Dyslexia is a learning difference that causes difficulty in reading, writing, and sometimes speech. This is because those with dyslexia struggle with decoding, which is identifying speech sounds and relating those sounds to words.
Dyslexia can create significant academic and social challenges for students, leading parents to seek alternative school environments. However, even elite private schools may struggle to fully support students with dyslexia.
Addressing any language-based learning differences requires experience, patience, and individual attention, which can be difficult in larger classes. Moreover, schools focused on academics might overlook the social impacts of dyslexia.
In this guide, we’ll discuss why many private schools aren’t fully equipped to support students with dyslexia, and how Fusion Academy — our private middle school and high school with 80+ U.S. locations — helps students with learning differences, including dyslexia, succeed both academically and socially.
We’ll also highlight nine other private schools across the U.S. specializing in language-based learning differences.
Where Most Private Schools Fall Short for Students with Dyslexia
While there are plenty of reputable private schools in the USA, most aren’t built to cater to the needs of students with learning differences. A key challenge is the traditional model of multiple students in a single classroom.
Many private schools offer smaller class sizes, typically ranging from five to ten students, which is much smaller than public schools. However, students with learning differences require more individualized attention and a personalized, research-based approach to their education.
This is especially true for dyslexia, as students are prone to hiding their reading difficulties for fear that they’ll be made fun of.
As a result, the issue might remain hidden for a long time. Even in cases where teachers are aware of the learning difference, they still need to educate an entire class, so they’re unlikely to have the time and attention for one student with a specific need.
Then, there are the social implications of dyslexia. This learning difference can make it difficult for kids to make friends and socialize. Children with dyslexia may struggle to express themselves or articulate their ideas. Further, some expressive elements can be affected — like pronouncing certain vowels or consonants. This combines to alienate children with dyslexia, leading to a unique combination of social and emotional challenges.
Unfortunately, most private schools don’t have a plan to overcome this social aspect of dyslexia. As a result, many dyslexic students have trouble developing positive relationships with their peers, even if their teachers can help them succeed academically.
In the following sections, we’ll explore how Fusion Academy addresses the limitations of traditional private schools for students with dyslexia, dyscalculia, anxiety, ADD/ADHD, and other learning differences.
How Fusion Academy Helps Students with Dyslexia Overcome Their Challenges
Fusion Academy is an accredited personalized private school for grades 6 to 12 that uses a one-to-one learning model. We offer 80+ campuses across the U.S., alongside an online private school — Fusion Global Academy. — our accreditied and peprivate middle school and high school with 80+ U.S. locations —
The unique one-to-one learning approach helps your child overcome challenges stemming from learning differences (including dyslexia), form great relationships with their teachers, and develop self-advocacy skills.
Here’s how Deborah Mussomeli, Fusion Los Gatos Parent, describes our school’s impact on her daughter’s life:
“My daughter was a senior in high school when she was first introduced to Fusion Academy. She had always struggled with Dyslexia and had many challenges with both English and math.
Her self-esteem had been completely destroyed by her public school, its teachers, and administrators. She was made to feel stupid and that her struggles were all her fault. She was beaten down, blamed for her problems, and was on the verge of quitting school altogether. She then went to Fusion Academy.
In the first week, my daughter, for the first time in many years, came home happy, confident, and feeling great about her day. It was completely different from the environment she had endured for 11.5 years in public school. She suddenly felt that she could do anything and actually succeed in school. She said she learned more in one day than she had that entire semester at her public school. She believed in herself. Her confidence was off the charts. She felt loved, supported, and motivated to learn.
Fusion Academy saved my daughter from giving up on herself.”
While classes at Fusion are one-on-one, students still enjoy a vibrant social experience with friends, peers, social clubs, field trips, and more.
We have a dedicated space — called the Social Homework Café — where students make friends and follow their extracurricular interests, guided by our expert staff. (We also have a quiet Homework Cafe, where students can go to study and do homework,)
Below, we’ll explore three essential benefits of this unique learning environment for students with dyslexia.
#1. Personalized Education Based on Your Child’s Needs, Struggles, and Interests
At Fusion, the learning process is personalized to each student, helping them overcome challenges in specific subjects while excelling in the areas they are passionate about.
This begins with the admissions process, where we gather background information on each student, including their previous school experience and specific challenges. This helps us tailor our approach to best meet their needs.
Next, we conduct initial assessments, including Measures of Academy Progress (MAP®) and Mindprint to further personalize their learning experience.
These assessments offer insights into a student’s current educational level and preferred learning style. Students undergo MAP testing annually to check their progress relative to national peers.
Based on these evaluations, we create a Formal Education plan and select appropriate courses. This entire process is built on transparency to ensure your child gets exactly what they need to excel academically and socially.
Additionally, this information is compiled into a private profile accessible by all of the child’s teachers, allowing them to provide a cohesive and effective educational experience.
