NC Dyslexia Law · DPI Guidance · Not Binding Law
NC DPI Dyslexia Topic Brief (archived 2025-05-01)
Plain English summary
This NC DPI guidance document explains that North Carolina public schools do recognize dyslexia, must screen all K-3 students for reading difficulties, and are required to evaluate students suspected of having a Specific Learning Disability including dyslexia. The word 'dyslexia' can and should be used in evaluations and IEP documents, and students with dyslexia are entitled to explicit, systematic, evidence-based reading instruction. A private or medical diagnosis of dyslexia alone does not automatically qualify a student for special education — the school team must still complete its own eligibility determination.
Key requirements
- Session Law 2017-127 (HB 149/S.L. 2017-127) requires the State Board of Education to include a definition of dyslexia in policy — added to NC Policies Governing Services for Children with Disabilities in August 2017
- The Excellent Public Schools Act (HB 950/S.L. 2012-142) requires all kindergarten, first, second, and third grade students to be assessed with valid, reliable, formative and diagnostic reading assessments
- HB 149/S.L. 2017-127 requires local boards of education to review diagnostic tools and screening instruments used for dyslexia, dyscalculia, or other specific learning disabilities to ensure they are age-appropriate and effective and to determine if additional tools are needed
- Child Find obligations under federal law require NC public schools to locate and identify children with disabilities, including those with dyslexia as an SLD
- NC 1503-2.7(a)(1) requires that eligibility determinations be made by a group of qualified professionals and the parent of the child following review of existing data and any additional assessments
- IDEA 2004 and NC Policies Governing Services for Children with Disabilities require that professionals who administer assessments and conduct evaluations be trained and knowledgeable regarding such assessments
- IEP teams must consider a private or medical diagnosis of dyslexia in their eligibility determination and educational programming and must include this information within the PLAAFP
- There are no legal restrictions to the use of the term dyslexia in the PLAAFP or elsewhere within a student's IEP under IDEA or NC Policies
Affected parties
- Local education agencies and local boards of education (must comply)
- NC public school IEP teams including school psychologists, special educators, speech-language therapists, and reading specialists (must comply)
- NC State Board of Education (must comply with policy definition requirement)
- K-3 students in NC public schools (benefit from universal screening mandate)
- Students suspected of having a Specific Learning Disability including dyslexia (benefit from Child Find evaluation rights)
- Parents of students with suspected or identified dyslexia (benefit from eligibility process rights and IEP participation)
- Teachers and administrators receiving NCSIP and DPI professional development (benefit)
Advocacy note
GUIDANCE NOTE — This is official NC DPI guidance, not binding statute; it interprets Session Law 2017-127 (S.L. 2017-127) and the Excellent Public Schools Act (S.L. 2012-142), and its most powerful practitioner point is that there is nothing in IDEA or NC Policies prohibiting use of the term 'dyslexia' in evaluations, eligibility determinations, or IEP documents — meaning IEP teams can and should name dyslexia explicitly rather than relying solely on the SLD category label.