How to Get Dyslexia Testing at School (Without a 200-Hour Fight)

Has your school told you to wait until third grade to test for dyslexia? A dyslexia therapist explains why that's wrong and what to do instead. In this episode, I sit down with Faye Casell, a certified dyslexia therapist (CALT) and licensed dyslexia therapist with over 20 years of experience helping struggling readers. Faye is also an IEP and 504 mom, so she knows what it feels like to sit on your side of the table. One mother Faye worked with spent upwards of 200 hours fighting her school for services. That's about the same number of hours it takes to remediate a child's reading. This conversation is about making sure that never happens to your family. We walk through your rights under IDEA, why bright kids pass classroom tests while dyslexia goes undetected, and how to start reading intervention at home instead of waiting on the school's timeline. After watching, you'll: 1) Know the exact written request that requires your school to test your child 2) Spot the signs hiding a real reading struggle 3) Understand how to vet anyone before you hire them 4) Walk into your next IEP or 504 meeting with a calm way to stay in control 5) Have a clear first step for starting dyslexia intervention at home ______ I'm Tracy Young, an ALTA certified Orton-Gillingham Educational Therapist, founder of The Literacy Keys and mom to a dyslexic daughter. If you're worried your child is falling behind, reach out to discuss your needs at https://theliteracykeys.com/contact/. No pressure, just a conversation. Listen to the podcast: Apple Podcasts: http://bit.ly/4fFa92F Spotify: https://bit.ly/4ascryE Website: https://theliteracykeys.com If this conversation helped you, subscribe for new episodes every week, and share it with another parent who's been told to wait and see. #dyslexia #DyslexiaTesting #StrugglingReaders #IEP #ortongillingham RESOURCES Faye's free e-book, The Parent's Roadmap for Dyslexia, and her parent-led reading course: https://homereadingcoach.com CHAPTERS 0:00 Meet Faye Casell, certified dyslexia therapist 07:51 A dyslexia therapist who is also an IEP and 504 mom 15:07 Wait until third grade testing myth 21:05 Understanding Dyslexia Testing and Resources 28:02 The hors d'oeuvres trick for IEP and 504 meetings