West Virginia Dyslexia Resources
K-3 dyslexia screening and reading plans are required. Get parent support and ask for a school evaluation.
More about dyslexia help in West Virginia
West Virginia requires early dyslexia screening, reading intervention and educator training. Reading materials must follow reading science and exclude three-cueing practices.
Ask your school to evaluate a suspected disability and contact the parent center for support. University clinics, nonprofit tutoring, accessible books and adult services offer additional help.
Start here
The go-to contacts for families in West Virginia.
Free parent help
West Virginia Parent Training and Information Center
Parent training, referrals, and special education support statewide for families from birth through age 26.
State dyslexia guidance
West Virginia Department of Education: Specific Learning Disabilities
Official dyslexia fact sheets and specific learning disability evaluation guidance.
FreeSpecial education office
West Virginia Department of Education Office of Special Education
State special education forms, parent rights, and ways to settle disagreements.
Free
More go-to contacts
Parent-led dyslexia group
Decoding Dyslexia West Virginia(opens in a new tab)
Dyslexia association
International Dyslexia Association — Ohio Valley Branch(opens in a new tab)
How to get help in West Virginia
The steps and deadlines in West Virginia rules.
Put your request in writing
Ask your school to evaluate a suspected reading disability. Keep a dated copy; intervention must not delay warranted evaluation.
- Time limit: 10 school days
Review the school's response
The school team reviews your written referral within 10 school days. Ask for written notice and give informed consent if testing proceeds.
- Time limit: 80 days
Track evaluation and eligibility
The evaluation and the eligibility meeting are due within 80 calendar days after the school receives your consent, with a few exceptions.
- Time limit: 30 days
Write the learning plan
If eligible, develop the IEP within 30 calendar days of eligibility, before services start. Consent to initial services is separate.
Ask about a 504 plan
If dyslexia does not qualify for special education, ask whether a 504 plan is appropriate; reading intervention should continue.
Get help if you disagree
Contact the parent center. Ask about independent evaluation, mediation, a state complaint or a due process hearing.
West Virginia dyslexia law
Each answer opens to what the law says and where.
Dyslexia screening
Yes
What it says
K-3 dyslexia screening is required at least twice yearly and when identified deficiencies do not respond to intervention.
Help after screening
Yes
What it says
K-3 reading deficiencies require parent notice within 15 days, a reading plan within 30 days and intensive intervention.
Teacher training
Yes
What it says
Elementary and special educators and reading staff must receive dyslexia training; appropriate staff receive it annually.
Dyslexia defined in law
Yes
What it says
Law defines dyslexia through difficulties with accurate or fluent word recognition, decoding and spelling.
State dyslexia handbook
Yes
What it says
The education department publishes a dyslexia fact sheet and specific learning disability evaluation guidance.
State dyslexia specialist
Partly
What it says
Local literacy/numeracy advisers are permitted and each school needs a trained screener; a state dyslexia specialist is unconfirmed.
Science of reading law
Yes
What it says
County reading materials must follow scientific reading research; materials may not include three-cueing practices.
- Compare dyslexia laws in every state
Dyslexia testing, tutoring and support in West Virginia
Pick what you need.
Get tested
School testing is free. Clinics add detail.
Marshall University Higher Education for Learning Problems — Diagnostic Services (opens in a new tab)
Learning-disability testing from age 6 through adulthood; need-based diagnostic scholarships available.
West Virginia University Speech, Language, and Hearing Clinic (opens in a new tab)
Reading assessment and treatment, including dyslexia, at a university clinic in Morgantown.
Tutoring and programs
Explicit, structured reading help.
Marshall University Higher Education for Learning Problems — Community Tutoring (opens in a new tab)
One-to-one Orton-Gillingham reading tutoring for K-12 students, with limited need-based scholarships.
The Appalachian Reading Center, Inc. (opens in a new tab)
Structured reading tutoring, mostly online, with partial scholarships for financial and academic need.
Audiobooks and tech
Keep learning while reading catches up.
West Virginia Assistive Technology System (opens in a new tab)
Free assistive technology demonstrations and 30-day device loans statewide.
Parent groups
Families who have been there.