#2. Specialized Attention During and Between Classes
Once your child is enrolled at Fusion — whether full-time or for individual classes for credit — each class they attend is taught one-to-one. As a result, our teachers truly understand your child’s struggles and dedicate the proper time and attention to them.
This is in stark contrast to most private schools where teachers must consider the needs of multiple students and can’t necessarily stop or slow down a class for one child with a learning difference.
Teachers at Fusion are trained on how to approach the education process for each student. For example, if a student has dyslexia, one of our experienced teachers can determine where they’re struggling fairly quickly just by sitting with them while they’re reading a passage from a book.
Then, they can experiment with different evidence-based, multisensory methods that empower learners to overcome their challenges. For example, they can:
- Color code materials.
- Do phonetics training with flashcards.
- Use books on tape for reading assignments.
- Use visual, auditory, and kinesthetic methods.
- Have students make their own vocabulary lists.
- Assign alternative assignments/projects for book reports.
With this specialized attention, Fusion Academy students achieve 33% more growth in a school year compared to their national peers, while feeling more engaged and forming positive relationships with their teachers.
Additionally, if post-secondary education is a focus for you and your child, you can work with our post-secondary counselors. These counselors look into each individual student’s post-high school goals and help them build portfolios, research different colleges and types of study, and much more.
#3. Fun Social Activities That Encourage Natural Friendships
As we said, dyslexia often impacts a student’s social life as well as their academic performance. That’s why at Fusion, we strive to create a rich student experience, filled with friendships and positive relationships between students.
A lot of this happens in our Social Homework Cafés. These are dedicated spaces on every Fusion campus where clubs meet, student meetings are held, and where students can interact with their peers between classes.
Each space has a Director who oversees the space and helps students take part in activities that align with their interests.
For example, if a student with dyslexia has struggled making friends but shows interest in a video game, the Director (or another staff member) might encourage a peer to show them how the game is played. This approach extends to various activities, such as chess, D&D, watching films, or participating in yoga and other sports, helping students connect through shared interests.
As a result, friend groups are created naturally based on shared interests. There aren’t cliques like in traditional schools because everyone interacts with each other in the social Homework Cafés, which fosters a positive environment.
Furthermore, students engage in various social activities outside Fusion campuses. While these activities vary by location, popular options include field trips, hikes, indoor rock climbing, visits to local music studios or colleges, and volunteering at animal shelters.
Additional Benefits From Fusion Academy for You and Your Family
The personalized education at Fusion makes it an excellent private school for students overcoming learning differences. In addition, Fusion Academy offers other benefits for your family as a whole.
Complete Transparency Into Your Child’s Progress
After every class, teachers take the time to describe what the student did, where they struggled, where they’re making improvements, and which educational methods are having a positive impact on them. This information is sent in a daily report email.
Parents can access this information online at any time of day. Put simply, you get complete transparency into the education process and the progress your child is making. That’s why, based on our Education Impact Report:
- 97% of parents believe that our staff and faculty are approachable.
- 96% of parents feel that they are regularly informed about their child’s overall performance.
- 91% of parents agree that their Fusion school provides timely communication about school updates or new initiatives.
Homework Can Stay at School
In addition to the social Homework Café, each Fusion Campus has a quiet Homework Café. This is a place where students complete their homework in a focused environment while having access to teachers and other staff members for assistance.
The time to visit the Homework Cafés is built into students’ schedules and is equal to the time they spend in class. This is one of the most important functions of these spaces because it means that students don’t have to go home with hours of homework, which removes a big source of stress.
Here’s what Kerri Assell, whose son attends Fusion, had to say about Fusion Academy:
“Our son’s attitude toward school has completely changed since enrolling in Fusion…Having his homework completed at school is a huge bonus and gives us peace at home — gone are the nights of fighting over homework”.
Flexible Academic Programs, Schedules, and Tuition
Students can attend Fusion in person, online, or in a hybrid model. There are 80+ middle and high school locations across the country, including California, Florida, New York, Pennsylvania, Texas, and more.
You can find a campus near you on our website.
If you’re interested in our fully online option, we also offer Fusion Global Academy.
Our fully accredited online school offers synchronous one-to-one classes, providing the same level of personalized learning and attention as our in-person sessions.
At Fusion, you’re not limited to full-time enrollment. In fact, we offer a range of academic programs, including:
- Test Prep: We offer three different paced test prep programs for the ACT and SAT. You can choose an express program that is 20 hours of test prep spread over 4–8 weeks, the stand program which is 30 hours spread over 6–10 weeks, or our deep dive option which is 40 hours spread over 8–12 weeks. As with our other programs, this follows a one-to-one model.
- Classes for Credit: This program is suitable for students who need help making up a grade or getting ahead in a specific subject.
- Tutoring: This is a flexible option for students who need additional support to fill learning gaps, build confidence, or just improve in various subjects like Algebra, Chemistry, English, Geography, History, and Physics.
- Post-Secondary Counseling: This program helps students find the right post-high school path. We guide students across a wide range of activities — from creating resumes and exploring schools and courses to selecting the right extracurriculars and preparing for SATs and ACTs.
