If your child is 5 to 10 and struggling to read, there is one legal right worth knowing before your next school meeting: Child Find. Most parents have never heard of it, yet it is the reason a school cannot simply shrug and say your child is “doing fine.” This post explains what Child Find is, who it covers, what it does not promise, and the exact steps to put it to work this week.
This post is general information, not legal advice. Rules vary by state, so check your state’s special education office or your state’s Parent Training and Information Center for local details.
What is Child Find?
Child Find is a duty, written into the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA), that requires every state to identify, locate and evaluate children who may have a disability and need special education.
The federal regulation (34 CFR 300.111) says all children with disabilities in the state, “regardless of the severity of their disability,” must be “identified, located, and evaluated.” That includes children who are homeless, children who are wards of the state, and children attending private schools.
Here is why that matters to you. The duty sits with the school system, not with you. A parent does not have to prove anything, hire a private tester first, or wait for the child to fail a grade. If there is reason to suspect a disability that affects learning, such as dyslexia, the district is supposed to act.
Dyslexia falls under the federal category called “specific learning disability.” In 2015 the U.S. Department of Education’s special education office (OSERS) sent states a letter saying there is nothing in IDEA that would prohibit schools from using the word dyslexia in evaluations, eligibility decisions or IEPs. So you can say the word out loud in your letter and in the meeting.
Does Child Find apply if my child is passing?
Yes. This is the part most parents never hear. The same regulation says Child Find covers children who are suspected of having a disability and needing special education “even though they are advancing from grade to grade” (34 CFR 300.111(c)(1)).
That line exists because many bright children with dyslexia pass. They memorize sight words, guess from pictures, lean on a strong vocabulary and work twice as hard as their classmates. Their report cards look fine while their decoding quietly stalls. Signs that a passing child may still need a look:
- Reading aloud is slow, choppy or full of guesses, even on easy books.
- Spelling is far behind reading, and the same words are misspelled week after week.
- Homework that should take 15 minutes takes an hour, often with tears.
- Your child understands a story well when you read it aloud but not when they read it alone.
- Dyslexia runs in your family.
None of these is a diagnosis. Together, they are a reason to ask. Our free parent dyslexia screener (free while it lasts) turns what you are seeing at home into a printable summary you can attach to your request.
Does it cover private school, homeschool and preschool?
Child Find reaches further than most people think, though the details depend on age and setting:
- Public school: your home district is responsible.
- Private school: the federal rule names children in private schools. Generally the public district where the private school is located handles Child Find for its students, even if you live in a different district (34 CFR 300.131). The private school itself usually has no duty to evaluate, which is why private school families often never hear about it.
- Homeschool: many states treat homeschooled children like private school students for Child Find, but this varies by state. Call your district’s special education office and ask, “How do I request a Child Find evaluation for a homeschooled child?”
- Before kindergarten: from birth to age 3, Child Find runs through your state’s early intervention program (IDEA Part C). From age 3, it is the school district’s job (IDEA Part B).
One honest limit: Child Find promises an evaluation when a disability is suspected. It does not promise services. The evaluation team decides eligibility. And for private school and homeschool students, the services a district offers can be much more limited than what a public school student gets with an IEP. We compare settings in Homeschool vs. School for a Dyslexic Child.
Can the school make us finish RTI first?
No. Many schools run struggling readers through extra small-group help first, often called RTI (Response to Intervention) or MTSS (a Multi-Tiered System of Supports). That help can be good. But in January 2011 the federal Office of Special Education Programs told every state, in Memo 11-07, that an RTI process cannot be used to delay or deny an evaluation for a child suspected of having a disability.
The rules also say plainly that a parent may request an initial evaluation (34 CFR 300.301(b)). Once you give written consent, the evaluation generally must be finished within 60 days, or within your state’s own timeline if it sets a different one.
So the two can run side by side: small-group help now, and an evaluation in progress. You can say it kindly: “I appreciate the extra help, and I’d also like to request a full evaluation so we understand why reading is hard.” If you have been told to “wait and see,” read My child’s teacher said “wait and see” next.
How do I actually use Child Find?
You do not need a lawyer to start. You need a short, dated letter. Here is the order:
- Write it down. Email counts in most districts, but a letter or email you can print is best. Address it to the principal and the district’s special education director, and copy the teacher.
- Say the words. “I suspect my child may have a disability, possibly dyslexia, and I am requesting a full and individual evaluation for special education, including reading, phonological processing and spelling.”
- Give three or four facts. What you see at home, what the teacher has told you, any screener or school scores, and family history.
- Ask for a response in writing. If the district decides not to evaluate, it generally must give you written notice explaining why. That notice also tells you your options to disagree.
- Keep copies of everything. One folder, with dates. It is your best tool later.
Our free Resource Hub includes a Letter Writer that drafts this request with you. Your state may also have its own dyslexia screening and evaluation laws on top of IDEA; our sister site keeps a state-by-state list at dyslexia-institute.com. For the bigger picture of your rights, see Understanding Your Rights as a Parent of a Dyslexic Child.
What should I do at home while the school decides?
An evaluation can take two months or more, and an eligibility meeting comes after that. Your child’s reading brain does not pause while paperwork moves. You can start now, and nothing you do at home gets in the way of the evaluation.
Plan on 30 to 60 minutes a day, split into short pieces: a few minutes of sound games, a short letter-sound review, building and reading simple words with letter tiles, and reading aloud together. The most helpful approach for children with dyslexia is structured literacy: explicit, systematic phonics taught step by step, the way the Orton-Gillingham approach does it.
If you want those lessons laid out for you, the Apricot Tree Academy curriculum is a parent-led dyslexia intervention curriculum built on the Orton-Gillingham approach for children ages 5 to 10, with scripted lessons, workbooks, games and flash cards, plus a companion teacher guide. You can start with the Level 1 workbook on Amazon.
Keep a simple log as you go: date, minutes, what you practiced, what was hard. Share it with the evaluation team. It shows how your child responds to teaching, and it reminds you, on the hard days, that you are already doing something.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Child Find only for children with severe disabilities?
No. The federal regulation says children must be identified, located and evaluated regardless of the severity of their disability. A child with dyslexia who is passing but working far harder than classmates can still be covered. The question is whether a disability is suspected and whether the child may need special education.
Does my child have to fail a grade before the school evaluates?
No. Federal rules say Child Find covers children suspected of a disability even though they are advancing from grade to grade. Good grades do not cancel the duty. If you see signs like slow, effortful reading or spelling far behind reading, you can request an evaluation in writing at any time.
How long does the school have to finish the evaluation?
Under federal rules, the initial evaluation generally must be finished within 60 days of the school receiving your written consent, unless your state sets its own timeline. Some states count school days or calendar days differently. Your state's Parent Training and Information Center can tell you the exact deadline where you live.
Does Child Find apply if we homeschool?
Often, but it depends on your state. Federal rules clearly cover children in private schools, and many states treat homeschooled children the same way for Child Find. Call your local district's special education office, ask how to request a Child Find evaluation for a homeschooled child, and follow up in writing.
What if the school says no to an evaluation?
Ask for the decision in writing. When a district refuses to evaluate, it generally must give you written notice that explains why and describes your options. You can then ask for a meeting, provide more information, request mediation, or contact your state's Parent Training and Information Center for free help with next steps.
