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‘We felt like we failed him’: Idaho parents push for resources for dyslexic children

Quinn Nordick, 12, is just one of many Idaho students diagnosed with dyslexia still struggling to get access to the resources they need to learn, said Quinn’s mother, Marji Nordick, of Meridian. | BY DARIN OSWALD
BOISE (Idaho Statesman) – Marji Nordick said teaching her daughter multiplication felt like a scene out of “50 First Dates.”
Nordick had at times grown frustrated with her 12-year-old, Quinn, as she tried to go over lessons, only to find that her daughter would forget all that she learned a day later. Quinn struggled to read analog clocks. She’d add extra letters to words. And finally, she began to experience severe anxiety.
So Nordick started Googling. She searched anything she could think of: “memory problems,” “ADHD,” “car sickness,” “anxiety.”
“I was just grasping at straws, really just trying to figure out any kind of connection between anything to figure out what was going on,” Nordick told the Idaho Statesman.
After trying therapy, ADHD (attention deficit hyperactivity disorder) medications and other remedies for years, Quinn’s pediatrician recommended she see a neuropsychologist. That’s when Nordick finally got her answer — Quinn was diagnosed with dyslexia.
The diagnosis was a relief in some ways, Nordick said. But it also opened the door to a new set of problems. The years of struggles have taken a toll on Quinn, and interventions left the family paying thousands in out-of-pocket expenses.
Quinn’s experience isn’t unusual in Idaho. Several families described similar situations to the Statesman, having spent years searching for answers before they discovered their child had dyslexia. Some said they had asked schools to screen their kids for dyslexia and hit a wall.
Unlike most other states in the U.S., Idaho has no legislation specific to dyslexia that requires certain screening or teacher training. Every Idaho student does take a reading assessment that the State Board of Education said includes an at-risk report to help identify struggling readers with characteristics of dyslexia, but parents and advocates have said it’s not enough.

Quinn Nordick, 12, who was diagnosed with dyslexia, and her mother, Marji Nordick, in their Meridian home sift through the pages that showed the thousands of dollars the family incurred in out-of-pocket expenses when they sought learning interventions for Quinn, on Friday, Dec. 17, 2021. | Hayat Norimine HNORIMINE@IDAHOSTATESMAN.COM
Even after children have an official dyslexia diagnosis, teachers and school districts in Idaho often don’t have the training and resources to address it. Parents told the Statesman they’ve struggled to get their kids the services they need in school. They’ve watched their children experience anxiety and depression at a young age as they struggle to keep up in the classroom and can’t understand why.
Now, a group of parents, educators and literacy experts are working with state officials and legislators to change that. But the process could take years. And in the meantime, parents fear their children — and thousands of others — are being left behind.
“When you have a diagnosis for something like diabetes … they have someone they can send you to,” Nordick said. “And with dyslexia, there’s nothing. You get a diagnosis, and you’re kind of on your own to figure it out.”
WHAT IS DYSLEXIA?
Dyslexia, which is estimated to impact 15% to 20% of the population, is defined as a language-based learning disability, according to the International Dyslexia Association. People with dyslexia often struggle with word recognition, spelling and decoding.
Early signs of dyslexia can include difficulty recognizing rhyming patterns, trouble reading and remembering the names of letters, the inability to sound out simple words, poor memory recall and mispronouncing words, according to the Yale Center for Dyslexia and Creativity.
“The brain is truly just wired differently than a neurotypical brain,” said Robin Zikmund, who started the Decoding Dyslexia chapter in Idaho and has a child with dyslexia.
Experts know the screeners that work to flag kids with dyslexia and ways to teach them effectively. Early intervention and instruction have been key to easing the impacts of the disorder, said Louisa Moats, a literacy expert who served on the International Dyslexia Association. She also authored a literacy professional learning program for childhood educators.
“The main problem is that our practitioners, our teachers, and our administrators are not well enough informed about the early signs of dyslexia,” she said.
Idaho created a comprehensive literacy plan in 1999 and passed legislation that required kids to take the Idaho Reading Indicator, now defined by the State Department of Education as an “early reading” screening process and diagnostic assessment. At the time, Idaho was the only state that had crafted such a literacy plan, said Deb Glaser, a literacy expert who worked on the initiative. The literacy plan is revised every five years.
But since then, advocates said Idaho hasn’t kept up with the strides other states have made. Over the past decade, the dyslexia movement has taken off across the U.S., largely driven by concerned parents who have formed Decoding Dyslexia chapters. Most states have since passed dyslexia-specific legislation. Laws vary from state to state, and some are more effective than others.
Dyslexia is included in the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA), a federal law first passed in 1975 that has been amended several times since. It is listed as one of the conditions that could make a child eligible for having a “specific learning disability.”
Idaho was the last state in the U.S. to start a Decoding Dyslexia chapter. Zikmund created the chapter in 2018, when she started pushing state officials to recognize the disorder and do something about it. Zikmund said at the time, the State Department of Education was “adamant” it had everything covered.
Since starting the chapter, Zikmund said she has spoken with hundreds of families in Idaho with similar experiences. And she’s finally gotten the ears of education officials. Now, the governor’s office and an influential Republican state senator have promised to support legislation families had long been waiting for.
‘WE FELT LIKE WE FAILED HIM’
Several families told the Statesman they have paid thousands of dollars to get their children the services they needed. For low-income families, that’s not an option.
Ali Sharp knew her son, Will, might be dyslexic when he was in kindergarten. She noticed he would flip his Bs and Ds and avoid books.
