Austin, TX: More than 1 in 5 students dyslexic; "increased awareness"

May 4, 2026, Austin ISD student dyslexia rate jumps to nearly 23%

More than 1 in 5 Austin ISD students now are identified as dyslexic, higher than any other major urban Texas school district.

Nearly 23%, or 15,748, of Austin ISD students this year are receiving dyslexia services through special education or accommodations plans, according to data analyzed by The Texas Tribune from Texas Education Agency. That is up about 10 percentage points from last year and a fourfold increase from 5.4% in 2015-16, when the district enrolled about 14,500 additional students.

Statewide, dyslexia more than doubled since 2015-16, rising from 2.7% then to 7.1% now. District leaders and experts attribute the surge to state policy changes, improved identification, stronger educator training and increased public awareness, even as districts work to meet the rising demand.

In 2023, Texas passed HB 3928, which placed dyslexia under the special education umbrella. With the change, districts get additional funding per student with dyslexia in special education, leading to expanded resources for diagnosis and support. Experts say the shift has naturally increased identification rates.

Why diagnoses are rising

. . .The number of students identified with dyslexia in Texas has increased dramatically over the past five years, largely due to legislative and policy changes, as well as increased awareness, O’Mullan said. As of the 2025-26 school year, approximately 388,500, or 7%, of school-age children in Texas, were identified with dyslexia. Research suggests closer to 1 in 5 individuals may be affected, she said.

Austin ISD serves students with dyslexia Section 504 plan and special education, said Cherry Lee, Austin ISD’s interim assistant superintendent of special education programs and health services. The first ensures access for students with disabilities, while the latter provides specific educational services and protections for students and their families. Dyslexia, Lee said, can also include dysgraphia and other related disabilities.

Lee said a rise in the number of students with dyslexia served through special education reflects a combination of factors including the 2023 state policy change, a Texas requirement that kindergarten and first graders be screened for dyslexia, and state oversight tied to a previous district backlog in special education evaluations.

Texas also came under federal scrutiny in 2016 following a series of reports from the Houston Chronicle that showed the state education agency pressured school districts to limit up to 8.5% how many students received special education services. The federal investigation found Texas school districts varied in their interpretation of the illegal state policy to only provide federally funded services to students with dyslexia if those students also had another disability.