CONTACT NAME: Rick Smith FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

PHONE: 410-296-0232

E-MAIL ADDRESS: rsmith@dyslexiaida.org

Baltimore, MD, June 22, 2017— The board of education for the country’s second largest school district, Los Angeles Unified (LAUSD), has unanimously approved a dyslexia resolution for the 2017-2018 school year. The resolution, “Recognizing and Addressing the Educational Implications of Dyslexia in LAUSD Schools” requires new district guidelines for early identification of students with symptoms of dyslexia and interventions to improve reading outcomes.

“We congratulate the Los Angeles Unified School District and the Board of Education for addressing the challenge of reading in our schools,” says Rick Smith, CEO of the International Dyslexia Association (IDA), “as well as School Board Member Dr. Ref Rodriguez, his co-sponsor School Board Member Scott Schmerelson, the school board staff, the Los Angeles chapter of Decoding Dyslexia California (DDCA), and the many other advocates who work tirelessly to help these students.” Mara Wiesen, MA, ET/P, from the Los Angeles Branch of IDA, also spoke in support of this key resolution.

“Approximately 40 million people in the United States and 1 billion people globally have dyslexia,” says Smith. “While we don’t know how many were properly diagnosed and received timely intervention, we do know that in every case their lives are more formidable because of dyslexia.”

IDA is committed to helping these individuals until everyone can read. “We share the Board of Education’s desire to improve literacy outcomes for students,” says Smith. “Providing teachers with the tools and training they need to properly understand, recognize, and teach children with dyslexia and other reading differences is a requisite step toward creating a far more inclusive world.”

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About the International Dyslexia Association:

The International Dyslexia Association (IDA) is creating a future for all individuals who struggle with dyslexia and other related reading differences to have richer, more robust lives by providing access to the tools and resources they need until everyone can read. For more than 65 years, IDA has been the authoritative voice of current and reliable research and information to educate families and professionals about dyslexia and to inform the practice and policy changes needed to deliver effective instruction to all students. IDA’s global network of home office, 42 branches in the United States and Canada, and 27 Global Partners provide educator training, publications, information, and support to struggling readers around the world. IDA’s annual conference attracts thousands of researchers, clinicians, parents, teachers, psychologists, educational therapists, and people with dyslexia. TeamQuest is IDA’s endurance training and fundraising campaign, which brings visibility and the funds necessary to ensure appropriate resources are available to individuals, families and school systems. Visit IDA at www.DyslexiaIDA.org to learn more.