What California Parents Need to Know About the New Dyslexia Screening Law

Learn what California’s new dyslexia screening law means for K–2 students, what schools will do, and how parents can support early reading success.

Beginning in the 2025–2026 school year, all public schools in California will begin universal dyslexia screening for students in kindergarten through second grade.

This new statewide effort represents a major step forward in helping children who struggle to read get the support they need early, before small gaps turn into big learning challenges.

Why California is Implementing Dyslexia Screening

In 2023, a bill known as SB 114 was introduced to require all public schools to screen students in grades K–2 for risk of dyslexia.

Across the country, reading scores show that many students are performing below proficiency levels, and California advocates have long expressed concern that schools often operate on a “wait to fail” model. This means students are not identified for help until reading struggles have already become severe.

Students with dyslexia benefit most from early intervention. The goal of this new law is to make sure those early signs are caught sooner, giving schools the chance to provide structured, evidence-based support before students fall behind in the upper grades.

What Does Dyslexia Screening Mean?

It is important to understand that screening is not the same as an evaluation.

A dyslexia screener is a short, skills-based check, often computer-based or administered one-on-one, that helps schools identify students who might be at risk for dyslexia. These screeners are meant to flag potential concerns, not provide a diagnosis.

A formal evaluation, on the other hand, is a much more in-depth process that can only be conducted by a qualified educational psychologist. Those formal evaluations are what lead to an official diagnosis, and they typically happen outside the general education setting.

What Skills Will Be Checked?

Screeners look for foundational reading skills that research shows are early indicators of dyslexia. These include a student’s ability to:

• Recognize letter names and sounds
  
  
• Blend and segment the sounds in words (for example, hearing /c/ /a/ /t/ in cat)
  
  
• Decode words using phonics patterns they have learned
  
  
• Read quickly and accurately
  
  

These skills are all part of how the brain processes written language, and noticing weaknesses early gives teachers the chance to strengthen them before they interfere with reading success.

Who Will Be Screened and When?

Although the bill was passed in 2023, it officially went into effect this school year (2025–2026).

All public school students in grades K–2, including those in charter schools, will participate in the screening.

Parents will have the option to opt out if they choose. Schools are required to provide advance notice about when screening will occur and how the opt-out process works.

Families can also opt out if:

• Their child already has a diagnosis of dyslexia
  
  
• Has an existing IEP
  
  
• Is currently being evaluated for special education services
  
  

What Happens If a Child Is Flagged as “At Risk”?

Schools are required to share screening results within 45 days of the assessment.

If a student is flagged as being at risk for dyslexia, the school must also share their plan of action outlining how they will support the child’s literacy development. Screening results should be used to inform both school-wide instruction and individualized next steps for students who need extra help.

According to the California Department of Education Dyslexia FAQs, schools are expected to provide supports that may include:

• Evidence-based literacy instruction tailored to the student’s needs
  
  
• Ongoing progress monitoring
  
  
• Early intervention within the general education setting
  
  
• One-on-one or small-group tutoring
  
  
• Further evaluation, when appropriate
  
  

To clarify, not every student will receive the same type of support. Schools must choose the interventions and services that best fit each child’s individual needs.

If Your Child Isn’t Flagged but You Still Have Concerns

An important note of caution for parents to be aware of regarding these screenings: just because your child is not flagged as “at risk” does not automatically mean dyslexia is not present. Remember, these screeners are brief and not diagnostic.

If you still have concerns about your child’s reading progress, here are steps you can take:

• Meet with your child’s teacher to share your observations and document concerns.
  
  
• Ask what interventions or reading supports are already available through the school.
  
  
• Request (in writing) a formal evaluation for special education. Parents have the right to ask for testing that looks at reading, processing, and learning differences.
  
  
• Talk to your child’s pediatrician about your concerns. They can often refer you to specialists who conduct private dyslexia evaluations, though these are often out-of-pocket.
  
  

Your intuition as a parent matters. If something feels off, it is okay to keep asking questions and seeking answers.

Looking Ahead: A Step in the Right Direction

This new law represents meaningful progress for California students. By screening all children early, schools can catch potential reading challenges before they snowball into larger struggles. Parents will now have more information, sooner, about how their child is learning, and that opens the door to earlier, more effective intervention.

If you have questions about what your child’s screening results mean, or if you would like help understanding your next steps, The Reader’s Lab is here to help.

You can contact us here for guidance, resources, and one-on-one literacy support for your K–2 reader.