Here's what you need to know in Washington

Washington was an early mover on dyslexia screening — its law passed in 2018, before the wave of stricter state mandates that came after 2021. That's a mixed thing for parents. The good news is the requirement has been in effect for several years, so schools are familiar with it. The harder news is that Washington's law is built differently from many newer state laws: it's framed around early-literacy screening and reading support rather than a step-by-step "flag, notify, diagnose" process, and it leaves a lot of the details to local districts. Knowing how the law actually works will help you ask for the right things.

How Screening Works in Washington

Washington's dyslexia law (RCW 28A.320.260, created by Senate Bill 6162 in 2018) took full effect in the 2021-22 school year. It asks public schools to do three things, all within a framework called a Multi-Tiered System of Supports (MTSS) — basically, layered levels of reading help that get more intensive if a child needs more:

• Screen. Every student in kindergarten, first, and second grade is screened for early-literacy skills that can signal a reading difficulty, including weaknesses associated with dyslexia.
• Intervene. Students who show indicators must receive evidence-based, multisensory structured literacy support, delivered by an educator trained in those methods. Whenever possible, support starts in the regular classroom and steps up (smaller groups, then one-on-one) if a child needs more.
• Communicate. Schools must keep families informed about screening results, the support being provided, and the child's progress.

What the screening looks at. Washington's screening checks foundational reading skills that research links to later reading difficulty: phonological awareness, phonemic awareness (hearing and working with the sounds in words), letter-sound knowledge, and rapid automatized naming, or RAN (how quickly a child can name a series of letters, numbers, colors, or objects). Family history of reading and language difficulty is also part of the picture. The RAN piece is typically given in January of the kindergarten and first-grade years.

Which screeners are used. Washington doesn't require one single statewide test. Instead, the state Office of Superintendent of Public Instruction (OSPI) — with its Dyslexia Advisory Council — publishes a crosswalk of screening tools that meet the state's criteria, and each district chooses from it. Tools that meet the criteria include i-Ready, mCLASS with DIBELS 8th Edition, Acadience Reading K-6, aimswebPlus, FastBridge, Star, MAP Reading Fluency, Istation, and Amira, among others. So the specific screener at your child's school depends on what your district selected.

Can you opt out? Yes. Families can decline to have their child participate in the screening, the same way they can opt out of the state's annual summative testing. (Note: private-school and full-time homeschooled students aren't included in the K-2 screening by default — see the private school section below.)

What Screening Results Mean

A screening is a quick check of specific reading skills — not a dyslexia test and not a diagnosis. OSPI is explicit that an early-literacy screener is not a tool to diagnose dyslexia. What it does is flag children whose skills suggest they may be at risk for reading difficulty, so the school can step in early.

Results usually sort children into broad categories — something like "at or above benchmark" (on track), "some risk," or "below/well below benchmark" — with the exact labels depending on the screener your district uses. Being flagged means your child showed indicators worth acting on. It does not mean your child has dyslexia, and it does not, by itself, make them eligible for special education.

Screening and diagnosis are separate. A school screening identifies skill weaknesses and triggers reading support. A formal diagnosis of dyslexia comes from a comprehensive evaluation. Importantly in Washington, your child does not need a dyslexia diagnosis to be evaluated for special education — if you suspect a disability, you can ask the school to evaluate.

What Your School Must Do

Under Washington law, if your child shows indicators on the K-2 screening, the school must:

Provide structured literacy support. The interventions must be evidence-based and multisensory, must follow a structured literacy approach, and must be delivered by an educator trained in methods that target your child's specific areas of weakness. Support generally begins in the general education classroom and can continue there or in a Learning Assistance Program (LAP) setting.

Communicate with you. The school must tell you about the indicators identified, the support being provided, and whether your child is making progress. Washington's law requires this communication but — unlike some states — doesn't set a specific notification deadline, so timing can vary by district. If you haven't heard where things stand, it's reasonable to ask.

Recommend an evaluation if difficulties persist. If, after receiving support, your child continues to show indicators of dyslexia or below-grade-level literacy, the district must recommend to you that your child be evaluated for dyslexia or a specific learning disability. That referral happens in consultation with you and with your consent.

