MARYLAND IS READY TO SAY DYSLEXIA!  HOW TO MOVE THE PROCESS ALONG

There is an elephant in classrooms across Maryland.  The elephant is dyslexia:  how and when to identify dyslexia, how to apply an individualized intervention, and who (if anyone) is trained to teach the foundations of reading in a systematic and structured way.

Decoding Dyslexia Maryland asked the Maryland State Department of Education (MSDE) to ensure that local education agencies (school districts) do not have policies, procedures and/or practices that prohibit IEP teams from identifying and developing IEPS for dyslexia, dyscalculia and dysgraphia.  If you have a student with an IEP, you may have experienced school staff/teachers/administrators who whisper about dyslexia in the hallway, but refuse to say dyslexia at the IEP table.

No matter what the reasons for this refusal, the US Department of Education recently issued a Guidance Letter/Dear Colleague that makes it clear:  It's okay to use these terms, to discuss relevant solutions, to get training in dyslexia.  And why not?  There is every reason to address the elephant in the room so that all parties are on the same page, with the same resources that point to well-researched solutions!  

This recent US DOE Guidance letter should be added to your child's file - attach a letter asking that the guidance remain in the file. Use the guidance to point out that your child's teacher should have knowledge about dyslexia and how to teach using evidenced based practices to address dyslexia.  You can ask 1) which evidence-based practices the team will use to close the reading gap and 2) the level of training the teachers have in the knowledge and practices known to successfully address dyslexia and reading disability.  A knowledgeable teacher is the key to success versus any one specific program, but the program does matter because many lack efficacy for students with dyslexia.

If you've recently had an IEP meeting and your school team refused to identify and provide intervention for dyslexia (reading issues), dysgraphia (writing issues) and dyscalculia (math concept issues), please use these resources to educate your school district so that you can successfully get your child a program and teacher trained to work with a student with dyslexia. (NOTE:  If your student has indicators and/or characteristics of dyslexia, this guidance applies -- if your student's IEP team does not agree that your student has indicators and/or characteristics of dyslexia, but you think your student has dyslexia, you may need to get an  independent evaluation.  Not all students have dyslexia, so it's best to know as much as possible about your student's underlying reading difficulties.)

Three Ways to Move Your School District & IEP Team to 'Say Dyslexia' 

FIRST: write a letter or email to your district superintendent and director of special education and ask them to read, distribute and act on the Department of Education Guidance on Dyslexia.  Model your letter after the one DDMD wrote to Dr. Smith, Interim State Superintendent of Education in Maryland, linked below.  

Dr. Smith, in his reply dated January 21, 2016, says: 1) The OSERS guidance has been reviewed in detail by leadership at the MSDE 2) [The guidance] was delivered to each local school system and public agency 3) [The guidance] was discussed with statewide leadership at the Professional Learning Institute on December 9, 2015.    

It further states that MSDE has also "been engaged in substantive regional work with local leaders in general and special education, classroom teachers and service providers," and that MSDE anticipates "that the direction provided in the OSERS Guidance will provide a clear focus to our conversations to include dyslexia, dyscalculia, and dysgraphia in both general education and special education settings."

When you draft an email to your district superintendent and special education director, ask yourself: have any of these things happened in my IEP meetings?  In evaluative meetings for a 504?  If they have, please thank your district leadership for reaching out and educating both special education and general education staff on the guidance.  If you find that these things still are not discussed and that you hit a wall when suggesting prescriptive interventions for your student, please provide your district leadership with the guidelines and letters posted below and ask that they ensure that there are no "policies, procedures and/or practices" that prohibit use or implementation of strategies designed to support students with dyslexia, dyscalculia and/or dysgraphia.

1. DOE Guidance Letter, October 2015
2. DDMD Guidance Summary, November 2015
3. Letter to Maryland State Superintendent, Dr. Smith, November 2015
4. Dr. Smith's Response to DDMD's Letter, January 2016

SECOND: attend your district Board of Education meeting and reserve three minutes to speak.  Summarize the DOE guidance and ask your BOE to take action.  You can suggest the following to you BOE and your district special education director:

Short Term Goals

1. Circulate a guidance to all school IEP, PST, and evaluation teams including RTI, based on the Decoding Dyslexia Guidance Summary
2. Ensure the Department of Education guidance is available to all LEAs and parents electronically -- link on the district website
3. Compile a Q&A for parents, teachers and other personnel answering frequently asked questions
4. Encourage MSDE to work with the State Special Education Advisory Committee and county-based special education advisory committees to offer workshops or training on the guidance
5. Request your district to create training on the guidance, particularly for their Special Education Supervisors, staff, teachers and IEP chairs.  Ensure that all parties who participate in IEPs understand the guidance.
6. Request that all staff, listed in #5, watch the interview with Assistant Secretary Michael Yudin, linked here and embedded at the beginning of this post.
7. Ask your district to request that MSDE offer professional development on dyslexia and the guidance through options like EdCamp, MSDE Virtual Learning Webinars and other training options.
8. Request that your district create a dyslexia point of contact in the district who is willing to work with parents and teachers and collect feedback from stakeholders regarding implementation of the DOE guidance in your school district.
   

