Last updated: October 29, 2026 · Reviewed by the Dyslexia Evaluations LLC clinical team
What Is a Dyslexia Evaluation Request Letter?
A dyslexia evaluation request letter is a short, written note that formally asks your child's school to test them for a reading disability. Writing it down matters because a dated, written request starts the legal clock under federal special education law and creates a paper trail the school cannot ignore.
Many parents first raise concerns in a hallway chat or a quick email to the teacher. Those conversations are a fine start, but they rarely trigger anything official. A clear letter does. When you put your request in writing and date it, you move from "a worried parent mentioned something" to "the district received a formal referral for a special education evaluation." That shift is powerful, and it costs you nothing but a few minutes.
You do not need legal training or fancy language to write one. You need your child's name, a plain description of what you are seeing at home and at school, and a direct sentence asking for a full evaluation. This guide walks you through every piece, gives you a free template you can copy, and explains what happens after you hit send.
If you are still in the early "something feels off" stage, it helps to understand what dyslexia actually is before you write. A little background makes your letter more specific and more convincing.
Why Does Putting Your Request in Writing Matter So Much?
Putting your request in writing matters because federal law responds to written referrals, not verbal worries. A dated letter documents exactly when the school was notified, which protects your child's timeline and your rights if the district delays or declines to evaluate.
Dyslexia is far more common than most families realize, which is one reason schools can be slow to act on a single parent's concern. According to the International Dyslexia Association, as many as 15 to 20 percent of the population shows some symptoms of dyslexia, and it accounts for the largest share of people with learning disabilities. When one in six children may be affected, your written request helps your child stand out from a crowded list.
A written letter does three things a conversation cannot:
It creates a record. You will have the date, the recipient, and the exact wording if you ever need to show you asked.
It starts legal timelines. In most states the evaluation clock begins once the school receives your written consent to evaluate.
It signals you are informed. Schools tend to respond more promptly to parents who clearly know the process.
Keep a copy of everything
Save a copy of your letter, note the date you sent it, and keep any reply. If you email it, do not delete the sent message. If you hand it in person, ask for a quick acknowledgment. This habit protects you later and takes almost no effort now.
When Should You Request a Dyslexia Evaluation?
You should request an evaluation as soon as you notice a persistent gap between your child's effort and their reading progress. You do not need to wait for the school to suggest it, and you do not need to wait until the end of a grade or a round of interventions.
Trust your observations. Parents often spot the early signs long before a formal referral appears. Common reasons to request testing include a child who:
Reads well below grade level despite real effort and support at home.
Struggles to connect letters with their sounds, or guesses at words from the first letter.
Avoids reading aloud, hides books, or says reading makes them feel "dumb."
Reverses letters or skips small words well past the age peers have stopped.
Has a family history of reading difficulties, which raises the odds.
You can ask during RTI or interventions
Some schools tell parents they must wait until a child finishes a "Response to Intervention" cycle before testing. That is not accurate. You are allowed to request a full evaluation at any time, even while interventions are ongoing. If your school leans heavily on waiting, our guide to Response to Intervention and dyslexia explains your options so a well-meaning program does not become a delay.
What Are Your Legal Rights When You Request an Evaluation?
Under the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA), any parent can request a free special education evaluation in writing, and the school must respond. If the district agrees and you give consent, federal rules set a default of 60 calendar days to complete the evaluation, though some states set their own timeline.
A few rights are worth knowing before you write:
The evaluation is free. A school-based evaluation comes at no cost to you. The district pays for it.
The school must respond in writing. It cannot simply ignore your request. It either agrees to evaluate or gives you written notice explaining why it declines.
You must give consent. Testing cannot begin until you sign a consent form, so watch for that paperwork and return it quickly.
You have a right to the results. You are entitled to a copy of the evaluation report and to have it explained in language you understand.
Keep in mind that schools evaluate for eligibility under categories like "Specific Learning Disability." A school report may not always use the word "dyslexia," even when the pattern is clear. That is one reason many families pair a school request with an independent look at what a screening can and cannot tell you.
What Should You Include in Your Request Letter?
A strong request letter is short and specific. Include your child's full name and grade, a dated request for a full special education evaluation, a few concrete examples of the struggles you see, and a clear ask that the school respond in writing with next steps.
Use this checklist as you write:
Your child's full name, date of birth, and current grade and teacher.
A direct request for a "comprehensive special education evaluation," including testing in the area of reading and written language.
Specific examples, not just labels. "He sounds out the same word differently three times on one page" is stronger than "he is behind."
Any outside context, such as a family history of reading difficulty or a prior tutor's observations.
A request for written notice of the school's decision and the proposed timeline.
Your contact information and the best way to reach you.
Keep the tone calm and collaborative
You and the school share a goal: helping your child read. A warm, factual letter opens doors faster than an angry one. You can be firm about your rights and still sound like a partner. Save the strong language for a later step, in the rare case the school refuses.
Dyslexia Evaluation Request Letter: A Free Template
Below is a template you can copy, fill in, and send today. Replace the bracketed text with your details. Keep it to one page. A focused, one-page letter is easier for a busy school team to act on than a long, emotional account.
[Date]
[Principal or Special Education Coordinator Name]
[School Name]
[School Address]
Dear [Name],
I am the parent of [Child's full name], who is in [grade] in [teacher's ]class (date of birth: [DOB]). I am writing to formally request a comprehensive special education evaluation for my child under the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act, including assessment in the areas of reading, phonological processing, and written language.
I am concerned that [Child's name] may have a reading-based learning difficulty. Specifically, I have noticed that [give two or three concrete examples, such as: he cannot reliably match letters to sounds, she avoids reading aloud and says it makes her anxious, he reads far below the level of his classmates despite nightly practice].
