Estimated reading time: 15 minutes
Dyslexia accommodations are changes to how a student with dyslexia receives information, reads, writes, responds or is tested, such as text-to-speech, audiobooks, speech-to-text or extra time, that give access to grade-level work without lowering what the student must learn. Because the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) names dyslexia in its definition of specific learning disability (34 CFR 300.8(c)(10)), these accommodations can be written into an IEP or a Section 504 plan (34 CFR 104.33), and they work alongside reading instruction rather than replacing it. This guide is for teachers and IEP and 504 coordinators. It covers what dyslexia is, accommodations by area, dysgraphia and dyscalculia accommodations, IEP or 504, state tests, a classroom checklist and how to check that an accommodation works.
Table of contents
Executive Summary
In the 2024-25 school year, specific learning disability was the largest IDEA category: 31% of the 8.2 million students ages 3 to 21 served under Part B, according to the U.S. Department of Education’s Office of Special Education Programs (OSEP). The Department’s October 2015 Dear Colleague letter, still posted without a rescission notice in October 2026, states that nothing in IDEA prohibits the terms dyslexia, dyscalculia and dysgraphia in evaluations, eligibility decisions or IEPs.
Listing accommodations is easy; matching each one to a barrier, using it daily, keeping reading instruction going and following state test rules is the real work. In Texas’s 2026-27 guide, for example, a full reading passage cannot be read aloud on the state reading test, even when read-aloud is routine in class.
Key Takeaways
- Dyslexia is a specific learning disability under IDEA, and schools may name it in the evaluation and the IEP.
- Accommodations give access; they do not teach reading. Structured literacy instruction continues.
- Choose by area of difficulty: reading, writing and spelling, math word problems, note taking, homework and testing.
- Dysgraphia and dyscalculia need their own accommodations, chosen from the student’s writing and math data.
- State test rules differ from classroom rules; check the current state manual before testing season.
- Keep only what works: compare the student’s work with and without each accommodation.
What Is Dyslexia?
Dyslexia is a learning disability that makes accurate or fluent word reading and spelling difficult, and federal special education law treats it as a specific learning disability.
The International Dyslexia Association’s 2025 definition, which builds on its 2002 working definition, describes dyslexia as “a specific learning disability characterized by difficulties in word reading and/or spelling,” with causes that combine genetic, neurobiological and environmental influences. IDEA defines a specific learning disability as a disorder in the basic psychological processes involved in understanding or using spoken or written language, which may show up as an imperfect ability to read, write, spell or do mathematical calculations, and it names dyslexia among the conditions included (34 CFR 300.8(c)(10)).
Dyslexia vs Learning Disability
Dyslexia is one kind of learning disability, not a separate category. Specific learning disability is the IDEA category; dyslexia is a condition that can be the basis for it. A diagnosis alone does not create eligibility: the team must find that the student meets the state’s criteria for a specific learning disability and needs special education, after an evaluation under 34 CFR 300.304 through 300.311. The 2015 letter adds that dyscalculia and dysgraphia are not listed in the definition, yet they can also qualify after that evaluation. See IDEA disability categories and special education evaluation. Many states now flag early risk through school screening, explained in our guide to dyslexia screening laws.
Accommodations, Modifications and Instruction
An accommodation changes how a student with dyslexia learns or shows learning, a modification changes what the student is expected to learn, and instruction teaches the reading or writing skill itself.
| Accommodation | Modification | Instruction | |
|---|---|---|---|
| What changes | Access to content or the way the student responds | The learning expectation itself | The skill the student can perform |
| Dyslexia example | Audiobook of the class novel paired with print | A lower-level book with fewer objectives | Explicit, systematic decoding lessons |
| Where it appears in the IEP | Supplementary aids and services; assessment accommodations | Program modifications | Specially designed instruction and annual goals |
The IRIS Center at Vanderbilt University puts it simply: instructional accommodations “change how students learn but do not change what they learn.” The Council of Chief State School Officers’ (CCSSO) 2021 Accessibility Manual adds that read-aloud and text-to-speech “would not be appropriate when the learning target is decoding text.” Structured literacy instruction is not an accommodation; the components Texas requires are described in our Texas Dyslexia Handbook guide, and measurable goals are in reading IEP goals. Examples of modifications and their effect on grades are in accommodations vs modifications.
