Decoding Dyslexia Maryland and the DCIDA Board Members receive daily information requests from both parents and teachers.  

They most often want to know:

1. How can my child receive reading help at school?
2. Where can I receive training that would help my student or my child?
3. I have student I think has dyslexia, what should I do?
4. What kind of instruction is effective for dyslexia?
5. Is my child eligible for special education as a student with specific learning disability?
6. Is dyslexia a specific learning disability?  If yes, why isn't there a category for dyslexia?
7. Why does the school want to label my child ADHD when they have dyslexia?
8. Why does the school tell me they "can't diagnose" dyslexia?  What should I do/say?
9. My school and leadership don't say the word dyslexia and/or they don't have programs for dyslexia.  What should I do?
10. The school says my child is not far enough behind to receive an IEP so they are getting Response to Intervention (pull out/pull in) instruction using Leveled Literacy/Six Minute Solutions/Rewards/Reading Recovery...[insert program name] -- is this adequate and appropriate?
11. What are the signs of reading difficulties like dyslexia?
12. At what age can my child/student be screened for dyslexia?
13. Can schools identify dyslexia?
14. What assessments are used to identify dyslexia for special education purposes?
15. What screeners are used to identify reading difficulties in Kindergarten/1st Grade?
16. What screeners and assessments are used to identify reading difficulties in older students?
17. What is structured literacy?

FREE EVENT, REGISTER HERE

Thursday, February 2, 2017 ~ Room 180 ~ Lowe House Office Building, Annapolis, Maryland

2016 was a year of solution finding for families and educators concerned about access to effective instruction for dyslexia and reading.  The “Task Force to Implement a Dyslexia Education Program in Maryland” completed its recommendations and provided a report to the Maryland General Assembly and the Governor.  The Maryland State Department of Education (MSDE) developed a Technical Assistance Bulletin on Specific Learning Disabilities (SLD) with a focus on dyslexia to help facilitate and implement effective instruction for students with dyslexia, dysgraphia and dyscalculia.

But we must do more.  Join us to learn about dyslexia and reading solutions that will narrow the reading and writing achievement gap in Maryland.  Many students with average to above average intelligence have trouble learning to read, write and/or spell in Maryland public schools.  The 2016 Maryland state assessment (PARCC) for 4th grade students shows that 91% of special education, 77% of African American, 98% of limited English proficiency and 79% of students in poverty are not on grade level for reading and writing.  Maryland can change this outcome with your help.

INVITES, PROGRAM, MEDIA ADVISORY

Downloadable Advocacy Day Flyer, 3-color, Legislator Invite
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Downloadable Dyslexia Advocacy Day Panel, Multi-color Legislator Invite
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Downloadable Advocacy Day Flyer, Public Flyer Invite
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Downloadable Advocacy Day Program, 2017
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Media Alerts, Advisories & Press Releases
Download File

​PROGRAM

8:00 - 9:00am -- Community Partner Open House 

8:00am -- Delegate Al Carr, Montgomery County, Welcome Message

9:00 - 9:20am -- Lisa Blottenberger: Decoding Dyslexia Maryland: The Science of Reading: How to Help Struggling Readers Thrive!

9:20 - 9:35am -- Dr. Joan Mele-McCarthy: Chair, Task Force to Implement a Dyslexia Education Program in MD: Best Practices to Serve Students with Dyslexia in Maryland: Task Force Update

9:35 - 9:45am -- Delegate Anne Kaiser: Chair, House Education Subcommittee, D-Montgomery
What Legislators Need to Know About Dyslexia & Reading

9:45 - 10:00am -- Marcella Franczkowski: Assistant State Superintendent, Special Education & Early Intervention Services, MSDE:  Newly Released Technical Assistance Bulletin Drives Identification and Instruction for Students with Disabilities & Dyslexia

​10:00 - 10:10am --  Susie Fowler: Director of Special Education, St. Mary's County: Practical Advice on How to Implement the Dyslexia Technical Assistance Bulletin

10:10 - 10:20am -- Rick Smith, CEO, International Dyslexia Association: How Revisions to University Accreditation on Reading will Improve Student Learning

10:20 - 10:30am -- Laura Schultz: Decoding Dyslexia Maryland: ACT-vocate for Dyslexia

10:30 - 11:45am -- BREAK -- Pre-scheduled individual/group legislator meetings

​12:00 - 1:00pm -- Panel Discussion (see below)

Lunch & Panel Discussion
Reading & Dyslexia Policy Solutions
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PANELISTS -- Moderator: Karleen Spitulnik, Decoding Dyslexia MD, State Leader

• Dayne Guest, Recent Graduate, Baltimore County Public Schools: What I Needed from my School
  
  
• Ella Jane Miller,  7th grade student, Earle B. Woods Middle School in Rockville: What I Need for School Success
  
  
• Amy Siracusano, MS, Ed., Maryland Teacher, Literacy Coach, Higher Education Adjunct:  What Teachers Need to Know about Reading and Dyslexia
  
  
• Monica McHale-Small, Superintendent, Saucon Valley School District, PA & Dr. Fran Warkomski, Dyslexia Pilot Coordinator, PA Dept. of Ed: Creating and Sustaining Reading Achievement Through Teacher Training
  
  
• Delegate Anne Kaiser, Chair, House Education Subcommittee: Next Steps for Reading and Dyslexia Policy

1:00 - 4:00pm -- Pre-scheduled legislator meetings
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Dyslexia Advocates Create #OneTeam to Pursue Education ReformDyslexia advocates from across Maryland will join together to celebrate advances in Maryland dyslexia policy and to pursue continued reform to policies and practices that impact families of students with reading differences and dyslexia in Maryland Public Schools.
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Advocates include 26 Community Partner schools and organizations dedicated to educating students with dyslexia and learning disabilities in Maryland.

