Suspect your child is dyslexic? Here’s what you can do.

Up to 1 in 5 children may have dyslexia, a neurological disorder that makes it difficult to read and spell. If you suspect your child has dyslexia, experts recommend you take action quickly. That’s because the older a child gets, the more difficult it is to remediate their reading skills.

Massachusetts now requires schools to test K-3 students for reading difficulties at least twice per year. Schools should be sending those results home to parents. If you haven’t received those results, ask your child’s teacher for them.

If you’re concerned about the results, ask the teacher whether your child is receiving extra reading instruction, and whether that instruction is tailored to the student’s specific deficits.

Children with reading struggles, including dyslexia, may qualify for special education services under the category “specific learning disability.” Under federal law, parents have the right to request their child’s school conduct a special education evaluation. Parents should submit their requests in writing to school administration or to a district special education coordinator, according to the Learning Disabilities Association of America. Schools must hold a meeting with the results of the evaluation within 45 working days of receiving a parent’s request.

If a district avoids using the term dyslexia, a parent may remind officials that both state and federal guidance say schools should use the term when crafting individualized education programs, or IEPs.

If a parent disagrees with the district’s evaluation results, they may request an independent education evaluation. A parent may seek one on their own, paying a private evaluator — often a neuropsychologist — out-of-pocket. But parents also have the right to request the evaluation be paid by the district. Families whose children qualify for free or reduce priced lunch will not need to pay at all. Other families may have to pay partial cost for the evaluation based on a sliding scale set by the state.

If a parent continues to disagree with the district, they may pursue “dispute resolution” through the state. There are several venues for this, including requesting mediation or filing a complaint with the state’s Problem Resolution System Office (often called a PRS complaint).

Want to know more? The following organizations provide resources for parents:

National Center on Improving Literacy

The Center for Appropriate Dispute Resolution in Special Education

Council of Parent Attorneys and Advocates

Federation for Children with Special Needs

Decoding Dyslexia Massachusetts Additionally, every school district in the state should have a special education parent advisory council, or SEPAC, which parents can join to learn more about the special education system.