexia specialist
Not sure
What it says
A current statewide dyslexia specialist or coordinator position was not confirmed.
Science of reading law
Yes
What it says
Reading-science curriculum changes were due in 2024-25; three-cueing and visual-memory word instruction are banned in K-3 from 2023-24.
- Compare dyslexia laws in every state
Dyslexia testing, tutoring and support in North Carolina
Pick what you need.
Get tested
School testing is free. Clinics add detail.
East Carolina University Scottish Rite Childhood Language Program (opens in a new tab)
Reading, writing and language testing for students from pre-K through high school, for a $50 fee.
University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill Assessment Clinic (opens in a new tab)
Learning-disorder testing for students and adults, with income-based fees.
University of North Carolina Greensboro Psychology Clinic (opens in a new tab)
Learning-disorder evaluations for students and adults, with financial assistance.
Tutoring and programs
Explicit, structured reading help.
Anderson Reading Clinic (opens in a new tab)
Serves Watauga County
One-to-one reading and writing instruction for Watauga County students in grades K-8.
Augustine Literacy Project - Triangle (opens in a new tab)
Free Orton-Gillingham literacy instruction at partner elementary schools in the Triangle.
Augustine Literacy Project-Brevard (opens in a new tab)
Serves Transylvania County
Free Orton-Gillingham reading tutoring for eligible Transylvania County students.
Camp Spring Creek (opens in a new tab)
Orton-Gillingham summer camp and virtual tutoring; need-based camp scholarships available.
Hill Learning Center (opens in a new tab)
Orton-Gillingham-based reading tutoring for grades K-12, in Durham or online.
Longleaf Academy (opens in a new tab)
Serves Moore and Cumberland counties
Orton-Gillingham instruction through partner private schools in Moore and Cumberland counties.
Patrick Beaver Learning Resource Center (opens in a new tab)
Serves Catawba County
Free school-based tutoring and income-based reading tutoring for Catawba County students.
Audiobooks and tech
Keep learning while reading catches up.
North Carolina Assistive Technology Program (opens in a new tab)
Try reading and writing technology through statewide device demonstrations and short-term loans.
For adults
It is never too late to get help.
Chatham Literacy (opens in a new tab)
Serves Chatham County
Free adult literacy and English education for people living or working in Chatham County.
Craven Literacy Council (opens in a new tab)
Serves Craven, Pamlico, and Jones counties
Free adult reading and English tutoring in Craven, Pamlico and Jones counties, including virtual options.
Young Men's Christian Association of Northwest North Carolina Literacy Initiative (opens in a new tab)
Serves Forsyth County
Free adult reading and English tutoring in the Winston-Salem region.
For teachers
Orton-Gillingham and structured literacy training.
The Rankin Institute at The Fletcher School (opens in a new tab)
Orton-Gillingham tutoring for grades 1-12 and educator training, including online clinical courses.
Schools for dyslexia in North Carolina
Each one has a documented reading program. Ask to see it.
5 of 5 shown
- Dyslexia school
Key School at Carolina Day School(opens in a new tab)
Asheville · Buncombe County · Grades 2-8
Specialized grades 2-8 program for students with dyslexia, using Orton-Gillingham curriculum standards.
Financial aid - Dyslexia school
Hill School at Hill Learning Center(opens in a new tab)
Durham · Durham County · Grades 1-12
Half-day school for grades 1-12 with daily Orton-Gillingham-based reading lessons, four students per teacher.
- Dyslexia school
The Fletcher School Lower School(opens in a new tab)
Charlotte · Mecklenburg County · Grades K-5
Daily Orton-Gillingham instruction for students with language-based learning differences in grades K-5.
Financial aid - Public districtExtra reading help
Rockingham County Schools(opens in a new tab)
Rockingham County
Middle schools offer Wilson Reading for students reading below grade level.
- Public districtClassroom program
Buncombe County Schools(opens in a new tab)
Asheville · Buncombe County
Kindergarten to grade 3 classes use Fundations phonics.
How North Carolina 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.
North Carolina dyslexia questions
Does North Carolina define dyslexia?
Yes. State law defines dyslexia as a specific learning disability involving word recognition, spelling, and decoding difficulties.
SourceAre K-3 students assessed for reading?
Yes, K-3 reading assessments are required, with interventions for identified reading difficulties. This is not the same as a dyslexia diagnosis or special-education eligibility.
SourceWhere can I get free parent help?
Call the Exceptional Children's Assistance Center at 800-962-6817. Parent educators help families at no cost; workshops are offered in English and Spanish.
SourceHow long does a school evaluation take?
90 calendar days from when the school receives your written referral, not from consent. That covers evaluation, eligibility and, if eligible, the IEP and placement, with a few exceptions.
SourceDoes reading screening replace an evaluation?
No, screening to choose instructional strategies is not an evaluation for special-education eligibility. A full evaluation and team decision are required.
SourceCan a 504 plan help if my student does not qualify for an IEP?
It may. Section 504 covers more students than special education, and a 504 plan can provide services and classroom changes.
SourceAre there schools for dyslexia in North Carolina?
Yes. This guide lists 3 schools built for students with dyslexia: Hill School at Hill Learning Center (Durham), Key School at Carolina Day School (Asheville), The Fletcher School Lower School (Charlotte). Public districts with reading programs are listed too.
Can someone with dyslexia get free audiobooks in North Carolina?
Yes. Library of North Carolina Accessible Books and Library Services (888-388-2460) lends free audiobooks to readers whose dyslexia makes print hard to read.
How well do students read in North Carolina?
In 2024, 30% of North Carolina 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 (9)
- ncleg.net
- ncleg.gov — Current provision applies beginning 2022-23; interventions cover core language and literacy skills.
- ncleg.gov — Section 5: local literacy curriculum/instruction must align with state reading-science standards; not merely a home-resource website.
- ncleg.gov — Enacted 2023; applies beginning 2023-24 to K-3 instruction and intervention; also prohibits visual memory as the primary basis for word recognition.
- dpi.nc.gov — NC 1503-2.7: eligibility group includes parent; NC 1503-4.2(c): IEP and initial services.
- dpi.nc.gov — 2026 safeguards: prior written notice, independent evaluation at public expense conditions, mediation, state complaints and due process.
- ncleg.gov — Last listed action is committee referral on April 14, 2025. Proposed screening expansion is not treated as enacted.
- ecac-parentcenter.org
- dpi.nc.gov — Current agency guidance reviewed. Missing evidence does not establish that no specialist exists.
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.
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