Decoding Dyslexia Virginia: A Grassroots Movement of Parents, Making a Difference for Dyslexic Children in Virginia

Description:

Decoding Dyslexia Virginia is a grassroots movement focused on linking families to resources, support, and educational interventions for dyslexia. We aim to raise dyslexia awareness, empower families to support their children and inform policy-makers on best practices to identify, remediate and support students with dyslexia in Virginia.

Virginia has a universal definition of dyslexia in the state education code:

http://www.doe.virginia.gov/special_ed/regulations/state/regs_speced_disability_va.pdf

We are advocating for Virginia to implement:

• Teacher/staff training on dyslexia, its warning signs and appropriate intervention strategies
• Early screening tests for dyslexia to include parental notification
• Evidenced-based dyslexia remediation programs implemented with fidelity which can be accessed by both general and special education populations
• Access to appropriate “assistive technologies” in the public school setting for students with dyslexia

Our group is made up of parents whose children are dyslexic.  We are not experts; we are not a business or an educational organization.  We offer the community the benefit of our collective experiences.  We encourage parents to meet with their local policy-makers to tell the story of their child, and ask for policies and/or legislation to identify and support dyslexic children in our public schools.