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WASHINGTON— U.S. Senators Bill Cassidy, M.D. (R-LA) and Barbara Mikulski (D-MD) introduced a bipartisan resolution designating October 2015 as “National Dyslexia Awareness Month,” recognizing that dyslexia has significant educational implications that must be addressed. The resolution is supported by all 50 states of Decoding Dyslexia, Dyslexic Advantage, International Dyslexia Association, Learning Ally, Louisiana Key Academy, National Center for Learning Disabilities, The Odyssey School and the Yale Center for Dyslexia & Creativity. Dr. Cassidy will also be chairing two Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions (HELP) Committee Hearings in New Orleans and Baton Rouge on Tuesday, October 13, 2015. The hearings are titled,Developmental Perspective on Testing for Dyslexia. You can find more information HERE. The Resolution, S. Res. 275, can be read HERE and below: Calling on Congress, schools, and State and local educational agencies to recognize the significant educational implications of dyslexia that must be addressed and designating October 2015 as “National Dyslexia Awareness Month”. Whereas dyslexia is— (1) defined as an unexpected difficulty in reading for an individual who has the intelligence to be a much better reader; and (2) due to a difficulty in getting to the individual sounds of spoken language, which affects the ability of an individual to speak, read, spell, and often, learn a language; Whereas dyslexia is the most common learning disability and affects 80 percent to 90 percent of all individuals with a learning disability; Whereas an individual with dyslexia may have weakness in decoding or reading fluency and strength in higher level cognitive functions, such as reasoning, critical thinking, concept formation, or problem solving; Whereas great progress has been made in understanding dyslexia on a scientific level, including the epidemiology and cognitive and neurobiological bases of dyslexia; and Whereas early diagnosis of dyslexia is critical for ensuring that individuals with dyslexia receive focused, evidence-based intervention that leads to the promotion of self-awareness and self-empowerment and the provision of necessary accommodations so as to ensure school and life success: Now, therefore, be it Resolved, That the Senate— (1) calls on Congress, schools, and State and local educational agencies to recognize that dyslexia has significant educational implications that must be addressed; and (2) designates October 2015 as “National Dyslexia Awareness Month”.
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