Letter from CAC following the District’s Jan 2021 Dyslexia Update:
“The state released [Dyslexia] Guidelines in 2017, but concrete supports and directives have lagged, putting districts like ours in a predicament to develop our own expertise and roadmap. This is complicated by a debate known as “The Reading Wars” that still persists 25 years later. Our hope is that irrespective of these hurdles, PAUSD will find a way forward.
We all aspire for all kids to read by 4th grade. It’s a great target. But, what we struggle with is HOW to equip teachers and their students who struggle to read. Recent interactions with staff prove that with an honest and mutual acknowledgement of the hurdles, and consensus around goals and timeframes, we can really do this. “