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Dyslexia Information
Alabama Literacy Act
The Alabama Literacy Act is a state law designed to make sure all public school students are reading on grade level by the end of the third grade. The goal is to give every child the strong reading skills they need to succeed in school and in life.
See below for helpful resources related to the Alabama Literacy Act:
- AL Literacy Act FAQ for Families
- AL Literacy Act FAQ for Families - SPANISH
- Family & Community Support Resources
- Family & Community Support Resources - SPANISH
Dyslexia Resources and Information
What is Dyslexia?
Dyslexia is a specific learning disability characterized by difficulties in word reading and/or spelling that involve accuracy, speed, or both and vary depending on the orthography. These difficulties occur along a continuum of severity and persist even with instruction that is effective for the individual’s peers. The causes of dyslexia are complex and involve combinations of genetic, neurobiological, and environmental influences that interact throughout development. Underlying difficulties with phonological and morphological processing are common but not universal, and early oral language weaknesses often foreshadow literacy challenges. Secondary consequences include reading comprehension problems and reduced reading and writing experience that can impede growth in language, knowledge, written expression, and overall academic achievement. Psychological well-being and employment opportunities also may be affected. Although identification and targeted instruction are important at any age, language and literacy support before and during the early years of education is particularly effective.
(International Dyslexia Association, October 2025).
Screening Process
All students take the STAR Early Literacy or STAR Reading assessment as a universal screener approved by the AL Literacy Task Force. The results of universal screenings are used to determine students’ need for reading intervention. Students who are below the benchmark in multiple foundational skills receive reading intervention.
Students who do not make adequate progress in Tier III reading intervention are further screened for characteristics of dyslexia. Further screenings seek to identify specific deficiencies in letter naming, letter sounds, phonemic awareness, nonsense word fluency, and alphabet skills fluency (grades K-1) or deficiencies in accuracy of word reading in grade-level text, spelling skills, phonemic decoding efficiency, sight word reading efficiency, and alphabet skills efficiency (grades 2-12). Students who fail three of the five dyslexia-specific screenings are considered to demonstrate characteristics similar to dyslexia and may be referred to the school's Problem Solving Team (PST). The PST will consider participation in a dyslexia-specific reading intervention program and/or the need for classroom accommodations and supports.
Professional Learning
All K-12 teachers participate in mandatory dyslexia awareness training annually. As of November 2025, 111 K-12 teachers district wide have completed Institute for Multi-Sensory Education (IMSE) Orton-Gillingham training, which is accredited by the International Dyslexia Association (IDA). In addition, two elementary reading coaches and the elementary literacy specialist have earned IMSE Comprehensive Certification and passed the KPEERI exam to be designated certified structured literacy teachers. All reading coaches, the literacy specialist, and 63 K-12 classroom teachers and administrators have completed or are currently participating in LETRS training in the Science of Reading provided by the Alabama State Department of Education (ALSDE). HCS currently employs one Certified Academic Language Therapist (CALT) and two additional employees will complete their CALT training in summer 2026.
Student Supports
Each elementary school is staffed with a reading coach and reading interventionists. A literacy specialist serves all three elementary schools. Learning Ally, an audiobook resource, is available to any K-12 student with a reading deficiency, blind/visual impairment, or other disability that makes reading print difficult. All K-12 students have access to TextHelp, which includes Read and Write for Google Chrome and OrbitNote.