A Quick Note for Parents:
Dyslexia is one of the most common learning differences, and The Broach School has worked with it for more than 50 years. This guide covers what dyslexia actually means in a school setting, what to look for when you’re evaluating private schools in Jacksonville, FL, and how Florida scholarship programs can make private school for dyslexia more affordable than most families expect.
Getting a dyslexia diagnosis for your child can bring a complicated mix of feelings. There’s often relief, finally a name for what you’ve been watching and worrying about. And then comes the next question: now what?
For many Jacksonville families, that question prompts them to look into a private school for dyslexia, compare options, and wonder whether a different environment could make a real difference. The answer often depends on what kind of school you’re comparing. Not every school that accepts students with dyslexia is built the same way. Understanding that distinction is the most useful thing you can do before scheduling your first visit to schools for special needs near me.
What dyslexia actually means in school
Dyslexia is classified as a Specific Learning Disability (SLD) under federal education law. It mainly affects reading and spelling, not intelligence. Understood, a nonprofit dedicated to learning and thinking differences, makes clear that dyslexia has nothing to do with how smart a child is or whether they can see properly.
In the classroom, dyslexia is most evident in reading fluency and written work. A student with dyslexia may read slowly, struggle with spelling, have difficulty tracking text on a page, or find written assignments take far longer than they should. These aren’t signs that a child isn’t trying. They’re signs that the brain processes language differently.
Most diagnoses come in the early elementary years, when reading instruction is at its most intensive. But dyslexia affects students across every grade level, from kindergarten through high school.
The writing load in middle school is different from that in first grade. The reading volume in high school is different again. A school that works for a student with dyslexia at age eight needs to continue working for that student at fifteen.
What to look for in a private school for dyslexia
This is where most parents get stuck. You know your child needs something different. You’ve heard that private schools have smaller classes and more individualized attention. But not all private schools are built the same way, and for students with dyslexia, that difference matters more than almost anything else.
Understood describes what sets purpose-built schools apart from general private schools: in a specialized school, teachers have training in learning differences, and programs are designed around students who need that support. The approach isn’t layered on top of a traditional model. It is the model.
A general private school may genuinely care about your child and may even have an ESE coordinator on staff. But the core instructional approach is still built for students who learn in a traditional way. Support for your child with dyslexia happens around the edges of that approach, not at its center. That’s a meaningful difference when a child spends six or seven hours a day in a classroom.
When you’re visiting schools, here are the things worth paying attention to:
- Small class sizes and a low student-teacher ratio. A teacher with 15 students can notice when a specific student is struggling and adjust that day. A teacher with 25 students is managing too much to do the same. The Broach School maintains a 15:1 student-teacher ratio across all three Jacksonville-area campuses.
- Specialized reading instruction. The school should have a clear, specific answer on how it teaches reading to students with dyslexia. General literacy instruction designed for typical readers isn’t the same thing, and a good school won’t conflate the two.
- Individualized instruction plans. Students with dyslexia don’t all struggle the same way. A school worth considering has a process for understanding each student’s specific profile and building instruction around it.
- Faculty training in learning differences. Ask directly: What training do teachers have? A school where the answer is specific and detailed is different from one where the answer is vague.
- Whether evenings are free. For students with dyslexia, reading and writing are exhausting work. At The Broach School, students don’t take homework home. Dr. Tommie Broach built the school on the belief that students work hard during the school day, and their evenings belong to family, rest, and recovery.
The private schools in Jacksonville that serve students with dyslexia well are the ones where specialized instruction isn’t an add-on to the existing program. It’s built into how every teacher teaches, every day.
How Florida families cover the cost
Cost stops many families before they even schedule a first visit. Private school sounds expensive, and parents of students with dyslexia often assume the level of specialized support their child needs is financially out of reach.
In Florida, that assumption is frequently wrong.
The Family Empowerment Scholarship for Students with Unique Abilities (FES-UA) is a state scholarship program available to students who qualify under Florida’s Exceptional Student Education (ESE) eligibility criteria. Dyslexia qualifies as a Specific Learning Disability (SLD) under those criteria. That means many students with dyslexia are eligible for FES-UA funding that can be applied directly to private school tuition.
The Broach School is an approved FES-UA scholarship school and also accepts the Family Empowerment Scholarhsip for Educational Options (FES-EO) and the Florida Tax Credit Scholarship (FTC). Families who assumed private specialized education was financially out of reach are often surprised by what’s available once they look into these programs.
For parents of students with both dyslexia and ADHD, it’s worth noting that these two learning differences often appear together. Families searching for private schools for adhd near me will find that The Broach School serves students whose learning profiles frequently overlap because the school is built for students who learn differently across a range of diagnoses.
The Broach School has three K-12 campuses in the Jacksonville area, serving students from kindergarten through 12th grade. It was founded in 1973 by Dr. Tommie Broach, is fully accredited through Cognia, and operates as a 501(c)(3) nonprofit.
Cognia accreditation means the diploma your child earns here is fully recognized by colleges, employers, and training programs. That’s not a small thing for families who worry about what a different kind of school means for their child’s future.
FAQ
Can a private school help my child with dyslexia?
Yes, particularly if the school is designed around students who learn differently rather than adding support services to a traditional model. At The Broach School, specialized reading instruction, small class sizes, and a 15:1 student-teacher ratio are built into how every class runs, from kindergarten through 12th grade. Call 904-637-0300 to talk through whether it’s the right fit for your child.
What should I look for in a private school for a child with dyslexia?
Start with class size, faculty training, and the specific structure of reading instruction for students with dyslexia. Ask how the school builds an individualized plan for each student and what happens when a student falls behind. A school with clear, specific answers is different from one with general reassurances. The Broach School is glad to walk families through this during a campus tour.
Can I get financial help to send my child to a private school in Florida?
Florida’s Family Empowerment Scholarship for Students with Unique Abilities (FES-UA) covers students who qualify under the state’s ESE eligibility criteria, which includes dyslexia as a Specific Learning Disability. The Broach School is an approved scholarship school. To learn more about whether your child may qualify, visit broachschool.com/scholarships/ or call 904-637-0300.
Does dyslexia affect students at every grade level, or just elementary school?
Dyslexia affects students at every grade level, K-12. Reading challenges don’t disappear after the early grades. They shift: slower reading speed affects research in middle school, writing demands increase in high school, and the effect on confidence accumulates over time. A school that works well for a student with dyslexia addresses this across all grades, not just the early ones.
What’s the difference between a school with ESE services and a school built for students with learning differences?
A school with ESE services adds support around a traditional instructional model. A school built for students with learning differences models itself around how those students learn. The distinction matters because students spend most of their school day in core instruction, not in pull-out support. A purpose-built school puts the specialized approach at the center of every class.
Will my child receive an Individualized Education Program (IEP) at a private school?
Individualized Education Programs (IEPs) are a public school document and cannot be created or updated by a private school. At The Broach School, each student receives an Individualized Success Plan that guides their instruction. Call The Broach School at 904-637-0300 to ask how student plans are built and what the process looks like for a student with dyslexia.
Do specialized private schools accept students with dyslexia at all grade levels, including middle and high school?
Yes. At The Broach School, all four campuses serve grades K-12, and students with dyslexia enroll at every level from kindergarten through high school. Families considering a mid-year or mid-journey change are welcome to call 904-637-0300 and ask about the enrollment process.
Schedule a tour or call The Broach School at 904-637-0300 to see the difference for yourself.
