This 2026 guide helps primary school parents navigate compensatory tools, dispensative measures, and the PDP (Personalized Learning Plan), blending legal guidance with practical tips to communicate effectively with teachers.
What the law says today (2026)
The reference framework remains Law 170/2010 and Ministerial Decree 5669/2011 with the related Guidelines. Law 170 recognizes dyslexia, dysgraphia, dysorthography, and dyscalculia and requires schools to adopt compensatory tools and dispensative measures, as well as appropriate assessment/grading arrangements, including during exams. Measures must be periodically monitored. gazzettaufficiale.it
The diagnosis is carried out by the National Health Service or accredited centers and is submitted by the family to the school; the school informs the family if difficulties persist despite adequate teaching interventions. gazzettaufficiale.it
The Guidelines specify that schools must make explicit and formalize tools and measures in a document prepared as a rule within the first term of the school year; this document can take the form of a PDP. www2.edu.lascuola.it
Please note: first-degree relatives of pupils in the first education cycle are entitled to flexible working hours to support homework, according to applicable collective agreements. gazzettaufficiale.it
Compensatory tools vs. dispensative measures: clear differences
Compensatory tools
These are instructional or technological tools that help bypass a specific difficulty while maintaining the class learning goals. Common examples in primary school:
- Text-to-speech and audiobooks to turn reading into listening.
- Word processors with spellcheck and a digital dictionary.
- Concept maps and outlines.
- Calculator, formula and measurement tables, multiplication chart.
- Voice recorder for notes.
These indications and examples are reported in the Guidelines attached to DM 5669/2011. www2.edu.lascuola.it
Dispensative measures
These are exemptions or adaptations from tasks that, due to the learning disorder, add little educational value. In primary school they may include:
- Exemption from reading aloud or from rapid dictation.
- Reduced volume of repetitive exercises, with goals unchanged.
- Extended time in tests; the Guidelines suggest, as a cautious reference, up to +30% when supported by the pupil’s performance profile.
The Guidelines recommend avoiding “unjustifiably simplified pathways”: tools and measures must match the actual impact of the disorder, without lowering class objectives. www2.edu.lascuola.it
Rights and responsibilities: school and family
- The school ensures individualized and personalized instruction, introduces tools/measures, and adopts assessments and grading consistent with the disorder. gazzettaufficiale.it
- The family provides the diagnosis, co-reviews the learning plan (PDP), and formalizes with the school an educational agreement authorizing the use of tools and measures, in line with privacy rules. www2.edu.lascuola.it
- Both parties monitor effectiveness and review interventions periodically. gazzettaufficiale.it
PDP: how to read it and contribute (without unjustified simplifications)
The PDP, ideally prepared within the first term, operationalizes measures and tools. Check that it includes: the diagnosis and a functional description of difficulties; personalized teaching strategies; subject-specific compensatory tools and dispensative measures; assessment and grading methods. www2.edu.lascuola.it
How to contribute constructively:
- Bring examples of tools already working at home (e.g., a concept map for science, text-to-speech for history) and ask to pilot them in class.
- Ask to keep learning goals unchanged with targeted adaptations (e.g., fewer copy–paste drills, more meaningful tasks), avoiding requests that change the nature of the objective.
- Agree on additional time where needed and justified; the +30% reference must always be calibrated to the pupil’s performance indicators. www2.edu.lascuola.it
- Ensure the PDP includes review checkpoints with observable indicators.
For more, explore related posts on our blog: PDP in primary school, formative assessment and inclusion, digital tools for inclusion.
Monitoring in class and with homework
Monitoring is both a legal requirement and good practice: schedule brief termly check-ins with teachers to verify whether tools are actually used and useful. Bring evidence: test results, time on task, level of homework independence. If something isn’t working, adjust it (tool, measure, or assessment mode) while keeping goals constant. gazzettaufficiale.it
Quick checklist for primary school parents
- Have I submitted the diagnosis to the school and agreed an educational pact? gazzettaufficiale.it
- Was the PDP drafted within the first term and does it include tools, measures, and assessment modes by subject? www2.edu.lascuola.it
- Are the chosen compensatory tools also used at home (school–family consistency)? www2.edu.lascuola.it
- Are dispensative measures justified and not lowering expectations? www2.edu.lascuola.it
- Do we have regular monitoring scheduled with teachers? gazzettaufficiale.it
FAQ
Is the PDP mandatory in primary school in 2026?
The Guidelines state that schools must formalize tools and measures within the first term; this documentation may take the form of a PDP, which is now standard practice. www2.edu.lascuola.it
Who signs the PDP and what does it entail?
The family co-reviews the document and formalizes with the school an educational agreement authorizing the use of tools and measures, in compliance with privacy rules. www2.edu.lascuola.it
Is “+30% extra time” always granted?
No: +30% is a cautious reference from the Guidelines. Extra time must be calibrated to the pupil’s performance profile and justified in the PDP, avoiding unjustified simplifications. www2.edu.lascuola.it
Disclaimer: this guide is for information only. For clinical issues and diagnostic procedures, see the inter-association clinical recommendations on DSA. aiditalia.org