StateImpact Indiana: IREAD-3 creates anxiety for dyslexic students

For the second year in a row, Indiana third graders will have to pass a high stakes reading test or risk getting held back.

It’s a lot of pressure for 8 and 9 year olds, but for some struggling readers, the IREAD-3 is an even bigger source of anxiety.

That’s because the root cause of their difficulty is dyslexia, a learning disability. Most students with special needs can qualify for a good cause exemption that allows them to move onto fourth grade even if they don’t pass.

But students with dyslexia don’t always qualify for the accommodations typically associated with a learning disability.

Find more education stories from our StateImpact Indiana team at http://stateimpact.npr.org/indiana/.