As Presented to several Florida Congressman-State Legislature

Dyslexia affects 1 out of 5 children and adults. It is highly prevalent, yet rarely diagnosed. Dyslexics are very bright; however, those affected may feel they’re not smart due to their struggles with reading, writing, spelling, or all combined.

The diagnosis of dyslexia remains elusive in public and many private schools. It is a big issue for all children, but especially Latino and African-American children in public schools. Dyslexia is universal and crosses all racial, ethnic and socioeconomic lines; however, with proper evidence-based instruction such as Orton-Gillingham Therapy, these students can become high achievers and contributors to society.

Children with dyslexia who struggle learning to read may not believe they are intelligent. With each grade, the achievement gap grows wider. Without proper intervention they may fall through the cracks, develop poor self esteem and are at risk of dropping out of school.

Dyslexics have excellent thinking and reasoning ability. Some remediated dyslexics become top CEO’s of companies because they are intuitive and excel in problem solving. They have outstanding visualization skills, take risks, think outside the box and are great visionaries.

It is imperative that states recognize dyslexia. It is extremely important that parents give their child the proper tutoring and remediation so their child can achieve their full potential. We can do better! We must advocate for children!