Please consider this my written request. I understand the school must respond in writing. I would appreciate information about the evaluation process, the proposed timeline, and the consent forms I need to sign so testing can begin promptly.
Thank you for your help. You can reach me at [phone] or [email]. I look forward to working together to support [Child's name].
Sincerely,
[Your name]
A shorter email version
If email is your school's norm, you can trim the template above into a few sentences. Keep the key parts: the words "I am formally requesting a comprehensive special education evaluation," your child's name and grade, and a request for a written response. The medium matters less than the clear, dated ask.
Adjusting the template for older students
If you are writing for a teen, swap the examples for age-appropriate ones, such as slow reading on timed tests, trouble with spelling, or heavy reliance on memorization. The legal process is the same through high school.
How Do You Send the Letter, and to Whom?
Send your letter to the school principal and the district's special education coordinator or director. Use a method that creates a record, such as email with a read receipt or a hand-delivered copy that the office stamps as received. Avoid leaving it as a note in a teacher's mailbox.
A few practical tips:
Address it to a decision-maker. The classroom teacher is a good ally, but the principal or special education coordinator is the person who can start the process. You can copy the teacher.
Choose a trackable method. Email gives you a timestamp. If you deliver a paper copy, ask the front office to date-stamp your copy too.
Follow up in a week. If you hear nothing within about five school days, a friendly follow-up email is reasonable and keeps your request moving.
What Happens After You Send the Request?
After the school receives your written request, it reviews the concern and decides whether to evaluate. If it agrees, it sends you a consent form. Once you sign and return that consent, the formal evaluation timeline begins, and a team gathers testing, observations, and records to decide eligibility.
Here is the typical sequence:
The school acknowledges your request and schedules a review, sometimes a meeting to discuss your concerns.
You receive a consent form. Sign and return it right away, because the clock usually starts here.
The evaluation happens. A school psychologist or specialist administers assessments of reading, language, and related skills.
The team meets to review results and determine whether your child qualifies for services, often through an IEP.
You get the report. You are entitled to a copy and to a plain-language explanation.
If your child does qualify, the next step is often building a plan. Our guide to using your child's evaluation to shape an IEP walks you through that stage so the testing turns into real classroom support.
What If the School Says No or Delays?
If the school declines to evaluate, it must give you that decision in writing along with its reasons. You have options: you can ask for the specific data behind the refusal, request a meeting, file a complaint, or pursue an independent evaluation. A "no" is not the end of the road.
Schools sometimes decline or stall because a child earns passing grades, because they want to continue interventions, or because of limited staff. None of those reasons removes your right to ask. If you hit a wall:
Request the written notice and the data. The school must explain its decision, which gives you something concrete to respond to.
Put your disagreement in writing. A calm, factual follow-up often reopens the conversation.
Consider a private evaluation. Many families who face long waitlists or a reluctant district choose to get answers sooner through an independent provider.
If you suspect your district is simply overlooking the signs, you are not imagining it. Our article on why schools miss dyslexia and what to do instead explains the common blind spots and your next moves.
Should You Get a Private Dyslexia Evaluation Too?
A private evaluation can be worth it when you want faster answers, a clearly worded diagnosis, or a second opinion the school's process may not provide. Many parents use both: a free school request to trigger services, and a private evaluation to get a thorough, independent picture of their child's reading profile.
School evaluations are valuable and free, but they focus on eligibility for services, not always on naming dyslexia or detailing its severity. A comprehensive private evaluation digs into the specific reading and processing skills that explain why your child struggles, and the report is often easier to use when you advocate for accommodations.
At Dyslexia Evaluations LLC, we offer a free dyslexia screening to help you decide whether a deeper look makes sense, and a comprehensive dyslexia evaluation for $2,200 that gives you a detailed, professional report. We are based in Madison, Wisconsin, and we also serve families nationwide through secure virtual appointments. Our evaluations identify patterns consistent with dyslexia and give you clear, usable recommendations, though only a qualified professional can determine whether your child meets diagnostic criteria.
Early, accurate information helps. Research summarized by the Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development points to better outcomes when reading difficulties are identified and addressed sooner rather than later. A clear evaluation, whether through your school or privately, is how that early action begins.
If you have more questions about the process, our Q&A page answers the ones parents ask most, and you can always book directly when you are ready.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I have to use the word "dyslexia" in my letter?
No. You can and should describe the reading struggles you see, and you can mention that you suspect dyslexia. Schools evaluate under broad categories like "Specific Learning Disability," so the key is requesting a comprehensive evaluation that includes reading and language, not the exact label you use.
Can the school refuse to evaluate my child?
Yes, a school can decline, but it must tell you in writing and explain why. You then have the right to challenge that decision, provide more information, request a meeting, or seek an independent evaluation. A refusal is a decision you can respond to, not a closed door.
How long does a school evaluation take?
Once you sign and return the consent form, federal law sets a default of 60 calendar days to complete the evaluation, though some states use a different timeline. This is one reason to return your consent quickly and to keep a dated copy of your request.
Is it better to ask the teacher or the principal?
Start with whoever you trust, but send your formal letter to the principal and the district's special education coordinator. The teacher is a great ally for day-to-day observations, but the administrators are the ones who can officially begin the evaluation process.
What is the difference between a school evaluation and a private one?
A school evaluation is free and focuses on whether your child qualifies for services. A private evaluation is paid and usually offers a more detailed, independent reading profile with a clearly worded report. Many families use both. Our guide to special education evaluations versus private dyslexia evaluations breaks down the trade-offs.
Not sure if your child has dyslexia? Start with our free screening — it takes just a few minutes and could change everything. → Take the Free Dyslexia Screening
