Several hundred visitors learned from experts about dyslexia Monday during an event hosted by U.S. Rep. Bruce Westerman, R-District 4.
The Congressional Dyslexia Forum, "A Practical Guide for Implementing Dyslexia Intervention," was held in conjunction with the Arkansas Department of Education Dyslexia Conference at the Hot Springs Convention Center. More than 700 Arkansas educators attended the conference on Monday and Tuesday.
Westerman hosted the forum Monday evening in Horner Hall. He was joined by top dyslexia experts and advocates for more efficient implementation of intervention methods.
"It's a very worthy cause to be involved in," Westerman said. "It is something that can mean the difference for thousands of kids across our state and millions of kids across our country."
Dyslexia is a reading disorder characterized by difficulty with learning to read fluently with accurate comprehension. As many as one in five Americans have dyslexia and many go undiagnosed. Research indicates 90 percent of all learning disorders include dyslexia.
Westerman said his interest in the disorder has been a long process. He first noticed disappointing reading data for local and national students as a member of the school board at Fountain Lake. His wife, a special-education teacher, is also passionate about the subject.
State Sen. Joyce Elliott, D-District 31, sponsored a state dyslexia bill in 2013 that was amended in 2015. The law requires schools to screen students in kindergarten through second grade and provide therapeutic services. Westerman said the law is a good start, but more work is needed.
Westerman now serves on the U.S. House of Representatives Committee on Science, Space, and Technology. He is also a member of the Bipartisan Congressional Dyslexia Caucus.
U.S. Rep. Lamar Smith, R-Texas, sponsored the Research Excellence and Advancements for Dyslexia Act recently signed into law. Smith chairs the Science, Space and Technology committee and serves as co-chair of the Caucus. Westerman co-sponsored the bill.
The bill was introduced last July. The Science, Space and Technology committee recommended the bill be considered further. The House and Senate subsequently passed the bill unanimously. President Barack Obama signed the READ Act into law on Feb. 18.
The READ Act directed the National Science Foundation to set aside at least $2.5 million for research on the science of dyslexia in its annual budget for fiscal years 2017-21.
"So it's a huge issue, but something that we could make a big impact on our society with and something we can make a huge impact on individuals' lives who suffer with dyslexia," Westerman said. "And it is something that we can make a huge economic impact on."
Westerman recognized state legislators who attended the meeting. Attendees included school administrators, educators and parents. The Arkansas Educational Television Network live-streamed the event.
Jennifer Brown, chief of staff for Smith, said Westerman was actively recruited to the Science, Space and Technology committee. She is a mother of two children with dyslexia.
"I can assure you, he has not let you down and he hasn't let us down either," Brown said.
Brown has 22 years of experience on Capitol Hill. She is now the chief of staff for the committee and the dyslexia caucus. She said 100 members of Congress joined the caucus this year.
"Washington needs more members like Bruce Westerman that are interested in getting things done," Brown said.
Brown called Westerman a "dyslexia champion" on the committee. She said he is the first member of the caucus to organize a forum on the topic.
She said the READ Act, Smith and Westerman have provided support for dyslexia education, teacher training and evidence-based interventions. Brown said they hope to increase awareness about dyslexia and to educate legislators and the public on the disorder.
"People with dyslexia think and learn differently in a way that others may not," Brown said. "Their brains are wired differently."
The keynote presentation was delivered by Sally and Bennett Shaywitz, co-directors of the Yale Center for Dyslexia and Creativity. Westerman conducted a discussion with Sally Shaywitz Monday afternoon during the conference about her landmark book, "Overcoming Dyslexia: A New and Complete Science-based Program for Reading Problems at Any Level."
Shaywitz received a standing ovation from guests both Monday afternoon and evening. The couple said difficulties with the implementation of dyslexia interventions is not due to a gap in knowledge, but in action.
"The problem is that scientific knowledge is not being used to address and remediate dyslexia," Sally Shaywitz said.
She explained how dyslexia is an unexpected disorder not tied to intelligence. Studies showed IQ and reading levels are closely connected for non-impaired readers. IQ and reading levels are not connected for those with dyslexia.
Panelists Rachel Vitti, architectural founder of the GRASP Academy public school of choice in Florida; Kim Head, head of Decoding Dyslexia-Arkansas; and Reed Lynch, president of Romine Oil Company in De Queen, further discussed dyslexia later in the forum.
Westerman will host a Service Academy Information Night at the Arkansas School for Mathematics, Sciences and the Arts, 200 Whittington Ave., from 6-8 p.m. today. The event will provide students and parents with information about the application, nomination, selection and appointment processes at the U.S.'s five service academies.
Local on 03/09/2016