Bonnie Bailey Dyslexia Awareness (opens in a new tab)
West Virginia dyslexia awareness, parent and teacher information, and help finding resources.
Parent to Parent of West Virginia (opens in a new tab)
Family-to-family matches with trained volunteer parents for disability support and community information.
For adults
It is never too late to get help.
Literacy Volunteers of the Eastern Panhandle (opens in a new tab)
Serves Berkeley, Jefferson, and Morgan counties
Free adult reading, writing, and English-language tutoring in Berkeley, Jefferson, and Morgan counties.
Marshall University Higher Education for Learning Problems — College Support (opens in a new tab)
Paid college tutoring, study-skills coaching, and testing support for Marshall students with disabilities.
Tri-State Literacy Council (opens in a new tab)
Free, confidential one-to-one adult reading and math tutoring through local libraries.
304-528-5700 ext. 155 or 156
WorkForce West Virginia Adult Education (opens in a new tab)
Local American Job Center referrals for adult workforce preparation, training, and basic-skills needs.
For teachers
Orton-Gillingham and structured literacy training.
West Liberty University Reading Specialist Program (opens in a new tab)
Graduate reading-specialist preparation with structured-literacy coursework and a supervised practicum.
Schools for dyslexia in West Virginia
Each one has a documented reading program. Ask to see it.
2 of 2 shown
- PublicClassroom program
Weirton Elementary School(opens in a new tab)
Weirton · Hancock County · Grades PK-4
Third-grade classes use Fundations phonics, with home practice sheets for families.
- Public district
Mineral County Schools(opens in a new tab)
Mineral County
K-3 reading screenings three times yearly, with parent results and intervention plans for deficiencies.
Screens for dyslexia
How West 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.
West Virginia dyslexia questions
When are students screened for dyslexia?
Law requires approved K-3 dyslexia screeners at least twice each year and when identified deficiencies do not respond to intervention. Screening shows risk, not a diagnosis.
SourceHow long can a school evaluation take?
Evaluation and the eligibility meeting are due within 80 calendar days after the school receives written consent. Summer break and specified closure, transfer or parent-related exceptions can affect the deadline.
SourceDoes a dyslexia diagnosis automatically mean an IEP?
No. School evaluation determines educational eligibility and need for special instruction; a 504 plan may be appropriate instead, and reading intervention should continue.
SourceCan I request an independent evaluation?
If you disagree with the school's evaluation, you may request an independent evaluation at public expense. The school must pay for it or quickly ask for a hearing to defend its own evaluation.
SourceDoes the Third Grade Success Act require retention?
Retention provisions apply from 2026-27, with specified exceptions and good-cause requests. A dyslexia diagnosis is not a blanket exemption; ask the school about the relevant team decision and county request deadline.
SourceCan adults with reading difficulties get help?
Eligible adults can get free basic-skills instruction through the education department. This is general adult education, not specialist dyslexia testing or treatment.
SourceWhere can I get free help with an IEP or 504 plan in West Virginia?
West Virginia Parent Training and Information Center (800-281-1436) and Disability Rights of West Virginia (1-800-950-5250) help families for free, by phone or in meetings with the school.
Can someone with dyslexia get free audiobooks in West Virginia?
Yes. West Virginia Talking Books Library (1-800-642-8674) lends free audiobooks to readers whose dyslexia makes print hard to read.
How well do students read in West Virginia?
In 2024, 25% of West 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
Learn more
Know something we missed?
A person reads every message. We never take paid listings.
Sources for this page (5)
- code.wvlegislature.gov — Section (c)(3)(D): diagnosis without special education eligibility; (d)(4) requires intervention for reading risk.
- code.wvlegislature.gov — Science-of-reading definition and required scientifically based core materials; dyslexia guidance also requires structured literacy resources.
- apps.sos.wv.gov — Chapter 5, section 1.C; day definition is calendar unless otherwise specified. Initial evaluation consent is not initial-service consent under chapter 3.
- Procedural Safeguards, revised August 2024 — School must fund an eligible independent evaluation request or defend its evaluation through due process without unnecessary delay. Mediation/FIEP are free and voluntary; state complaints generally resolved in 60 calendar days, with exceptions.
- wvde.us
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