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MCS literacy team support state dyslexia bill

General Education Teacher in LETRS training, Sarah McCaffrey speaks to the State Senate committee on a dyslexia bill. Photo courtesy of Manchester Community Schools.

Manchester Community Schools has faced many challenges this year and often that overshadowed some amazing work happening behind the scenes like Manchester Community Schools’ Multi-Tiered System of Support (MTSS) for Reading they’ve been building for K-6th graders. Not just of local significance, a MCS literacy team has now met with Manchester State Senator, Lana Theis and her team on two separate occasions, and members of the team have testified before the committee on a dyslexia bill.

Meeting with Sen. Theis twice in March were Superintendent, Dr. Brad Bezeau; School Psychologist, Kristin O’Keefe; General Education Teacher/Title 1 Reading Coordinator, Amie Armstrong; and General Education Teacher in LETRS training, Sarah McCaffrey. O’Keefe and McCaffrey then did some testimonial with the Senate appropriation sub-committee on K-12 education regarding the need for the Science of Reading movement and specifically a state funded grant in hopes of continuing and extending funding for more teachers across the state.

The bill in question is SB380-383. Dr. Bezeau explained that the bill requires professional learning about dyslexia, MTSS and structured language and literacy by pre-service and current educators that teach reading or intervene in reading instruction. It requires a defined screening assessment that is effective at identifying students with characteristics of dyslexia that is based on the science of reading. It creates a committee that will develop a guidance document for schools, so they know how to follow what the science says related to screening, monitor progress and teach students reading, especially those with reading difficulties or characteristics of dyslexia. He stated, “We are doing so much of what the bills will require and it working!”

Bezeau explained why the district are big proponents of MTSS and what it has to do with dyslexia. He explained that it efficiently helped their educators close students’ learning gaps in reading due to the “learning loss” created by COVID-19; it provided a better way to identify students with characteristics of dyslexia at a much younger age and more accurately; and it efficiently and effectively matches explicit instruction (which is research-based and proven to help all students learn to read) with students’ needs.

O’Keefe added that the dyslexia bill has now unanimously passed in the senate educational committee on but now is being kicked to the entire senate for a vote, then to the House. She stated, “So now is the time for us to contact all our reps! This is a critical window of time!”

You can learn more about the bills:

School Psychologist, Kristin O’Keefe speaks to the State Senate committee on a dyslexia bill. Photo courtesy of Manchester Community Schools.

Sarah McCaffrey speaks to the State Senate committee on a dyslexia bill. Photo courtesy of Manchester Community Schools.

MCS literacy team meeting via Zoom with Senator Theis. Photo courtesy of Manchester Community Schools.

by Sara Swanson

Sara Swanson is an editor, writer and a founder of the Manchester Mirror.