Longer Term Goals:  Support DDMD's request to MSDE for the following action:

1. Update the Technical Assistance Guidance on SLD to:
   1. include dyslexia
   2. define all SLDs listed in the guidance, particularly dyslexia, dyscalculia and dysgraphia
   3. provide resources for MTSS/RTI and IEP teams on “what is an effective intervention” in the TAG
   4. provide monitoring and follow up to ensure the guidance is followed over time
   5. require reporting for the SLD categories to inform identification practices
2. Effective, Evidence-Proven Reading Interventions: Request that MSDE work with the Center for Effective Reading Instruction (in our own backyard!) to develop effective reading intervention options that are individually prescriptive and diagnostic for struggling students.
3. Professional Development:  Until more in-depth recommendations are presented by the Dyslexia Task Force, MSDE should provide options for a statewide webinar or professional development course on dyslexia: signs, symptoms, effective instruction and accommodations.

THIRD: print out the dyslexia guidance and bring it with you to all IEP and 504 meetings.  Ensure you are well versed in the terminology and what the letter means.  Below are some additional resources to interpret the guidance.  

If your IEP or 504 team refuses to say dyslexia, dysgraphia, dyscalculia and/or you have difficulty securing help for your struggling reader, please contact Decoding Dyslexia Maryland and tell us about the problem you face at DecodingDyslexiaMD@gmail.com.

Thank you and Good Luck!

Resources

It's Fine for Districts to Say Dyslexia, EdWeek
Letter to DOE from House Dyslexia Caucus
Answering Your Questions About the New Government Letter on Dyslexia, Dysgraphia and Dyscalculia (NCLD)
Due Diligence for Students with Dyslexia, Scholastic
US Department of  Education Issues Guidance on Dyslexia, Learning Ally

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Parents and Teachers: Do you think your child or a student you teach has difficulty with reading, writing, spelling and/or math concepts?  Your student may have dyslexia, dysgraphia and/or dyscalculia and need an Individual Education Program to help him or her learn.

If this sounds like your child or student, and you have had difficulty getting help in Maryland, please consult Decoding Dyslexia Maryland's reference guide and resources below to get your student the help they need!  Our handy guide is embedded at the end of this post and can be accessed here: Decoding Dyslexia Maryland Dispute Resolution Guide

Maryland State Department of Education: Information on Identification of Specific Learning Disabilities and Eligibility for Special Education

COMAR 13A.05.01.03B(68) Definitions
“Student with a disability” means a student, 3 through 20 years old:
(a) evaluated in accordance with Regulation .06 of this chapter as having: autism,
deaf-blindness, emotional disturbance, hearing impairment, including deafness, mental retardation, multiple disability, orthopedic impairment, other health impairment, specific learning disability, speech or language impairment, traumatic brain injury, or visual impairment, including blindness; and
(b) who, because of the impairment, needs special education and related services.
These State regulations indicate that, in order to be eligible for services under IDEA, a student must meet the disability definition and require special education and related services. For specific learning disabilities, the regulations provide additional criteria to aid in the identification process. This entails the application of the definition in conjunction with specific procedures outlined in the regulations. (Source: MSDE Specific Learning Disabilities Technical Assistance Guide)

Federal/State Definition of Specific Learning Disability

According to COMAR 13A.05.01.03B(64), the definition of a specific learning disability (SLD) is as follows:

1. (a)  “SLD” means a disorder in one or more of the basic psychological processes involved in understanding or in using language, spoken or written, that may manifest itself in an imperfect ability to listen, think, speak, read, write, spell, or to do mathematical calculations.
2. (b)  “SLD” includes conditions such as perceptual disabilities, brain injury, minimal brain dysfunction, dyslexia, and developmental aphasia.
3. (c)  “SLD” does not include students who have learning problems which are primarily the result of visual, hearing, or motor impairments, mental retardation, emotional disturbance, or environmental, cultural, or economic disadvantage. 

(Source: MSDE Specific Learning Disabilities Technical Assistance Guide)

MSDE Identification of Specific Learning Disabilities in Maryland

SLD Identification Powerpoint  (Source: MSDE, 2015)
What is the process to identify a student with specific learning disability in Maryland?  Click the powerpoint linked above and learn more about the process.  If your school district does it differently, they may be in violation of the student's rights.  Please learn about the process so you can ensure your school district and/or school is not denying identification based on incorrect procedures.

Helpful Resources for Parents and Teachers
Department of Education Guidance Letters, Students with Disabilities & Specific Learning Disabilities

Response to Intervention Guidance:  RTI cannot be used to deny or delay SLD identification
Dyslexia, Dyscalculia, Dysgraphia Guidance for States:  schools can say dyslexia, provide interventions for dyslexia and provide teacher education on dyslexia.   
Decoding Dyslexia Maryland, Parent Guide: Why Schools Must Say Dyslexia
Letter to State Superintendent Smith, Dyslexia Guidance Request for Maryland

Additional Resources

• Maryland Task Force on the Implementation of a Dyslexia Education Program and Pilot in Maryland
• Components of Comprehensive Literacy Instruction
• Dyslexia Specific Resources
• From Emotions to Advocacy
• IDEA Dispute Resolution Chart
• The Differences Between IDEA and Section 504, Wright’s Law
• Using the Woodcock Johnson IV for the Assessment of Dyslexia
• NCLD Position Statement on Determination of SLD
• Dyslexia Training Institute: Dyslexia and the School; What you absolutely need to understand
  
• Specific Learning Disability Identification: What Constitutes Strengths & Weaknesses?

Decoding Dyslexia Maryland Dispute Resolution Overview and Resources

Please join Decoding Dyslexia Maryland for Dyslexia Advocacy Day in Annapolis on Tuesday, March 1, 2016 in Room 170 of the Lowe House Office Building. A link to Eventbrite Registration will be posted on January 12th.

Community Partners, please contact Jaclyn Paris to participate and look for the sign up for Community Partners soon!

​ Here's a link to last year's event.