National Dyslexia Awareness Month and Educational Choice
Thanks to Mississippi’s Dyslexia Therapy Scholarship for Students with Dyslexia Program—the only one of its kind in the country—Karla was able to enroll her daughter, Avery, in the 3-D School in Petal in 2014. The 3-D School was able to offer Avery and her mother tailored learning plans, comprehensive evaluations, speech and language therapy, parent support, community outreach and more.
Because of this educational choice option, Avery was able to access schooling that met her needs instead of settling for the status quo.
Students with dyslexia struggle with decoding and reading fluency, which can affect their understanding in all other subjects. And because students with dyslexia are often misunderstood or mislabeled, they want the nation to take notice this National Dyslexia Awareness Month not just of their need for more expansive and flexible educational options, but also of their strengths: reasoning, critical thinking, concept formation, problem solving and much more!
We know there are thousands more children like Avery across the country, many of whom lack access to the educational options that will best help them learn. Did you know that dyslexia is the most common learning disability, affecting as much as 90 percent of all individuals with a learning disability, according to recent reports? Unfortunately, not all states go above and beyond to ensure the best education possible for students with dyslexia—especially those children who are struggling in their ZIP Code-assigned public schools.
To date, 30 states and the District of Columbia offer families some degree of educational choice through programs, such as education savings accounts (ESAs), school vouchers, tax-credit scholarships and individual tax credits and deductions. The list below highlights the 13 states that have created 19 programs specifically designed to help students with special needs access the best educational options for them.
Is your state on the list?
Arkansas
Succeed Scholarship Program for Students with Disabilities
Arizona
Lexie’s Law for Disabled and Displaced Students Tax Credit Scholarship Program
Empowerment Scholarship Accounts – (also caters to other populations of students after multiple eligibility expansions)
Florida
John M. McKay Scholarships for Students with Disabilities Program
Georgia
Georgia Special Needs Scholarship Program
Louisiana
School Choice Program for Certain Students with Exceptionalities
Mississippi
Dyslexia Therapy Scholarship for Students with Dyslexia Program
Nate Rogers Scholarship for Students with Disabilities Program
Equal Opportunity for Students with Special Needs Program
North Carolina
Special Education Scholarship Grants for Children with Disabilities
Ohio
Jon Peterson Special Needs Scholarship Program
Oklahoma
Lindsey Nicole Henry Scholarships for Students with Disabilities
South Carolina
Educational Credit for Exceptional Needs Children
Refundable Educational Credit for Exceptional Needs Children
Tennessee
Individualized Education Account Program – (launching January 2017)
Utah
Carson Smith Special Needs Scholarship Program
Wisconsin
Special Needs Scholarship Program
At EdChoice, we believe school choice is a pathway to successful lives and a stronger society. Every child deserves access to services and schooling options that will help them learn and prepare them for life, whether that’s in a public school, a private school or even a customized homeschool setting. And better still, we know from several studies that families are satisfied with the freedom and quality of education they get when they use their states’ educational choice programs.
October is National Dyslexia Awareness Month, and we encourage all of our readers to take some time today to spread the word by sharing this post and connecting with the many families out there looking for your support!
