If you recently received a letter or phone call from your child’s school saying they were screened for dyslexia, and that the results suggest your child may be at risk, it’s completely normal to feel a mix of relief, worry, and confusion all at once.
You’re not alone. Georgia’s HB 307 now requires all K-3 students to be screened for reading difficulties three times per year using state-approved tools, and schools must notify parents within 15 school days if a student is identified as at risk. (House Bill 307)
That means thousands of Georgia families are receiving exactly this kind of news – many for the first time.
So what does it actually mean? And what should you do next?
The most important thing to understand is that a screening is not a diagnosis. Screening sorts students into at-risk and no-risk groups and can indicate which skill areas need attention. A more complete evaluation is required to diagnose dyslexia or identify a specific learning disability.
Think of the screening the way you’d think of a vision test at your pediatrician’s office. If your child can’t read the bottom row of letters, the doctor doesn’t hand you a prescription on the spot. Instead, they refer you to an eye doctor for a full exam. A dyslexia screening works the same way. It identifies children who need more assessments.
Under Georgia law, if a school identifies a child as at risk, it must provide a timely support plan and offer additional steps if characteristics of dyslexia are observed. In practice, this often looks like additional targeted instruction within your child’s regular school day.
While this is meaningful support, it’s worth knowing that a full dyslexia evaluation is not required for a school to provide interventions to address characteristics of dyslexia, which also means your child can begin receiving help right away, even before any formal diagnosis.
You have the right to ask your child’s school exactly what that support plan looks like, how often your child will receive intervention, and how progress will be measured.
For many families, the answer is yes, and sooner is better. A diagnostic evaluation requires a more comprehensive, time-consuming, and often expensive process and should be conducted and interpreted by an experienced and appropriately qualified professional.
A full evaluation gives you something a school screening cannot: a detailed picture of your child’s specific strengths and challenges, a formal diagnosis if appropriate, and concrete recommendations for instruction and accommodations. That report can also be used to support an Individualized Education Program (IEP) or a 504 plan; these are legal documents that protect your child’s right to specialized support in school.You can request a full evaluation through your school district at no cost. If parents seek an evaluation outside of the school district, they are encouraged to share the results with the district. However, a diagnosis from an outside professional does not automatically mean the school district must identify the student as a student with a disability.
Private evaluations through a psychologist or educational diagnostician typically offer more depth and faster turnaround, though costs vary.
This is one of the most frustrating experiences a parent of a dyslexic child can face. If your child does not qualify for special education services under an IEP, the school is required to consider the student for a 504 plan, which can provide important classroom accommodations like extended time, assistive technology, and modified assignments.
If you believe your child’s needs still aren’t being met, you have options, including seeking a second opinion, pursuing a private evaluation, or exploring specialized school settings designed specifically for dyslexic learners.
Research is clear that early intervention produces dramatically better outcomes for children with dyslexia. The IDA’s updated 2025 definition of dyslexia underscores for the first time the critical importance of early screening and intervention, reflecting strong evidence that proactive educational approaches improve long-term outcomes.
Bottom line? If your child’s school screening has opened a door, walk through it, even if you’re not sure what’s on the other side yet.
Roberts Academy at Mercer University serves students in grades 2–7 who have been identified as dyslexic. If you have questions about what your child’s screening results mean or whether Roberts Academy might be the right fit, we’d love to talk. Reach out to us today at info@robertsacademy.org.
Discover Roberts Academy at Mercer University in Macon, Georgia!