Virginia Dyslexia Resources
Ask for reading support and a school evaluation; free parent help is available across Virginia.
More about dyslexia help in Virginia
Virginia requires reading screening, evidence-based instruction, and reading plans for students who need intervention. Screening is not a dyslexia diagnosis or a special education eligibility decision.
Families may request an evaluation orally or in writing. Evaluation and eligibility usually finish within 65 business days of referral receipt; the Parent Educational Advocacy Training Center offers free help.
Start here
The go-to contacts for families in Virginia.
Free parent help
Parent Educational Advocacy Training Center
Free special education help, training, and dispute-resolution tools for Virginia families.
FreeEspañolState dyslexia guidance
Virginia Department of Education Dyslexia Guidance
Official dyslexia definition, educator training, and dyslexia advisor guidance.
FreeSpecial education office
Virginia Department of Education Special Education
State special education rules, family safeguards, and dispute-resolution information.
Free
More go-to contacts
Parent-led dyslexia group
Decoding Dyslexia Virginia(opens in a new tab)
Dyslexia association
International Dyslexia Association Virginia Branch(opens in a new tab)
Department of education
Virginia Department of Education: Virginia Literacy Act(opens in a new tab)
How to get help in Virginia
The steps and deadlines in Virginia rules.
Request an evaluation
Ask the special education administrator for an evaluation orally or in writing; explain why you suspect a disability. Writing documents the referral date.
Review notice and give consent
The school gives you a copy of your rights and asks for your written consent to evaluate. If it refuses, it must explain why in writing.
- Time limit: 65 business days
Complete evaluation
Evaluation and eligibility must generally be completed within 65 business days after referral receipt. A written extension may be agreed.
- Time limit: 30 days
Develop the IEP
The first IEP is due within 30 calendar days of eligibility. Services start as soon as possible after parental consent to the IEP.
Ask for an independent evaluation
If you disagree with the school evaluation, ask for one at public expense. The school must fund it or seek a hearing without unnecessary delay.
Get disagreement help
The Parent Educational Advocacy Training Center offers free help and mediation, complaint, and due-process guides.
Virginia dyslexia law
Each answer opens to what the law says and where.
Dyslexia screening
Yes
What it says
K-3 literacy screening began in 2024-25, with grade-specific windows; specified grades 4-8 students are screened from 2025-26.
Virginia Literacy Act; 2026-27 screening requirements (2022)
Help after screening
Yes
What it says
K-8 students with serious reading gaps must get evidence-based help, written in a reading plan made with their parents.
Teacher training
Yes
What it says
Initial and renewal licensure require dyslexia awareness training; provisional teachers complete it during their first year.
Dyslexia defined in law
Yes
What it says
State regulations define dyslexia as a brain-based specific learning disability affecting word recognition, spelling, and decoding.
State dyslexia handbook
Yes
What it says
The education department publishes official dyslexia guidance and awareness training; no separate current handbook is claimed.
State dyslexia specialist
Partly
What it says
School divisions must employ dyslexia-trained reading specialists; a separate state-agency dyslexia coordinator was not confirmed.
Science of reading law
Yes
What it says
K-8 reading teaching must follow reading science. Approved core curricula cover K-5; approved extra and intervention programs reach grade 8.
- Compare dyslexia laws in every state
Dyslexia testing, tutoring and support in Virginia
Pick what you need.
Help with IEPs and 504 plans
Free experts who know the rules.
Fairfax County Public Schools Family Resource Center (opens in a new tab)
Serves Fairfax County
Free family consultations, webinars, and a lending library for learning and disability support.
Get tested
School testing is free. Clinics add detail.
George Mason University Comprehensive Assessment Services (opens in a new tab)
Psychoeducational evaluations for ages 5-18, with income-based fee reductions.
University of Virginia Ainsworth Psychological Clinic (opens in a new tab)
Free learning-disability testing for students and adults; openings are very limited.
University of Virginia McGuffey Reading Services (opens in a new tab)
Educational assessment and structured literacy tutoring, with in-person and virtual options.
Virginia Tech Psychological Services Center (opens in a new tab)
Psychoeducational assessment for teens and adults, with income-based fees.
Tutoring and programs
Explicit, structured reading help.
Scottish Rite Childhood Language Center (opens in a new tab)
Speech, language, and preschool literacy support, with financial assistance for families.
The New Community School Tutoring Services (opens in a new tab)
Individual reading, writing, and math tutoring in person or online.
Audiobooks and tech
Keep learning while reading catches up.
Accessible Instructional Materials for Virginia (opens in a new tab)
Free alternative reading materials for eligible students with an IEP and a print disability.
Alexandria Library Talking Book Service (opens in a new tab)
Serves Alexandria
Free mailed audiobooks and players for Alexandria residents with print disabilities, including dyslexia.
Fairfax County Public Library Access Services (opens in a new tab)
Serves Fairfax, Fairfax city, and Falls Church city counties
Talking books, accessible reading equipment, and library support for people with disabilities.
Virginia Assistive Technology System Demo and Loan Library (opens in a new tab)
Try reading pens, literacy software, and other assistive equipment before buying.
For adults
It is never too late to get help.
Blue Ridge Literacy (opens in a new tab)
Serves Roanoke
Adult English literacy classes and tutoring in the Roanoke Valley, including online classes.
