Dyslexia Support In Schools: Parents Discontented Over Lack Of Help, Pushes Action On Mandate

Parents from Jonesboro, Arkansas are discontented over the lack of support public schools provide for students with dyslexia despite a mandate filed in 2013. The parenting group, Northeast Arkansas Dyslexia, is hoping the schools would deliver concrete actions as the kids are still challenged in classes.

Dyslexia support in schools remain as a "wait and see" process, said Ashley Boles, per KSLA. He has two daughters with dyslexia in elementary school. He believes that the kind of approach schools adopt is limiting his daughters' chances of excelling even if they are bright children and he calls on the schools to be more proactive in addressing this problem.

Dyslexia Support In Schools: Catching It Early Is Key

Boles said that instead of the "wait and see" approach, schools should be able to provide tests, tools and materials for students so that the learning disability is caught and corrected earlier. "That is the worst thing you can do to them, say okay we are going to hold you back because you didn't learn how to read, but you're still going over the same material and you are still not going to learn to read," he said.

Frustrated that his daughters did not get any help from their school, Boles turned to professionals and local support groups for ideas on how to help his kids cope. He acknowledges that while his family is lucky to afford a diagnosis, tutors and therapy, it's not the same case with the others.

No Funding For Dyslexia Support In Schools?

A bill drafted in the state of Arkansas in 2013 mandates that public schools should ensure that kids with dyslexia are supported. Among the requirements, the schools must be able to provide student screenings and evaluations, as well as hire professionals for students' therapy, per Act 1294. However, the school district revealed it did not receive financial support from the state to implement this mandate and it is working on limited resources only.

But Boles doesn't believe lack of funding is the problem. "It is just not being used in the right ways and if we started early with these kids then by the time they were in junior high or high school the struggle wouldn't be near as bad," he said. For starters, he hopes that schools would come up with written protocols and educate teachers and parents on how to manage dyslexic students. He also suggested to his co-parents to seek assistance from support groups.

Attn: Arkansas schools, you can use NSL funds to finance RTI and dyslexia intervention per ADE. https://t.co/9fMQlJclmv

— The Dyslexia Project (@DyslexiaUSA) September 23, 2015