Wth the support and dedication of these organizations, Decoding Dyslexia Maryland can provide a high quality program free of charge to the public and  policy makers.  Parents of struggling students and students with dyslexia often have a difficult time navigating Response to Intervention, Special Education, Americans with Disabilities Act and Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act.  Not only do parents struggle to ensure their student learns to read, write, and spell, they also have to understand these laws; which often means hiring a lawyer, an advocate and/or purchasing remediation for their student outside the school day and OUT OF POCKET.

Decoding Dyslexia Maryland appreciates the continued support of these organizations for our events and activities.  We charge a nominal fee ($50) to participate and bring the services of these organizations to the attention of parents, teachers and policy makers.  The promise of education is that all students receive the same education -- no matter their ethnicity, income or disability.  Decoding Dyslexia Maryland is dedicated to providing an opportunity for all students, particularly those who cannot afford private tutoring, advocates, lawyers and/or private school, the opportunity to learn to read, write and spell in Maryland Public Schools.  We also appreciate the continued opportunity to work with the Maryland State Department of Education (MSDE) to ensure equity and opportunity for students who struggle to read, write and spell and those with dyslexia.  Thank you MSDE!

Decoding Dyslexia Maryland appreciates our Community Partners' support and welcomes the continuing partnership to work as #oneTeam to #sayDyslexiaMD.

Next Steps: A Dyslexia Family Networking Forum and Movie Event!

Location :
The Lab School of Washington
4759 Reservoir Road Northwest
Washington, DC

Date and Time:
Saturday, October 22, 2016
12:30 PM – 4:00 PM

Sponsored by the Lab School of Washington, Decoding Dyslexia Maryland and the D.C. Capital Area Branch of the International Dyslexia Association

Reading Experts Convene in Annapolis with Goal to Close the Reading Gap
MSDE says the term “dyslexia” should be used to drive instruction
 
Annapolis (March 4, 2016)  - On Tuesday, March 1, Maryland education leaders, education advocates, literacy experts, teachers, parents and students joined with Decoding Dyslexia Maryland (DD-MD) to build partnerships and lay the foundation to close the reading gap in Maryland.  With 60% of Maryland 3rd, 4th and 5th graders considered below grade level in reading, the majority of Maryland students are NOT “college and career ready.”
 
Hosted by Decoding Dyslexia Maryland (DD-MD) and Community Partners, Dyslexia Advocacy Day brought together experts from across the state to educate legislators on what is happening in our public schools, and to move literacy solutions forward.  “We know that children with dyslexia are not well-served by our public schools. They need structured literacy, a direct approach to reading instruction that is evidence-based and proven to work for students at risk for reading failure and dyslexia. Structured literacy can help 95% of children learn to read,” said Laura Schultz, State Leader of Decoding Dyslexia Maryland and a member of the Dyslexia Education Task Force.
 
Keynote speaker Elisabeth Liptak, Director of the Center for Effective Reading Instruction (CERI) in Towson, Maryland addressed the need to provide teachers with structured literacy coursework. “We believe that teachers need a thorough grounding in the structure of language in order to teach reading effectively,” said Liptak. The CERI announced its plans for teacher education and three teacher certification levels.  Certification requirements include a Certification Exam for Educators of Reading which measures an educator’s knowledge of Structured Literacy Instruction and was developed with the input of 1,200 educators.  She added, “Teacher training is both the challenge and the opportunity.”  
 
Marcella Franczkowski, Assistant State Superintendent for Special Education & Early Intervention Services with the Maryland State Department of Education (MSDE), who also serves on the Dyslexia Education Task Force, shared how the recent U.S. Department of Education Dear Colleague Guidance letter on Dyslexia, Dysgraphia and Dyscalculia focused the state on dyslexia. “In this October Guidance Letter, states received clear guidance about the use of the terms dyslexia, dyscalculia and dysgraphia…. We are unpacking this Federal Guidance to ensure that Maryland is aligned, and that Maryland will be supporting all student challenges, including our students with dyslexia.”  She added “There is no prohibition to use the terms dysgraphia, dyscalculia and dyslexia in the IEP team process and we would especially want to use this word, not as a term or as a label, but as one that drives instructional decisions.”
 
The Maryland teachers union supports efforts to change education to better serve students at risk for reading failure and dyslexia.  Speaker Betty Weller, President, Maryland State Education Association (MSEA) said,  “I spent 32 years in the 7th grade….and I never saw a student that I could point out as having dyslexia, because nobody ever taught me how to do that.  As an English teacher I know the importance of good reading.  Recent research will tell you that if children don’t get off to a good start in reading, they are never going to catch up, so it’s critical that we make sure that happens.  The best solution for that is early identification….not third grade, not fifth grade but pre-k, kindergarten and first grade.”
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The Dyslexia Education Task Force members were chosen by legislative and gubernatorial appointment and include education leaders, teachers and dyslexia advocates.  The Task Force will make recommendations to implement a dyslexia pilot program for public school districts in Maryland, which will include best practices for early identification and teacher education in reading instruction.
 
DD-MD parents and teachers spent the afternoon meeting with legislators who were asked to support House Bill 895 to extend the Task Force for up to one year.  “We know what works and we have a dream team of people who are volunteering to put together a program that meets the needs of diverse, struggling and at-risk readers, including students with dyslexia.  We need to make sure that all the elements are in place and are scalable to public school classrooms across the state,” said Lisa Blottenberger, Member of the Dyslexia Education Task Force and Co-Founder of Decoding Dyslexia Maryland.  “We have so much support, so much evidence and so many families who are depending on us to get this right.   I am confident that Maryland is moving in the right direction.”