The state legislature of Mississippi (US) is considering a state-wide screening of first graders for dyslexia, according to an article entitled “Proposal aims to test schoolkids for learning disabilities” by Laura Hipp of the Clarion-Ledger. Ms. Hipp notes that representatives Brian Aldridge (R-Tupelo) and Alyce Clarke (D-Jackson) in her story. This is a laudable idea. I hope Reps. Aldridge and Clarke can achieve it.
The proposal is one of several that may surface in the 2007 legislative session aimed at identifying dyslexia and other learning disabilities. State officials estimate the dropout rate at about 40 percent.
“Not being able to read is causing a lot of our children to get in trouble and go to prison,” said state Rep. Alyce Clarke, D-Jackson. “We’ve got a problem.”
The representatives apparently conducted a meeting about dyslexia on 13 June 2006. Ms. Hipp has multiple quotes from other participants in her story. Link to Ms. Hipp’s story.
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We need more than just a way to identifying dyslexia.
I have a 10 year old child I fought the public school system in
Rankin Co. for 2 years before taking my son out to get him the
help he needed. (I had a diagnose before taking him out.)
They wanted to wait till he was older. They keep telling me they
did not have the room for a dyslexia program to be taught.
We need teachers and the space in school to have these kids
where they can learn instead of sticking them all in one room
where there is a multiple of problems. (special education)
My son’s kindergarten teacher never mention to me there was any
problems with what my son was doing at school. Then she told me’
they couldn’t are they could be held responsible. In Jan. of his
kindergarten year I decided he was not doing what I felt like he
should and I took him to an outside child develpment doctor.
Took all the paper work to the school and they said they could not
use that, they had to do there own evaluation. (waisted the rest
of the school year to get my son help).
Lee Ann, I thoroughly agree that schools need to do more than screen for Learning Disabilities. Employing evidence-based teaching methods and monitoring progress are also very important. I am glad that Mississippi is considering screening, of course, because it would alert educators to students who have problems such as your son has.
Ideally, Mississippi should also be implementing effective preventative practices, too. Using research-proven teaching methods will help some children avoid ever developing Learning Disabilities. We need those, too!
Good luck in your efforts to secure appropriate education for your son.
HELP my daughter please! I’ve been exactly where you are 10 times plus. Each year since my daughter’s 2nd grade year when a teacher secretly pulled me aside to tell me I should have my daughter tested, I’ve not only asked the school district to test my daughter, but I’ve had my daughter tested at 3 medical institutions and an additional private psychiatrist; all with the same results: IQ 127, reading disability, ADD, and fine motor disability. And each year (and several times in-between) I’ve asked the school to test my daughter with the same response: She will adjust, You don’t won’t to put her in the ‘Special Ed’ class, she’ll outgrow this. . . .
My daughter came home again today (3rd time this week) crying because a teacher made fun or her in front of the class. My daughter crime was that she was slow in turning her homework in late. Every mother on earth realizes and feels the pain my child experienced by her 11th grade English teacher this day.
Yes, children from our community’s local doctors, lawyers, and PhD’s with a learning disability are tested and receive the additional help they deserve and is their legal right, (IDEA or what it is now? - I’ve lost track). I am a single parent and don’t fall in this social circle.
I have love and respect for my precious daughter dedication, perseverence and she deserves our public school’s help.
Thank you.
Oh , how I relate to the frustration. There are actually guidelines on how long a school has to respond to a parent requesting evaluation. But they all seem to put it all in their own definitions, or they go by the “it is only recomended and up to each district to decide” phrase. There are a high number of children with high IQ’s that have a LD. They pass because their IQ lets them slide, and parents refuse to allow them to fail. Parents will work with them. My son is not failing, has a high IQ and we work a great deal with him. My husband is also dyslexic. The school is trying to tell me that they won’t even consider evaluating him due to the fact that he is passing. Correct me if I am wrong, but doesn’t the law talk about them achieving to their ability and not to some standard for age?
Here is my plea: and I hope someone will hear me: Being able to pass grade after grade and not allowing these students certain measures does “greatly adversely affect them”. My husband is a prime example. He has a very high IQ. But performed poorly in school due to dyslexia. Always recieved less than average grades. Most teachers just “didn’t have the time”, or thought “it isn’t fair”. When my husband graduated high school, his college choices were squeezed down to the local community colleges because of test grades, GPA, etc… How sad that we take our brightest kids and mark them to be less than average when becoming an adult. Think of what we are missing when these bright students are not offered the best college education, what is the future missing?