An honest note on implementation. Washington's 2018 law is less prescriptive than newer mandates in states like Florida or Georgia — it sets expectations but leaves much to local districts, and it didn't come with the teacher-training and funding machinery some other states built in. Reading advocates and researchers have documented that structured literacy isn't yet used in most Washington districts, that teacher preparation in reading science has lagged, and that statewide data on screening and intervention is incomplete (in 2024-25, many districts didn't report their K-4 literacy data). The 2026 law described below is meant to push on some of these gaps. The practical takeaway for you: your school is required to screen and to provide structured literacy support, but how consistently that happens can vary — so it's worth being an active, informed participant.

Your Rights as a Parent

You can request a special education evaluation at any time. If you believe your child has dyslexia or another disability affecting their learning, you can ask your district for a full evaluation — you don't have to wait for the MTSS process to play out. This right comes from IDEA (the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act). Put the request in writing and date it.

You have the right to an IEP or 504 Plan if your child qualifies. Dyslexia is a specific learning disability. If an evaluation finds your child eligible, they may receive an IEP (Individualized Education Program — including specially designed instruction tailored to their needs) or a 504 Plan (accommodations that remove barriers to learning). Reading support delivered through MTSS is available to any student who needs it, regardless of whether they have an IEP or 504 Plan — and if your child has an IEP, a school reading program can be written into it.

You're a partner in the process. The law frames family communication and collaboration as part of how schools meet their obligations. You can ask which screener your child took, what the results were, what support is being provided, and how progress is being measured. OSPI publishes a Family and Caregiver Discussion Guide to help you prepare for those conversations.

Looking ahead — stronger requirements are coming. In 2026, Washington passed ESHB 1295, which builds on the 2018 screening law. Beginning September 1, 2027, whenever a district buys or updates its K-4 reading or writing curriculum, the new materials must align with structured literacy (the science of reading). The law also directs OSPI to produce a dyslexia handbook for families and educators, strengthens educator literacy training, and updates teacher endorsement and certification-renewal standards. It does not change the existing K-2 screening requirement, and the curriculum changes phase in over time rather than all at once.

What If My Child Is in Private School?

• Washington's K-2 screening requirement applies to public schools. Private-school and full-time homeschooled students are not included in the screening by default — though a district may choose to include them if the family or school requests it.
• Under federal law (IDEA Child Find), you can request a free evaluation from your local public school district — even if your child attends private school. The district is responsible for identifying and evaluating children with suspected disabilities who live within its boundaries, regardless of where they go to school.
• If your child is evaluated and found eligible for services, the support available while remaining in private school is more limited than what a public school student would receive. Services for privately placed students are funded through a proportional share of federal funds, not the full entitlement.
• You can use screening and evaluation results to work with your private school on accommodations and instructional approaches — even though they aren't legally required to provide them the way public schools are.

For a deeper look at how federal law applies to private school students with dyslexia, see our article My Child Has Dyslexia and Goes to Private School — What Are My Options?

Where to Get Help

OSPI — Dyslexia Resources The Office of Superintendent of Public Instruction maintains the state's dyslexia guidance, including the Dyslexia Implementation Guide, the Early Literacy Screening Crosswalk, family fact sheets (available in many languages), and a Family and Caregiver Discussion Guide. OSPI Dyslexia page

Washington PAVE PAVE is Washington's federally funded Parent Training and Information Center. It offers free, plain-language help understanding evaluations, IEPs, 504 Plans, and reading supports — including a detailed guide to Washington's dyslexia screening law and resources in multiple languages. A strong first call if you're trying to figure out your next step. wapave.org

Decoding Dyslexia Washington A parent-led grassroots organization that advocates for structured literacy and dyslexia identification in Washington schools, and connects families with resources and one another. decodingdyslexiawa.org

Washington State Branch of the International Dyslexia Association (WABIDA) WABIDA offers parent resources, provider referrals, workshops, and events, and helped develop the Washington State Dyslexia Resource Guide hosted on OSPI's site. It serves Washington (and parts of the broader region). wabida.org

Washington State Dyslexia Resource Guide Developed by WABIDA in collaboration with OSPI, this guide is written to help families and schools understand dyslexia, recognize it, and support students. Ask your school for it or find it through OSPI or WABIDA.