Full guideChecked October 2026

South Carolina Dyslexia Resources

K-5 reading screening is required; ask for reading support, a school evaluation, and free parent help.

More about dyslexia help in South Carolina

Since 2025-26, districts must use an approved reading screener in K-5 three times yearly. It checks foundational skills and dyslexia characteristics; families receive results and, when needed, an individual reading plan.

Screening is not a diagnosis or a special-education evaluation. Request an evaluation in writing; it is due within 60 calendar days after consent, with limited exceptions. Family Connection offers free parent support.

Start here

The go-to contacts for families in South Carolina.

  • Free parent help

    Family Connection of South Carolina

    Free statewide parent help with IEP/504 meetings and school services, including Spanish support.

    FreeEspañol
    Call 1-800-578-8750Website

  • State dyslexia guidance

    South Carolina Department of Education Dyslexia Handbook

    Official handbook on screening, instruction, intervention, and evaluation for dyslexia.

    Free
    Website

  • Special education office

    South Carolina Office of Special Education Services

    Special-education regulations, eligibility guidance, safeguards, and parent resources.

    Free
    Website

More go-to contacts

How to get help in South Carolina

The steps and deadlines in South Carolina rules.

  1. Ask for results and reading support

    Ask for screening results and the reading plan. Districts must send results within 15 days of each screening.

  2. Request an evaluation in writing

    Ask the district to evaluate suspected disability. Reading intervention must not delay or deny a disability evaluation.

  3. Give consent and track the deadline

    The school must complete the initial evaluation within 60 calendar days after receiving consent, with limited exceptions.

    Time limit: 60 days

  4. Review eligibility and the plan

    If eligible, the IEP meeting is due within 30 calendar days of the eligibility decision. Ask about Section 504 if needed.

    Time limit: 30 days

  5. Ask for help if you disagree

    Request an independent evaluation at public expense. The district must fund it or seek a hearing without unnecessary delay.

IEP or 504? See the difference

South Carolina dyslexia law

Each answer opens to what the law says and where.

Dyslexia testing, tutoring and support in South Carolina

Pick what you need.

Get tested

School testing is free. Clinics add detail.

University of South Carolina Psychology Services Center (opens in a new tab)

Sliding-scale learning-disability assessments for students and adults in Columbia.

Sliding scale
Call 803-777-7302

Schools for dyslexia in South Carolina

Each one has a documented reading program. Ask to see it.

7 of 7 shown

  • Dyslexia school

    Trident Academy(opens in a new tab)

    Mount Pleasant · Charleston County · Grades K-12

    Mount Pleasant K-12 school for students with dyslexia and language-based learning differences.

  • Dyslexia school

    Camperdown Academy(opens in a new tab)

    Greenville · Greenville County · Grades 1-8

    Greenville school for students with dyslexia using Orton-Gillingham instruction.

    Financial aid
  • Dyslexia school

    The Chandler School(opens in a new tab)

    Greenville · Greenville County · Grades K-8

    Greenville K-8 school for students with dyslexia and language-based learning differences.

  • Dyslexia school

    Sandhills School(opens in a new tab)

    Columbia · Richland County · Grades 1-12

    Columbia 1st-12th grade school for students with dyslexia and related learning differences.

    Financial aidOrton-Gillingham Academy-accredited school
  • Public districtExtra reading help

    Beaufort County School District(opens in a new tab)

    Beaufort County

    Orton-Gillingham reading help for students in special education.

  • CharterExtra reading help

    Lakes and Bridges Charter School(opens in a new tab)

    Easley · Pickens County · Grades 1-8

    Easley public charter school with Orton-Gillingham classes for students with dyslexia.

  • CharterExtra reading help

    Palmetto Achievement Center for Excellence (PACE Academy)(opens in a new tab)

    Columbia · Richland County · Grades 2-8

    Tuition-free Midlands charter school using Orton-Gillingham reading instruction.

See schools for dyslexia in every state

Dyslexia help by county in South Carolina

Local schools, groups, and services in each guide.

How South 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

South Carolina32%
Whole U.S.30%

8th graders reading at Proficient

Public schools. The Nation's Report Card (NAEP), 2024

South Carolina26%
Whole U.S.29%

Adults who struggle to read

Ages 16 to 74 at or below Level 1 in a national adult skills survey (PIAAC), data through 2017

South Carolina22.4%
Whole U.S.21.8%

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 state

Also 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.

Free and paid

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.

Español

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.

Free
Call (800) 526-7234

Learning Ally (opens in a new tab)

Human-read audiobooks for students with dyslexia. Families pay yearly; your school may already offer it.

Free and paid
Call 800-221-4792

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.

FreeEspañol
Call 888-657-7323

South Carolina dyslexia questions

Which grades get reading screening?

Since 2025-26, districts use approved K-5 screeners three times each year. They measure foundational literacy and identify reading deficiencies, including dyslexia characteristics.

Source
Does screening diagnose dyslexia?

No. Screening identifies risk; a fuller evaluation determines disability and school eligibility. Reading interventions cannot be used to delay a suspected-disability evaluation.

Source
How long does a school evaluation take?

The initial evaluation is due within 60 calendar days after the district receives parental consent, with limited exceptions. If eligible, an IEP meeting is due within 30 calendar days of the eligibility decision.

Source
Where can I get free parent help?

Family Connection of South Carolina offers parent training and family support. Call 1-800-578-8750; Spanish support is at 1-888-808-7462.

Source
Can a student with dyslexia be retained in third grade?

The law requires retention for the lowest reading-test level, with good-cause exceptions. Dyslexia alone is not an automatic exemption; ask about qualifying IEP/504 provisions and summer reading camp.

Source
Are there schools for dyslexia in South Carolina?

Yes. This guide lists 4 schools built for students with dyslexia: Camperdown Academy (Greenville), Sandhills School (Columbia), The Chandler School (Greenville), and 1 more. Public districts with reading programs are listed too.

Can someone with dyslexia get free audiobooks in South Carolina?

Yes. South Carolina Talking Book Services (1-800-922-7818) lends free audiobooks to readers whose dyslexia makes print hard to read.

How well do students read in South Carolina?

In 2024, 32% of South 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

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Sources for this page (7)
  • scstatehouse.gov — A task force is not evidence of a separately staffed dyslexia specialist position.
  • scstatehouse.gov — §59-155-155(D) says fifteen days without specifying a day type; notify families and include an individual plan when needed.
  • ed.sc.gov — Initial IEP meeting within 30 calendar days of eligibility determination; consent required before initial services. Section 504 has different eligibility rules.
  • Current state special education policy hub
  • ed.sc.gov — SEED section 2.10 includes dyslexia in specific learning disability. School eligibility also requires need for special education.
  • ed.sc.gov
  • ed.sc.gov — Right follows disagreement with the district evaluation; agency criteria apply. Mediation, state complaint and due process are also options.

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Dyslexia resources in every state