Dyslexia Accommodations in the Classroom by Area
Dyslexia accommodations in the classroom work best when each one answers a specific barrier in reading, writing, math, note taking, homework or testing.
Each accommodation below appears in the Texas Dyslexia Handbook, 2024 Update, the Nebraska Department of Education’s 2022 accommodations guidelines or the U.S. Department of Education’s January 2024 assistive technology guidance. The classroom examples are original. The full list by category is in our guide to IEP accommodations.
Reading
| Accommodation | What it looks like in class |
|---|---|
| Text-to-speech or oral reading of written material | A science chapter read aloud so the student can focus on meaning rather than decoding |
| Audiobook paired with print | The student follows the printed novel while listening |
| Oral reading of directions | Directions read aloud before independent work |
| Electronic dictionary | Quick lookup of an unfamiliar word without a long print search |
Written Expression and Spelling
| Accommodation | What it looks like in class |
|---|---|
| Speech-to-text | The student dictates a first draft, then edits it |
| Electronic speller or word prediction | Spelling support while writing a history response |
| Word bank | Key science terms listed on a lab report template |
| Scribe | For a documented significant language processing difficulty; the scribe writes only what is dictated |
Math Word Problems
For a student whose difficulty is reading rather than math, word problems read aloud, a formula chart and a word bank of math terms keep the reading load from hiding what the student knows. Texas allows test questions to be read aloud on its state mathematics tests for eligible students.
Note Taking and Homework
- Copies of notes from the teacher or a peer, or note-taking assistance.
- Shortened assignments that chunk the work or give fewer items without eliminating concepts.
- A student planner to track assignments.
- Additional time on class assignments.
Classroom Tests
- Additional time on tests.
- A quiet alternative location that reduces distractions, and priority seating.
- Oral reading of directions and questions when reading is not the skill being tested.
- Fewer items on a classroom test without dropping concepts.
Technology
Text-to-speech, speech-to-text, word prediction and audiobooks are assistive technology when the IEP team selects them, and the team must consider assistive technology for every student with an IEP (34 CFR 300.324(a)(2)(v)). Selection and funding are covered in our guide to assistive technology for students with disabilities.
Dysgraphia Accommodations
Dysgraphia accommodations reduce the load of handwriting so that a student can show what they know in writing tasks.
The Texas handbook describes dysgraphia as a neurodevelopmental disorder that shows up as illegible or inefficient handwriting because of difficulty forming letters, and notes that it can occur with or without dyslexia. It asks teams to weigh five factors: rate, volume, complexity, tools and format. The table groups its examples under those factors.
| Factor | Accommodation from the Texas handbook |
|---|---|
| Rate | More time for note taking, copying and tests |
| Volume | Shorter length requirements; copies of notes or a note-taking buddy |
| Complexity | Help breaking a writing assignment into logical steps |
| Tools | Speech-to-text; cursive or manuscript, whichever is more legible and efficient; graph paper to line up math columns |
| Format | Audio-recorded assignments, oral tests, or an oral report or visual project instead of a written one |
Handwriting and composition goals belong in the IEP as well; see IEP goals for writing.
Dyscalculia Accommodations
Dyscalculia accommodations give a student with a math learning disability access to grade-level math reasoning when number facts, calculation or math symbols are the barrier.
IDEA does not define dyscalculia, but its definition of specific learning disability includes difficulty doing mathematical calculations, and eligibility can rest on mathematics calculation or mathematics problem solving (34 CFR 300.309(a)(1)). The Virginia Department of Education describes mathematics disability, often called dyscalculia, as difficulty understanding and remembering math concepts, rules and formulas.
- Calculator when the focus is not computation, as Virginia’s FAQ on students with disabilities in mathematics (2020) suggests.
- Multiplication charts, number charts, arithmetic tables and manipulatives (Virginia; Nebraska).
- Formula charts (Texas handbook).
- Graph paper or lined paper turned sideways to keep columns aligned (Texas handbook).
- Extended time on assignments and tests.
Nebraska ties the calculator to students whose disability affects calculation but not mathematical reasoning, so it fits when reasoning, not computation, is the target. Goal examples are in math IEP goals.
