February 23, 2015
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Dyslexia can cause issues ranging from trouble spelling to a total inability to read.
A pilot program in eight Pennsylvania school districts will screen kids for dyslexia, as well as offer teaching resources.
Newtown Square's Diane Reott, whose son Matthew has dyslexia, helped form the Pennsylvania Dyslexia and Literacy Coalition. The group, in conjunction with then-state Rep. Ed Neilson, developed "The Dyslexia and Early Literacy Intervention Pilot Program," which was passed by the General Assembly and signed into law by then-Gov. Tom Corbett in June 2014.
Dyslexia is a learning disorder that results in difficulty reading and spelling.
The three-year pilot program includes screening of all incoming children who are enrolled in a full-day kindergarten, teacher training and a multi-tier support system.
The program was initially only going to operate in three school districts - Crawford Central, Governor Mifflin and Delaware Valley - but the Department of Education has since added five additional districts to the pilot. The additional districts are Ellwood City, Bentworth, East Pennsboro, Blue Mountain and Pen Argyl.
The Department of Education will evaluate the pilot program to determine whether it should continue and expand. The program will be implemented beginning in September.
