The Unfunded Dyslexia Mandate
Written by Tori Whaley
Published on May 7, 2015
Blog Posts, Dyslexia and Schools, Educational Therapists Advice
At recent hearings, Senator Cassidy asked Secretary of Education Arne Duncan about special programs for students with dyslexia, including screening and intervention. Currently, no single office looks at dyslexia and programs for dyslexia are not explicitly funded. Both Senator Cassidy and Secretary Duncan admitted that funds for interventions and professional development for teachers are limited, but could not agree to direct funds specifically to train teachers in screening and remediating dyslexia.
Various states have passed measures requiring training and screening, but have not allocated funds specifically for this purpose. While it is encouraging to see government officials and education administrators talking about dyslexia, it is clear that the current system is not effective and that bringing to it the drastic improvement required will be no simple task. With so narrow a window for children to master literacy, do not wait for the system to help your child! Contact us to get the help you need today.
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Tori Whaley
Since 2003, Tori has been a committed special educator, working as an elementary special education teacher. Her drive to improve outcomes for her students with dyslexia led her to the Neuhaus Education Center, where she was trained in Orton-Gillingham the summer after her first year of teaching. "I was so frustrated as a first year teacher, not knowing how to meet my students' needs. I spent the entire summer learning about dyslexia and was thrilled by my students' progress the next year!" Since then, she has used the method in English and Spanish with students in three states. In 2009, Tori completed her M.Ed. in Special Education at the Peabody College of Vanderbilt University, where she focused on educational strategies for students with learning disabilities. Tori joined the Lexercise team full-time in early 2014 after seeing students online for over a year. When she is not working, Tori loves to read, cook, garden, and spend as much time outdoors as possible.
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