504 Dyslexia Accommodations: IEP or Section 504 Plan?
A student with dyslexia who needs specially designed instruction is served through an IEP, while a student who needs only accommodations may be served under Section 504.
| IEP under IDEA | Section 504 | |
|---|---|---|
| Who qualifies | A student with a specific learning disability who, because of it, needs special education (34 CFR 300.8(a)(1)) | A student with an impairment that substantially limits a major life activity such as learning (34 CFR 104.3(j)) |
| What it provides | Annual goals, specially designed instruction, related services, accommodations | “Regular or special education and related aids and services” (34 CFR 104.33(b)(1)) |
| Evaluation | 34 CFR 300.304 through 300.311 | 34 CFR 104.35 |
The Section 504 regulations list specific learning disabilities among mental impairments, and an IEP is “one means” of meeting the Section 504 standard (104.33(b)(2)). CCSSO notes that lists of the accommodations a student can use on assessments are often an important part of 504 plans. In Texas, since HB 3928, dyslexia instruction is delivered through an IEP, and students who need only accommodations may be served under Section 504, as our Texas Dyslexia Handbook guide explains. Rules vary by state, so check state guidance and district counsel before changing a student’s plan.
Dyslexia Accommodations on State Tests
State testing manuals, not classroom practice, decide which dyslexia accommodations a student may use on a state test.
Each state must issue guidelines that identify only accommodations that do not invalidate scores (34 CFR 300.160(b)), and the IEP must list the accommodations the student will use (34 CFR 300.320(a)(6)). Texas’s 2026-2027 STAAR Accommodations Educator Guide, published in October 2026, includes a section on students with dyslexia:
- Reading tests: an entire passage cannot be read aloud, because that would change the task from reading to listening.
- Oral administration by text-to-speech for eligible students covers directions, questions, answer choices and, after the student reads independently, the parts of a passage a question refers to.
- Mathematics, science and social studies: test questions can be read aloud for eligible students.
In Texas, the ARD or Section 504 committee makes these decisions. CCSSO’s advice applies everywhere: never use an accommodation for the first time on a state test.
Dyslexia Accommodations Checklist for the Classroom
This original checklist helps a teacher set up and review accommodations for one student; adapt it to your district’s forms.
- Barrier named: decoding, reading speed, spelling, handwriting, math facts or note taking.
- One accommodation per barrier, with when and how it is used.
- Materials ready: digital texts, audiobooks, word banks, formula charts.
- Technology working, and the student trained to use it.
- Every teacher informed of the specific accommodations, as 34 CFR 300.323(d) requires.
- State test match checked against the current manual.
- Reading instruction scheduled alongside the accommodations.
- Review date set, with the data to bring.
How to Tell Whether an Accommodation Works
An accommodation works when the student’s work with it is clearly better than without it on the same kind of task, and the student actually uses it.
The Texas handbook asks educators to compare assignment and test scores with and without the accommodation and to gather observations from teachers and parents, because a support may become unnecessary as needs change. The Department’s 2024 guidance adds that when a student refuses a tool, the team should look for the cause, such as disliking the device, feeling stigmatized or not knowing how to use it. This original example shows a two-week check for a fictional fifth grader, Maya:
| Task | Without | With | Decision |
|---|---|---|---|
| Science reading quiz (10 questions) | 5 correct | 8 correct with text-to-speech | Keep |
| Words written in 10 minutes | 38 words | 41 words with speech-to-text | Retry after training |
| Homework completed | 2 of 5 days | 4 of 5 days with copies of notes | Keep |
Record formats are in IEP data collection sheets.
Funding and Staffing
Most dyslexia accommodations cost staff time more than money. Assistive technology an IEP team selects is provided by the district, including home use when the team finds it necessary for FAPE (34 CFR 300.105). Staffing is the tighter limit: 45 states reported special education teacher shortages in 2024-25 (Learning Policy Institute, 2026).
Common Mistakes District Leaders Make
- Copying one dyslexia list into every plan. The 2015 letter notes IDEA does not set services or accommodations by category or condition.
- Reading aloud when decoding is the target. It removes the skill being taught or tested.
- Letting accommodations replace instruction. Access does not close a decoding gap.
- Shortening work by dropping concepts. That is a modification, not an accommodation.
- Not telling every teacher. Accommodations not known in each class are not delivered.
- Never checking the data. Without a with-and-without comparison, a support becomes a habit.
Recommended Actions
- Audit a sample of IEPs and 504 plans for identical dyslexia accommodation lists.
