Wisconsin Dyslexia Resources
Public schools screen 4-year-old kindergarten twice and K–3 three times yearly; free parent help is available.
More about dyslexia help in Wisconsin
Public schools screen early reading skills and must provide personal reading plans for at-risk K–3 students. The state's dyslexia guidebook was updated in May 2026.
You can request a special education evaluation in writing. Free parent support and local dyslexia tutoring centers can help families get started.
Start here
The go-to contacts for families in Wisconsin.
Free parent help
Wisconsin Family Assistance Center for Education, Training & Support
Free one-to-one special education help and online parent training.
FreeEspañolState dyslexia guidance
Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction Dyslexia Guidebook
Official May 2026 guide to dyslexia assessment, reading instruction, and family services.
FreeSpecial education office
Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction Special Education
Official help with special education evaluations, rights, and school services.
Free
More go-to contacts
Free legal advocacy
Disability Rights Wisconsin(opens in a new tab)
Parent-led dyslexia group
Decoding Dyslexia Wisconsin(opens in a new tab)
Dyslexia association
International Dyslexia Association Wisconsin Branch(opens in a new tab)
Department of education
Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction – Wisconsin Reads(opens in a new tab)
Adult reading help
Wisconsin Literacy(opens in a new tab)
How to get help in Wisconsin
The steps and deadlines in Wisconsin rules.
- Time limit: 20 days
Ask for reading-risk assessment
For K–3 dyslexia concerns, request a diagnostic reading assessment; it is due within 20 days. This is separate from a disability evaluation.
Make a written referral
Write to the district with the student's name and reasons you suspect a disability. It cannot require its own form before acting.
- Time limit: 15 business days
Get the first response
Within 15 business days of referral, the team reviews existing data and requests testing consent or says no more data are needed.
- Time limit: 60 days
Complete evaluation and eligibility
Usually due within 60 calendar days after you give consent or are told no new testing is needed. Some extensions apply.
- Time limit: 30 days
Develop the learning plan
If eligible, meet to develop the IEP and placement within 30 calendar days of the eligibility decision. Discuss needed reading services.
Get help if you disagree
Ask the parent center about an independent evaluation, free mediation, state complaints, or due process; each has separate rules.
Wisconsin dyslexia law
Each answer opens to what the law says and where.
Dyslexia screening
Yes
What it says
Public schools screen 4-year-old kindergarten at least twice a year and K–3 at least three times, using the state's tool, aimswebPlus.
Help after screening
Yes
What it says
At-risk K–3 students need personal reading plans with targeted, explicit reading intervention; weekly progress checks apply.
Teacher training
Yes
What it says
K–3 reading teachers had to begin approved training by July 1, 2025; principals and reading specialists had completion duties.
Dyslexia defined in law
Yes
What it says
State law defines dyslexia as a neurobiological specific learning disability affecting word reading, spelling, and decoding.
State dyslexia handbook
Yes
What it says
The state publishes a dyslexia guidebook and reviews it at least every three school years; the second edition appeared in May 2026.
State dyslexia specialist
Not sure
What it says
A dedicated statewide dyslexia coordinator was not confirmed; the state reading and special education offices provide guidance.
Science of reading law
Yes
What it says
Since 2024–25, public and choice schools cannot use three-cueing for K–3 core reading or intervention; science-based teaching is required.
- Compare dyslexia laws in every state
Dyslexia testing, tutoring and support in Wisconsin
Pick what you need.
Help with IEPs and 504 plans
Free experts who know the rules.
Forward Literacy (opens in a new tab)
Parent education and advocacy for science-based reading policy in Wisconsin.
Get tested
School testing is free. Clinics add detail.
University of Wisconsin–Eau Claire Language and Literacy Clinic (opens in a new tab)
Reading and language assessment and intervention; reduced assessment fees may be available.
University of Wisconsin–Madison Speech and Hearing Clinic (opens in a new tab)
Reading, writing, and language evaluation and treatment for students.
Tutoring and programs
Explicit, structured reading help.
Children’s Dyslexia Center – Greater Milwaukee (opens in a new tab)
Free tutoring for students with dyslexia at the Wauwatosa center.
Children’s Dyslexia Center – Madison Area (opens in a new tab)
Free tutoring for students with dyslexia at the Madison center.
Children’s Dyslexia Center – Superior (opens in a new tab)
Free dyslexia tutoring at the Superior center in northwestern Wisconsin.
Children’s Dyslexia Center – Upper Wisconsin (opens in a new tab)
Free dyslexia tutoring at the Eau Claire center.
Dyslexia Reading Connection (opens in a new tab)
Barton reading tutoring in person or online, with payment plans and scholarships.
University of Wisconsin–Milwaukee Stritch Family Literacy Center (opens in a new tab)
Personal literacy assessment and one-to-one reading lessons for K–12 students.
Audiobooks and tech
Keep learning while reading catches up.
