Not all schools aiding dyslexic kids, senator says

Students with dyslexia are required by law to be able to get help in dealing with their condition in Arkansas classrooms, but the legislation's sponsor said Tuesday that some schools are not providing that assistance.

"This is not something that's optional," Sen. Joyce Elliott, D-Little Rock, told lawmakers at a legislative Education Committee meeting. "There are people out there who are still saying and acting as if it's optional -- whether kids get the opportunity to learn how to read."

Dyslexia is a general term for disorders that involve difficulty learning to read or interpret words, letters and other symbols, but that do not affect general intelligence. In 2013, Elliott sponsored a bill that became Act 1294, which requires testing and intervention for students with this condition.

On Tuesday, she cited a questionnaire by the Bureau of Legislative Research, which received a response from all 234 school districts and 19 of the 22 charter schools. When asked how many students received dyslexia services during the 2015-16 school year, 31 districts and charter schools left the question blank, which "may indicate zero students receiving services," according to bureau.

In total, about 5,400 students received services across the state, according to the survey.

It was a jump from the previous school year when 139 districts and charter schools left the question blank and 2,305 students received services.

Elliott said she was encouraged by the increase in students but believes many more need services. Of the state's about 480,000 schoolchildren, she said 10 percent or more are likely in need of intervention.

"We start -- in third grade as we've often said -- counting beds for prisons," she said. "We know there are huge numbers of people in prison with dyslexia. We've got the information. We've got the research."

Lawmakers at the committee meeting praised Elliott's efforts.

"All my life, I have known that there are children who have dyslexia, and it's almost like it took us this long to figure this out and do something about it? It's kind of sad," said the Senate Education Committee chairman, Sen. Jane English, R-North Little Rock.

"We worry so much about proficiency and academic distress and success and all that, but the reality is we all know that if kids can't read by the time they leave the third grade, we're setting ourselves up for failure."

Metro on 06/01/2016

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