Literacy NRV (opens in a new tab)
Serves Floyd, Giles, and 3 more counties
One-to-one reading, writing, and math tutoring for adults in the New River Valley.
Southwest Regional Adult Education (opens in a new tab)
Serves Buchanan, Dickenson, and 2 more counties
Adult education and high school equivalency help in four southwest Virginia counties.
For teachers
Orton-Gillingham and structured literacy training.
Riverside School Orton-Gillingham Training (opens in a new tab)
Orton-Gillingham coursework for parents, educators, tutors, and professionals.
Schools for dyslexia in Virginia
Each one has a documented reading program. Ask to see it.
7 of 7 shown
- Dyslexia school
Riverside School(opens in a new tab)
North Chesterfield · Chesterfield County · Grades K-8
Specialized K-8 school using Orton-Gillingham instruction for students with dyslexia.
Orton-Gillingham Academy-accredited school - Dyslexia school
Oakwood School(opens in a new tab)
Annandale · Fairfax County · Grades 1-8
Specialized grades 1-8 school using Orton-Gillingham instruction for language-based learning differences.
Financial aid - Dyslexia school
The New Community School(opens in a new tab)
Richmond · Richmond city · Grades 5-12
Richmond school for students with dyslexia, grades 5–12, with structured reading and spelling lessons.
Financial aid - Dyslexia school
Chesapeake Bay Academy(opens in a new tab)
Virginia Beach · Virginia Beach city · Grades 1-12
Virginia Beach school for students with learning differences, including dyslexia, in grades 1–12.
Financial aid - Public districtExtra reading help
Fairfax County Public Schools(opens in a new tab)
Fairfax County
School reading interventions and a dyslexia handbook for families.
- Public district
New Kent County Public Schools(opens in a new tab)
New Kent County
Find the district dyslexia specialist and school reading contacts in New Kent County.
Dyslexia contact - Public district
Virginia Beach City Public Schools(opens in a new tab)
Virginia Beach city
Find the division dyslexia advisor and your school's reading specialist.
Dyslexia contact
Dyslexia help by county in Virginia
Local schools, groups, and services in each guide.
How Virginia 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.
Virginia dyslexia questions
Does Virginia define dyslexia?
Yes. Virginia regulations describe dyslexia as a brain-based specific learning disability affecting word recognition, decoding, and spelling.
SourceHow long can a Virginia evaluation take?
The usual deadline is 65 business days from referral receipt through the eligibility decision. A written extension may be agreed when additional data cannot be obtained in time.
SourceWhere can Virginia families get free IEP help?
The Parent Educational Advocacy Training Center offers free family support, training, and dispute-resolution resources across Virginia.
SourceDoes Virginia require dyslexia training for teachers?
Initial and renewal licensure require dyslexia awareness training; provisional teachers complete it in their first year. Local reading specialists also require dyslexia training.
SourceDoes screening diagnose dyslexia?
No. Literacy screening finds reading risk and guides instruction; a school evaluation and eligibility decision are separate processes.
SourceWhat if my student does not qualify for an IEP?
Ask the school about a 504 plan and continued reading support. An IEP addresses special education needs; a 504 plan can provide disability-related services and accommodations without special education eligibility.
SourceAre there schools for dyslexia in Virginia?
Yes. This guide lists 4 schools built for students with dyslexia: Oakwood School (Annandale), Riverside School (North Chesterfield), Chesapeake Bay Academy (Virginia Beach), and 1 more. Public districts with reading programs are listed too.
Can someone with dyslexia get free audiobooks in Virginia?
Yes. Virginia Department for the Blind and Vision Impaired Library and Resource Center (800-552-7015) lends free audiobooks to readers whose dyslexia makes print hard to read.
How well do students read in Virginia?
In 2024, 31% of Virginia 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
- District of Columbia dyslexia resources16 places to get help
- Kentucky dyslexia resources26 places to get help
- Maryland dyslexia resources21 places to get help
- North Carolina dyslexia resources25 places to get help
- Tennessee dyslexia resources23 places to get help
- West Virginia dyslexia resources22 places to get help
Learn more
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Sources for this page (13)
- Official dyslexia guidance — Official guidance qualifies for this checklist item. Older advisor wording is superseded by the current personnel statute.
- Virginia Literacy Act
- 8VAC20-81-60
- Parent Educational Advocacy Training Center
- 2026-27 K-3 screening requirements — Grade 3 and spring grade 2 requirements differ from universal K-1 windows. Literacy-risk screening is not diagnosis.
- Grades 4-8 screening FAQ — Fall 2025 launch; also includes students passing the English reading test with audio/read-aloud accommodations; divisions may add students.
- Current literacy instruction law — Subsection I distinguishes K-5 core curricula from K-8 supplemental and intervention programs.
- Current teacher licensure law — Subdivision D6 requires dyslexia awareness; E specifies the first-year provisional-license exception. Awareness requirement effective July 1, 2017.
- Special education definitions
- Current reading specialist staffing law — Current G: one specialist per 550 K-5 and 1,100 grades 6-8 students, dyslexia expertise and advisor duties; local staffing is not a state coordinator.
- 8VAC20-81-60
- Current IEP regulation — B2b and B2d: first IEP deadline and implementation after consent.
- Procedural safeguards — B2: fund an independent evaluation or initiate due process to defend its evaluation.
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