Washington State Dyslexia Advisory Council Seeks Applicants

Almost 10 million children suffer from Dyslexia. Academy Award Winner Octavia Spencer discovered she had the learning disability at age 6. Dyslexia is considered the most common learning challenge in the United States. Children are usually labeled as "lazy" or "dumb" because they aren't able to read as well. African American children seldom get diagnosed as even some teachers fail to recognize the signs!

Applications are now being accepted for the new Dyslexia Advisory Council through July 12, 2018.

Dyslexia has been defined in statute as a specific learning disorder that is neurological in origin and characterized by: Unexpected difficulties with accurate or fluent word recognition, and poor spelling and decoding abilities that are not consistent with the person's intelligence, motivation, and sensory capabilities.

These difficulties typically result from a deficit in the phonological components of language that is often unexpected in relation to other cognitive abilities. The Washington State Dyslexia Advisory Council was created via Engrossed Second Substitute Senate Bill 6162 during the 2018 legislative session. The Council will advise the superintendent on matters relating to dyslexia in an academic setting. Applicants can apply here: Deadline is July 12, 2018. Appointees are expected to:

 Attend in-person meetings;

 Respond timely to emails and meet deadlines and,

 Spend time beyond council meetings to support outcomes of the council.

Appointments are voluntary for a two-year term with an option to renew for an additional two years. Travel for meetings and meals (based on per-diem) will be reimbursed by OSPI.