Dysgraphia vs dyslexia: how they differ in the IEP

By the IEP Atlas editorial teamLast updated November 1, 2026

Short answer

Dyslexia is a difficulty with reading words: decoding, reading fluently and spelling. Dysgraphia is a difficulty with producing writing: forming letters, spacing, and getting thoughts onto paper legibly and at a usable speed. The deciding question is whether the student can read the words well but struggles to write them, or struggles to read them in the first place.

Dyslexia and dysgraphia are often mentioned together, and they can happen together. They are not the same thing, and they need different goals and supports. A student with dyslexia who gets only handwriting practice will still not be able to read; a student with dysgraphia who gets only phonics will still not be able to write a paragraph legibly.

This page gives the one-sentence difference, a side-by-side table, three students, and what to do when a student has both. For eligibility under special education, see the guide to IEPs for specific learning disabilities and ADHD.

The one-sentence difference and the deciding question

Dyslexia affects reading words; dysgraphia affects writing them down.

The deciding question: Give the student a passage at grade level and ask them to read it aloud, then copy two sentences from it. If reading the words is the hard part, look at dyslexia. If reading goes well but copying is slow, messy or painful, look at dysgraphia. If both are hard, the student may have both, and testing should look at each.

Spelling sits in the middle. Poor spelling is common in both. In dyslexia it usually comes from weak sound and letter knowledge. In dysgraphia it can come from the effort of writing, so spelling is often better when the student spells aloud or types.

Side-by-side table

	Dyslexia	Dysgraphia
Main difficulty	Reading words accurately and fluently	Producing legible writing at a usable speed
Common signs	Slow, effortful reading; guessing at words; poor spelling	Illegible or uneven letters; slow copying; tight pencil grip; hand fatigue; ideas much better spoken than written
In federal special education rules	Named as an example of a specific learning disability^[1]	Not named; usually addressed under specific learning disability in written expression^[1]
Who usually evaluates	School psychologist, reading specialist, special educator	School psychologist, special educator, occupational therapist
Typical testing	Phonological awareness, decoding, word reading fluency, spelling	Handwriting legibility and speed, fine motor and visual-motor skills, written expression
Typical IEP goals	Decoding, fluency, spelling	Letter formation, legibility, writing speed, typing, written composition
Typical specially designed instruction	Structured literacy, explicit phonics	Explicit handwriting instruction, keyboarding, writing strategy instruction
Typical accommodations	Audiobooks, text-to-speech, tests read aloud	Typing, speech-to-text, a scribe, reduced copying, extra time on written work
Related services	Usually none required	Often OT consultation or direct OT
Where documented	Present levels for reading; reading goals	Present levels for writing and fine motor; writing and OT goals

The dyslexia and dysgraphia glossary entries give short definitions.

Three scenarios

The students below are fictional.

Ella, grade 3. Ella reads 38 words correct per minute on grade 3 passages and makes many errors on new words. Her handwriting is neat when she copies, and she types well. Her writing is short because she cannot spell the words she wants. Answer: looks like dyslexia. Reading the words is the core problem. Her spelling problem comes from the same weak sound and letter knowledge. Goals target decoding, fluency and spelling; see IEP goals for dyslexia.

Noah, grade 4. Noah reads at grade level and answers comprehension questions well. When he writes, letters vary in size, words run together, and he copies 4 letters per minute when classmates copy about 3 times as many. He says his hand hurts after a few sentences. When he dictates a story, it is long and detailed. Answer: looks like dysgraphia. Reading is fine; producing writing is the barrier. Goals target legibility, speed and typing; see IEP goals for dysgraphia. An OT evaluation is likely.

Maya, grade 5. Maya reads slowly with many errors, and her handwriting is hard to read even when she copies. She avoids both reading and writing tasks. Answer: may be both. The team should test reading and writing separately. Her IEP may need goals in both areas, with reading instruction and handwriting or typing instruction, plus accommodations for each.

When a student has both

Dyslexia and dysgraphia can occur together. When they do, write separate goals for each, and make sure the accommodations do not cancel each other out.

Speech-to-text helps with dysgraphia, but a student with dyslexia may struggle to check what the software wrote. Pair it with text-to-speech so they can listen back.
Typing helps handwriting, but spelling errors remain. Teach spell-check use as a skill.
Copying from the board is hard for both reasons. Provide printed notes.

Coordinate the reading specialist, special educator and OT, so the student is not pulled out three times a day for related needs.

How each shows up in the IEP

Present levels should name the skill in numbers. For dyslexia: words correct per minute, decoding accuracy, spelling. For dysgraphia: letters per minute when copying, percent of words legible to an unfamiliar reader, total words written in 3 minutes, typing speed.

Goals should follow the same units. A dysgraphia goal might read: "When copying a 3-sentence passage, Noah will write with 90% of words legible to an unfamiliar reader, at 10 or more letters per minute, on 3 of 4 weekly samples." A dyslexia goal might read: "Given an unpracticed grade 3 passage, Ella will read 70 words correct per minute with 95% accuracy."

For writing measures, see how to measure writing with TWW and CWS. For handwriting goals from the OT side, see OT goals for handwriting. The dyslexia goal bank and dysgraphia goal bank have templates for each.

Questions families often ask

"My child's doctor said dysgraphia. Will the school use that word?" Maybe not. Federal rules do not use the term, so the IEP may say "specific learning disability in written expression." What matters is that the needs are described and addressed.

"Can a child get an IEP for dysgraphia alone?" Yes, if the evaluation finds a disability that affects learning and the child needs special education. Some children with milder needs get accommodations through a 504 plan.

"Is messy handwriting always dysgraphia?" No. Many children have messy handwriting. Dysgraphia is more than messy; it slows writing enough, or takes enough effort, that it gets in the way of showing what the child knows.

ASHA's practice portal on written language disorders describes how reading and writing difficulties relate and how they are assessed.^[2] Families can get free help understanding evaluations from their state's Parent Training and Information Center.^[3]

Frequently asked questions

Can a child have dysgraphia and dyslexia at the same time?

Yes. Some children have both. When they do, testing should look at reading and writing separately, and the IEP should have goals and supports for each area, such as reading instruction plus typing or handwriting instruction.

Is dysgraphia a learning disability under IDEA?

The federal rules do not name dysgraphia, but writing difficulties are usually addressed as a specific learning disability in written expression. A student found eligible gets goals and services for writing, often with occupational therapy support.

Who tests for dysgraphia at school?

Usually a team: a school psychologist or special educator assesses written expression, and an occupational therapist assesses handwriting, fine motor and visual-motor skills. Ask the school to include both when writing is the concern.

Use it in IEP Atlas

Sources

34 CFR §300.8: Child with a disability, Legal Information Institute, Cornell Law School
Written Language Disorders, ASHA
Center for Parent Information and Resources, CPIR

Written and checked by the IEP Atlas editorial team under our editorial policy. This guide describes general practice and federal rules. It is not legal advice; your state may add requirements, and the IEP team makes the decisions for each student.