Fusion Academy offers unparalleled scheduling flexibility.
For example, your child can start school later or earlier in the day if your family’s schedule requires that. They can also have classes only on certain days of the week, which is very convenient for parents with travel-heavy careers, student-athletes or actors, and other non-standard occupations.
Plus, you don’t have to wait for the end of a traditional school semester to enroll your child. You can do so at any time of the year and in any class they’re interested in.
Lastly, Fusion’s personalization also extends to your tuition. Whether your child is a full-time student or enrolled in another program, you get the most personalized tuition based on the classes they’re taking.
For more details on how Fusion Academy can help your child thrive academically and socially, visit our website and connect with our team.
9 Other Private Schools for Dyslexia in the USA
In this final section, we’ll explore nine additional schools that can be a good fit for students with dyslexia. While they don’t offer Fusion’s one-to-one learning method, they still specialize in helping students with language-based learning differences through research-based methods and by providing extra attention to learners.
Carroll School
Carroll School is an independent day school in Massachusetts for grades 1–9.
The school is specifically designed for students who have been diagnosed with dyslexia and other learning differences that affect reading and writing. The curriculum is based on the needs of each individual student, with teachers tracking student performance daily and building lessons based on their progress.
Plus, the Garside Institute for Teacher Training (GIFTT) at Carroll School provides comprehensive Orton-Gillingham training and certification to professionals through coursework and practicum.
Forman School
Forman School is a private college preparatory school for grades 9–12 in Litchfield, Connecticut.
The school specializes in helping students with dyslexia and ADHD by adapting to every student’s learning profile, collaborating with experts in reading, adolescent executive functioning, and more. According to the school’s website, the campus spans 125 acres, while the student-to-teacher ratio is 4:1.
Currey Ingram Academy
Currey Ingram Academy is a K–12 day and boarding school in Brentwood, Tennessee.
The school empowers students with learning differences to reach their full potential using various evidence-based instructional practices and present material through individualized, structured, and multisensory approaches.
A little over 400 students from 33 states were enrolled in Currey Ingram Academy during the 2022–2023 school year.
Landmark School
Landmark School is a boarding and day school for grades 2–12 in Prides Crossing, Massachusetts.
It offers individualized programs and curriculums via small classes (the average class size is four to eight students) and one-to-one tutorials. The school also provides a rich student experience with 32 athletic teams and a vibrant community with students from all over the world.
Eagle Hill School
Eagle Hill School is a coeducational college preparatory boarding school for grades 8–12 in Hardwick, Massachusetts.
The school specializes in providing education for students with diverse learning profiles, which includes learning differences like dyslexia, dysgraphia, dyscalculia, and ADHD. There’s a big focus on personalization and tailoring the education process to each learner’s needs.
According to the school’s website, the student-to-faculty ratio is 4:1 and the college acceptance rate is 91%.
The Siena School
The Siena School is a private school for grades 4–12 with campuses in Silver Spring, Maryland and Oakton, Virginia.
It specializes in preparing students with language-based learning differences for college through a combination of personalized learning, extra attention, multisensory educational techniques, and more.
The school maintains a 10:1 student-to-teacher ratio across all courses and implements a schedule to ensure that students have a manageable amount of nightly homework.
Westmark School
Westmark School is a college preparatory school for grades 2–12 in Los Angeles, California.
Its main goal is to empower students with learning differences to achieve their academic and social potential using research-based educational methodologies and instructions based on each student’s needs.
The school boasts an 8:1 student-to-teacher ratio and a 100% college acceptance rate for seniors who applied to college between 2012–2023.
The Windward School
The Windward School is an independent day school for grades 1–9 located in New York.
The school offers campuses two campuses in White Plains and one on the Upper East Side of New York City. Its mission is to remediate students’ dyslexia (and other language-based learning differences) and help them return to mainstream schools.
According to their website, they have 37 athletic teams, 55 social clubs, and 990 students across all campuses.
The Laurel School of Princeton
The Laurel School of Princeton offers dyscalculia and dyslexia education for grades 1–12 and is located in Hopewell, New Jersey.
The school focuses on providing individualized instructions in small reading and math groups. Its language arts program helps students build a foundation of literacy and academic language, while the math and science programs are designed to meet the standards of the National Science Resource Center and National Council for Teachers of Mathematics.
Help Your Child Overcome the Challenges of Dyslexia With Fusion Academy
Fusion Academy provides various academic programs with social and emotional support for students with dyslexia. Our one-to-one environment lets teachers personalize the education process to your child’s needs.
For dyslexic students, this can include a whole range of learning techniques and methods, like color coding materials, building vocabulary lists, using books on tape, and any others that can help them excel academically. Plus, the plethora of social activities we offer both on and off campus creates natural friendships based on shared interests.
Click here to find the Fusion Academy campus closest to you.
If you have additional questions or just want to learn more about Fusion Academy, you can fill out this form to request more information from our team.