- Build a digital text library for core courses before the school year starts.
- Train teachers on text-to-speech and speech-to-text in the tools the district already owns.
- Map classroom accommodations to the current state manual each fall.
- Add a with-and-without check to every new accommodation.
- Protect reading intervention time in master schedules.
Questions District Leaders Should Ask
- How many students with dyslexia have accommodations but no reading goal?
- Do teachers receive each student’s accommodations before the first day of class?
- Which accommodations used in class are not allowed on our state tests, and do students practice without them?
- When a student with a 504 plan keeps struggling to read, how quickly do we consider an evaluation?
Frequently Asked Questions
What are some accommodations for dyslexia?
Common accommodations include text-to-speech, audiobooks paired with print, oral reading of directions, speech-to-text, electronic spellers, word banks, copies of notes, additional time, shortened assignments that keep every concept, and a quiet testing location. The Texas Dyslexia Handbook lists these as reasonable classroom accommodations. Each one should answer a specific barrier and be checked against the student’s data.
Is dyslexia considered a disability?
Yes, in school law. IDEA names dyslexia within its definition of specific learning disability (34 CFR 300.8(c)(10)), and the Section 504 regulations list specific learning disabilities among impairments. A student qualifies for an IEP only after an evaluation shows the disability and a need for special education; a student who needs only accommodations may qualify under Section 504.
Does dyslexia count as a learning disability?
Yes. Dyslexia is a type of specific learning disability, the largest IDEA category, which included 31% of students ages 3 to 21 served under Part B in 2024-25 (OSEP). The U.S. Department of Education’s 2015 letter confirms that schools may use the word dyslexia in evaluations, eligibility decisions and IEPs when the evaluation supports it.
Can a student with dyslexia get a 504 plan?
Yes, when dyslexia substantially limits a major life activity such as learning (34 CFR 104.3(j)). A Section 504 plan can list accommodations such as text-to-speech, extra time or copies of notes. A student who may also need specially designed reading instruction should be evaluated for an IEP, which can include the same accommodations. In Texas, dyslexia instruction itself is delivered through an IEP.
Is dyslexia covered under the ADA?
The ADA does not list dyslexia by name, but it names learning, reading, concentrating and thinking as major life activities (42 U.S.C. 12102(2)(A)), and it sets aside “learned behavioral or adaptive neurological modifications” when judging whether an impairment substantially limits one. In public schools, Section 504 and IDEA set the day-to-day rules; ask district counsel about a specific case.
What dyslexia accommodations help with spelling tests?
On a spelling test, spelling is the skill measured, so a spell checker or word bank would change what the test measures, the same logic CCSSO applies to read-aloud on decoding tasks. Options from the Texas handbook that keep spelling as the target include fewer items that still cover every pattern taught, additional time and directions read aloud. Electronic spellers fit writing in other subjects.
Related Resources
- IEP Accommodations: List by Category
- Accommodations vs Modifications
- Dyslexia Screening Laws by State
- Texas Dyslexia Handbook
- Reading IEP Goals
- Assistive Technology for Students with Disabilities
Conclusion
Good dyslexia accommodations are few, specific and used every day. They start from a named barrier, sit beside structured literacy instruction rather than replacing it, follow the state’s test rules and stay only while the data show they help. Districts that train teachers, prepare accessible materials early and review each accommodation with data turn the plan into daily access to learning.
Sources: 34 CFR 300.8, Child with a disability; 34 CFR 104.33, Free appropriate public education (Section 504); U.S. Department of Education, Dear Colleague Letter on dyslexia, dyscalculia and dysgraphia in IDEA evaluations, eligibility and IEPs (October 23, 2015); International Dyslexia Association, 2025 Definition of Dyslexia; Texas State Board of Education, The Dyslexia Handbook, 2024 Update; Texas Education Agency, 2026-2027 STAAR Accommodations Educator Guide; CCSSO, Accessibility Manual (2021); Nebraska Department of Education, Accommodations/Accessibility Supports Guidelines (2022); U.S. Department of Education, Myths and Facts Surrounding Assistive Technology Devices and Services (January 2024); Virginia Department of Education, Students with Disabilities in Mathematics: Frequently Asked Questions (2020); U.S. Department of Education, OSEP, 2024-25 Static Tables (Part B Child Count & Educational Environments). Other regulations and statutes are linked where they are cited.
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