Albany, NY – On March 14th, 2024 Assemblymember Jo Anne Simon and her colleagues Senators Brad Hoylman-Sigal, Robert Jackson, Zellnor Myrie and Assemblymembers Robert Carroll and Harvey Epstein hosted the 9th Annual Dyslexia Awareness Day: Advocating for Literacy for All. Students, parents, advocates, and educators from across New York State shared their personal experiences and highlighted bills to combat New York’s literacy crisis and highlight that two thirds of 4th graders can’t read proficiently.

The event featured a Town Hall Speak Out during which attendees with dyslexia and learning disabilities shared their experiences. They also highlighted the need for legislation to ensure institutions of higher learning train future teachers in the science of reading to improve literacy rates (A08924), provide dyslexia screening for young students (S5232/A4198), and screen those who are incarcerated and lack a high school diploma or GED to successfully prepare them for re-entry (S2304/A1645).

“New York State is failing its students by not aggressively using literacy instruction that is proven to work. There is just no excuse for schools to continue to use debunked literacy methods. Our low literacy rates demonstrate a complete failure to prepare our children for the most basic of life skills.” She continued, “However, we have solutions. It will take a multi-pronged effort from early screening, to implementing effective literacy instruction in the classroom, to incorporating it into our colleges of education. Serious changes are needed or we risk continuing to leave our children behind and fueling the school-to-prison pipeline,” said Assemblymember Jo Anne Simon, who started Dyslexia Awareness Day and won a landmark disability rights case on behalf of a dyslexic law school graduate.

“Childhood illiteracy is one of the defining educational challenges of our time, but it is also among the most solvable issues we face,” said SUNY New Paltz President Darrell P. Wheeler. “Higher education has an important role to play: Our institutions can help connect the strong body of research into how children gain reading skills with their pedagogical practice in P-12 classrooms. Programs like our Science of Reading Fundamentals Microcredential are investments in the education professionals who are working on the front lines to improve literacy outcomes and help New York reclaim its place as a worldwide leader in childhood education.”

Darrell P. Wheeler. “Higher education has an important role to play: Our institutions can help connect the strong body of research into how children gain reading skills with their pedagogical practice in P-12 classrooms. Programs like our Science of Reading Fundamentals Microcredential are investments in the education professionals who are working on the front lines to improve literacy outcomes and help New York reclaim its place as a worldwide leader in childhood education.”

Darrell P. Wheeler. “Higher education has an important role to play: Our institutions can help connect the strong body of research into how children gain reading skills with their pedagogical practice in P-12 classrooms. Programs like our Science of Reading Fundamentals Microcredential are investments in the education professionals who are working on the front lines to improve literacy outcomes and help New York reclaim its place as a worldwide leader in childhood education.”

Yona Nemirof, a junior in high school at the Dwight School who has dyslexia, said, “I want every dyslexic child to know that they have a superpower. Dyslexia forces you to develop a good work ethic and to become an incredible problem solver. It is a gift that, if

nurtured, can help you achieve anything. You have the power to work with your legislators to create change and support the next generation of students.”

"Recognizing the significance of Dyslexia Awareness Day marks a crucial milestone in fostering a more inclusive and equitable education system in New York State. This resolution represents a vital step towards improving literacy rates and providing teachers with training in the science of reading. It ensures that every student, including those with dyslexia, receives the education they deserve," stated State Senator Jackson. "Let us embrace diversity, challenge misconceptions, and make a difference in the lives of individuals with dyslexia, not just today but every day. I thank Assemblymember Jo Anne Simon for her unwavering leadership in ensuring that we collectively enhance our support for students and families affected by dyslexia."

"We can enhance literacy and opportunities for young New Yorkers by expanding dyslexia screening, especially for those who need services in our prisons and jails. I'm grateful to the advocates and my colleagues for spotlighting dyslexia and related learning needs, along with services and programs making a difference. Let's get this package of legislation done this session," said State Senator Zellnor Myrie.

NeQuan McLean, President of NYC Education Council Consortium, said, “My path to reforming our educational system began from a deeply personal place—as a father to a child grappling with dyslexia, where I encountered a stark lack of resources within the Department of Education. As we observe Dyslexia Awareness Day, I stand not just with my organization but alongside fellow advocates, united in our pursuit of an educational framework that embodies inclusivity, equity, and anti-racism. This mission is critical to ensure that all students, especially those with dyslexia and various learning differences, are fully supported. The journey is even steeper for Black and brown students, who often encounter additional barriers to obtaining necessary reading assistance. The ECC’s commitment to the science of reading is bolstered by legislative initiatives aimed at enhancing reading instruction methodologies for our educators. The imperative to intervene early in our children’s education is clear—if we delay, we gamble with their futures. My heartfelt thanks go to Assemblymember Jo Anne Simon for her unwavering dedication to literacy advocacy and for convening this crucial event.”

“New York is facing a crisis when it comes to teaching literacy and has lagged behind other states when it comes to reforming our approach, so it was gratifying to see Governor Hochul acknowledge in her Executive Budget that New York must adopt evidence-based practices for teaching reading. However, comprehensive legislation is needed so that there will be a significant and lasting impact. I want to thank Assemblymember Simon for organizing Dyslexia Awareness Day and for her tireless work on behalf of those with dyslexia and other learning disorders. The bills that she and I are sponsoring in the Assembly will make a tremendous difference in the lives of so many by helping all our children become fluent readers and successful students,” said Assemblymember Robert Carroll.

"We’re excited to elevate the voices of young people and provide them with an opportunity to engage with policy leaders while encouraging them to advocate for the policies that matter to them during Dyslexia Awareness Day," said Mike Aronsson, Eye to Eye's Neurodiversity Alliance Organizer. "This year's dyslexia bills are pivotal.

They promise to transform the educational landscape for young people by integrating the science of reading and structured multisensory approaches into teacher training, auditing literacy instruction in higher education, and ensuring early dyslexia screening in schools and dyslexia screening for incarcerated individuals. Understanding dyslexia as one of the many learning differences that affect a significant portion of our population emphasizes the urgency of these reforms. By advocating for these bills, we're advocating for a future where every student has the opportunity to unlock their full potential."

“We are grateful to join so many legislators who are working to ensure that all students have access to the instruction and support they need to learn to read,” said Emily Hellstrom, Co-Founder of Literacy Academy Collective. “This is one of the greatest Civil Rights issues of our time, and the crisis is real for the students and families we hear from every day. The children of this state do not have time to wait, which is why we opened the first district public school in the nation specifically designed to support struggling readers and students with dyslexia, PS642, South Bronx Literacy Academy serving students throughout the borough. These legislators and this event have helped make this possible. This is only the beginning.”

Senator Brad Hoylman-Sigal said, “Like so many parents, my husband and I did not learn that our daughter was dyslexic until several years into her schooling. Estimates show there are over 200,000 undiagnosed dyslexic students in New York City alone, contributing to the unacceptable reality that half of the city’s students in grades 3 - 8 are not considered proficient readers. That’s why last year we established a statewide Dyslexia Task Force, to ensure that students receive early intervention for dyslexia and dysgraphia and that teachers have the resources and training they need to fully support the educational experience of all New York students. Even with this task force in place, the cost of dyslexia testing is simply too high for many New Yorkers to bear. That’s why we must pass our bill requiring insurance companies to cover costly dyslexia screening exams (S.5481A) as well as pass legislation requiring schools to conduct these exams themselves (S.5232). These bills, along with our Right to Read Act (S.5480A) will make sure that all of our children have access to the testing, resources, and evidence-based instructional methods that they need to achieve the levels of success that we all know they can.”