Addressing Dyslexia in Connecticut Public Schools

As a retired special education teacher, I have observed many cases of children that were diagnosed learning disabled, intellectually disabled or not eligible for services due to dyslexia not being able to be identified as the needed intervention.

I am a mother of 2 dyslexic children. I have dyslexia. Please pass this bill.

Students with dyslexia need proper educational tools and strategies!!

All of my family was born in CT and I was raised there until the 1960s. My extended family still loves and lives in CT. I am a licensed psychologist. The story of my daughter, now a Harvard-educated child neurologist is eerily similar. A loquacious, brilliant child who could not read. School-based evaluation noted that my expectations and appraisal of her were "unrealistic". It took private testing, private reading instruction and ardent advocacy for her to get what she needed. Our schools need and deserve to have the instruction and support for teachers and counselors to be helped to identify and refer our kids before their self-esteem suffers. And for us to INVEST in all our children so that their potential is able to be realized.

I was told by my special education teacher that I was not dyslexic...I was in a Yale study for children with dyslexia. After graduating high school my aunt who is a special education teacher looked at me and called me cured. THE MISS INFORMATION NEEDS TO END.

Dyslexia affects approximately 20 percent of our population, including some of our most successful business people, scientists, artists, politicians (our own Governor) and other amazing people. It also affects the loves of my life: my wife, my son, and my daughter, in profoundly difficult and challenging ways. They struggle because our education system puts up barriers to proper instruction. The system is an abject failure and needs to be changed now. We are failing them, and it's time to change. Its time. We can't ignore it any longer. Jeff D'Onofrio

Early identification a must! Our 17 year old high school senior (honors student) diagnosed severely dyslexic last week. Reading fluency, 2nd grade. We have sought services for her since 1st grade... and in 6th grade was classified as Other Health Impaired ADHD-Inattentive as teachers and school administration believed her struggles were to focusing issues. Now, just months before high school graduation and college, recommendation is for her to take a gap year for intense remediation. Devastating, because we advocated for our daughter her entire school career and brought to life our concerns... incredible!

my dyslexic kid is now, with accomodations, a Mechanical Engineering major at WPI. Said it couldn't be done, and yet there she is. Perfect example of what is possible, and yet it shouldn't have been so hard.

Early identification is the key. Do not make dyslexics continually fight for the accomodations needed for their success!

This is vital for educating dyslexic students in the state of CT. It is long overdue. I have two children with dyslexia and they were only identified after we as parents fought for an answer, and pushed for outside testing, and took a legal route. It is time for CT to address the needs of 15 to 20% of students -- the leading learning disability and it is not even addressed. Not to mention that dyslexic children are among the brightest. This needs to happen!

Fingers are crossed that bill no. 120 goes through. Our son Jordan was diagnosed with dyslexia 6 months ago.

This new legislation is imperative to early identification to prevent life long struggling readers.

I am very pleased to have found this site. I have been so alone with the struggles of my 11yr old son quality of education. I feel my son is being discriminated due to his disabily and that no one seems to care enough to help my son to the fullest. I want my son to have the same quality of education as any other kid. I want him to feel and be proud and successful. But I feel time is passing by without the support and programs that is designed for children with dyslexia. I want to do anything in my power to help my wonderful intelligent son. I am honored to sign this petition

As a parent of a child that has not been diagnosed as "dyslexic" but strongly believes she is. I fully support this important legislation. We need to have qualified teachers in the primary grades. So much can be done if caught early!

Thank You!!!

As an Orton Gillingham instructor who works with individuals with dyslexia daily Monday through Friday I fully support this very important legislation.

As a former educator and someone who still works with children with dyslexia, please support this important legislation.

Thank you for your dedication to Connecticut's children. I support your efforts.

I work with students with dyslexia and it affects their whole lives, especially as they get older, their self-esteem plummets. School districts often ignore the signs in young children, and fail to identify them as Special Education students, where they would get the most help!

My son has dyslexia, but the public school he is in won't even discuss the word "dyslexia". They call it a reading disability. I had to fight to get him tested and the resources he needs and continues to need. It shouldn't be parents against the school. We are all in this together, and we need to do something NOW before more students slip through the cracks!