WisTech Assistive Technology Device Loans (opens in a new tab)
Try assistive technology through short-term device loans at independent living centers.
For adults
It is never too late to get help.
Fox Valley Literacy (opens in a new tab)
Serves Outagamie, Waupaca, and 2 more counties
Free adult reading, writing, English, and everyday learning services in the Fox Valley.
Literacy Green Bay Adult Tutoring (opens in a new tab)
Serves Brown County
One-to-one reading and everyday learning tutoring for adults in Brown County.
Literacy Network Reading and Writing Tutoring (opens in a new tab)
Serves Dane County
Free personal reading and writing tutoring for eligible low-income adults in Dane County.
Northwoods Regional Adult Literacy Council (opens in a new tab)
Serves Rhinelander
Free one-to-one reading and writing tutoring for adults near Rhinelander.
Racine Literacy Council Adult Basic Education (opens in a new tab)
Serves Racine
Free adult reading, writing, and math learning in small groups or one-to-one.
For teachers
Orton-Gillingham and structured literacy training.
University of Wisconsin–Whitewater Dyslexia Graduate Certificate (opens in a new tab)
Online graduate training in dyslexia, reading assessment, and intervention for educators.
Schools for dyslexia in Wisconsin
Each one has a documented reading program. Ask to see it.
5 of 5 shown
- Dyslexia school
Feller School(opens in a new tab)
Madison · Dane County · Grades K-6
Specialized K–6 school using explicit structured literacy for students with dyslexia.
- Public districtExtra reading help
Freedom Area School District(opens in a new tab)
Outagamie County
Fundations, Heggerty, and other phonics programs for Freedom Elementary students who need extra help.
- Public districtExtra reading help
Almond-Bancroft School District(opens in a new tab)
Portage County
Fundations lessons for K-5 students who need extra reading help; UFLI Foundations phonics in some classes.
- Public districtExtra reading help
School District of Wisconsin Dells(opens in a new tab)
Sauk County
Extra reading help with Fundations (grades K-2) or UFLI Foundations (grades 1-4), chosen by need.
- PrivateClassroom program
Walbridge School(opens in a new tab)
Madison · Dane County · Grades Elementary–high
Small classes and Orton-Gillingham reading instruction for students who learn differently.
Dyslexia help by county in Wisconsin
Local schools, groups, and services in each guide.
How Wisconsin 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.
Wisconsin dyslexia questions
Does screening diagnose dyslexia?
No. Public schools screen 4-year-old kindergarten twice and K–3 three times yearly to identify risk; special education eligibility uses a separate evaluation.
SourceHow long can a special education evaluation take?
The first response is due within 15 business days. Evaluation and eligibility are generally due 60 calendar days after consent or notice that no more data are needed, with specified exceptions.
SourceWhere can I get free parent support?
The Wisconsin Family Assistance Center offers free one-to-one special education support and online training. Call 877-374-0511; school-meeting attendance is limited and virtual.
SourceDoes a personal reading plan replace an IEP?
No. At-risk K–3 students with an IEP still need a personal reading plan; it can be incorporated into the IEP or kept consistent with it.
SourceHow do IEPs and Section 504 plans differ?
An IEP includes specially designed instruction; Section 504 uses broader disability criteria and may provide supports without that instruction. For Section 504 enforcement, contact the federal Office for Civil Rights, not the state education department.
SourceCan I request an independent evaluation?
If you disagree with a district evaluation, you can request an independent evaluation at public expense. The district must act without unnecessary delay to fund it or request a hearing to defend its evaluation.
SourceCan someone with dyslexia get free audiobooks in Wisconsin?
Yes. Wisconsin Talking Book and Braille Library (800-242-8822) lends free audiobooks to readers whose dyslexia makes print hard to read.
How well do students read in Wisconsin?
In 2024, 31% of Wisconsin 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 (13)
- docs.legis.wisconsin.gov — §118.016(3)(b)3. Applies to 5-year-old kindergarten–grade 3 public/independent charter students; educational reading assessment, not medical diagnosis.
- dpi.wi.gov — Historical implementation requirement on live agency page, marked archived March 2026. Administrators generally completed by July 1, 2025; specified January-June hires had six months. Not a blanket continuing mandate for every new hire.
- docs.legis.wisconsin.gov — Subsection (12): PK-6 reading/language arts preparation uses science-based instruction; no three-cueing in preparation for licenses issued from July 1, 2026.
- docs.legis.wisconsin.gov — Act 86 enacted February 5, 2020; informational guidebook, not itself a new intervention mandate.
- dpi.wi.gov
- dpi.wi.gov
- Section 504 enforcement
- State-consultant parent training: eligibility and Section 504 comparison, October 2025
- dpi.wi.gov
- dpi.wi.gov
- dpi.wi.gov
- dpi.wi.gov — Agency explains systematic, explicit instruction; curriculum selection remains local. Current statute governs exact scope.
- dpi.wi.gov
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