Dyslexia screenings will help students succeed

Thanks to a new law, some Missouri students will get a little extra help. Gov. Jay Nixon recently signed a bill, sponsored by State Rep. Kathy Swan, that requires every Missouri public-school student to be screened for dyslexia.

The screenings for the learning disorder will begin in the 2018-2019 school year. Dyslexia is characterized by difficulty with language, reading and spelling.

The new law allows certain accommodations for students found to have dyslexia, such as extra test time or having questions read aloud. It also requires teachers to be trained in how to address dyslexia.

If a child has dyslexia that goes undiagnosed, it can cause them problems throughout their lives. About one in five people have some form of the disorder. According to Swan, 70 percent of people in the juvenile-detention system and 90 percent of those in prison have some form of dyslexia.

"There is a significant number of those in substance-abuse programs who have some form of dyslexia as well," Swan told the Southeast Missourian.

In order to address a problem, it must first be identified and defined. Using the short screenings as outlined in this law, children with dyslexia can be identified -- and therefore receive help -- earlier on. We want all children to do well, and implementing these screenings will help set them up for success.