She and her husband set up multiple meetings with school officials over the course of several years and tried to get answers. When Sharp brought up dyslexia early into discussions, she was brushed off, she said.
“We were told, ‘He’s a boy, he’s young, he’ll grow out of it,’ ” said Sharp, who lives in Meridian.
She also noticed her son’s test scores were inconsistent, which Sharp learned was a “red flag” for dyslexia. Starting in second grade, her son was put into “remediation” classes in school. But it wasn’t helping, Sharp said.
Sharp described her son as a “happy-go-lucky kind of guy” who warms up a room. But as time went on, his school struggles grew worse. By fifth grade, his mental health started to decline. The 11-year-old boy who always loved to go to school now dreaded it, she said.
“He would tell us, you know, ‘Everyone else is getting these things so fast,’” Sharp said. “‘It takes me so long. Why does it take me so long?’”
Sharp and her husband got outside testing from a psychologist and finally confirmed he was dyslexic. Will said before he was diagnosed, he thought he “was stupid.”
“It was really heartbreaking for us because we felt like we failed him,” Sharp said.
Now, they pay out of pocket to get the services he needs. He has multiple hours a week with an outside instructor, and his instructors communicate with his special education teacher at school to ensure they have a consistent message. He’s also able to use text to speech, which helps in school.
He’s made huge strides in less than a year, Sharp said.
“We have to do better for our dyslexic kiddos in the state,” she said. “Just hearing everybody’s journeys, all of our journeys are the same, but they’re different.”
DYSLEXIA ADVOCATES, PARENTS CONTINUE TO PUSH FOR LEGISLATION
On Oct. 4, Idaho Gov. Brad Little stood on the steps of the Idaho Capitol surrounded by kids — many of whom have dyslexia — whose families had been fighting to get them the services they need to reach their potential. Little had declared October Dyslexia Awareness Month for the second time. The first time was in 2019, not long after Decoding Dyslexia began its state chapter.
In October, Zikmund and other members of Decoding Dyslexia met with Greg Wilson, Little’s education advisor.
Having felt ignored by the State Department of Education, advocates from Decoding Dyslexia turned to Gov. Brad Little and Idaho Sen. Carl Crabtree, a Grangeville Republican on the Senate Education Committee.
The advocacy group wants an Idaho law that includes early dyslexia-specific screening and secondary screening, accountability for schools and professional development for teachers so they have the appropriate materials to help these kids. Advocates are also working to create a dyslexia handbook with resources and guidance for parents, teachers and schools.
Dyslexia-specific screeners can’t diagnose kids. But they can catch kids that show signs of dyslexia, help educators understand students’ struggles and lead those kids to the right resources. Zikmund said she’d also like to include a component for universities to require that future educators take a course that introduces them to dyslexia and learning disabilities.
“You have got to stop the bleeding at that level to not continue to have teachers be put into schools that don’t understand our kids,” she said.
Zikmund said measures like these will save money for the state going forward.
“In the long run, if we can catch these kids early, they will never need special ed,” she said.
The legislation is still being drafted, Crabtree said, but it would help with funding needs and screening requirements. After lawmakers approve a bill, it would be up to the State Department of Education to implement it.
“When I find out there’s one in five kids in the state that are affected by this issue, it becomes a big deal,” Crabtree told the Statesman.
Crabtree vowed to continue to work to serve families struggling to get the services they need.
“The Legislature is working hard to fix some of these problems,” he said. “They are aware of them and they intend to solve those things.”
YBARRA: DYSLEXIA A ‘KEY PART’ OF STATE’S PRIORITIES
Zikmund said Decoding Dyslexia hasn’t felt supported by the State Department of Education.
In a Nov. 29 open letter to the superintendent, Zikmund said the department had “refused to meet” with Decoding Dyslexia advocates, and that it only acknowledged the issue after advocates met with officials from the governor’s office.
“I’m grateful you have finally acknowledged that Idaho is the only state in the nation to have absolutely nothing in place to support this 20% of students,” Zikmund wrote. “However, your leadership has been no part of the work that is already underway.”
In an interview with the Statesman, Superintendent of Public Instruction Sherri Ybarra said teacher training and development are essential to address students’ reading obstacles. She said her department has been working on the issue for years, and that she plans to support legislation that would create greater awareness around dyslexia.
The Student Advisory Council also raised dyslexia as a key issue members wanted to focus on, Ybarra said.
“This is near and dear to my heart. I’m very passionate about … closing that gap by the third grade,” Ybarra said.
When asked why it’s taken Idaho several years to pass dyslexia-specific legislation, Ybarra pointed to some states that had only recently gotten their legislation passed and said her department has a “laser-like focus” on the issue.
“We are interested in working together on this path forward. We do have a shared interest in literacy and providing students with dyslexia the tools that they need to read efficiently and learn to read,” she said. “We all want the same thing here.”
State Sen. Dan Johnson, a Lewiston Republican, said he is working with the State Department of Education on the possible legislation related to dyslexia.
A preliminary draft of legislation includes a definition of dyslexia and a handbook that would provide resources and guidance. But Zikmund said a handbook isn’t enough. Families need legislation and accountability, she said.
IDAHO TEACHERS WANT MORE FOR STUDENTS
Teachers across Idaho have said they want to help students struggling with reading and showing signs of dyslexia, but some feel like they’re at a loss. The resources and willingness to address these issues can vary by district.
Some districts have sent teachers to Decoding Dyslexia conferences so those teachers can get a better understanding of dyslexia, and have provided more professional development opportunities.
Most districts don’t have the proper training for teachers and haven’t received curriculum that works for dyslexic students, said Kim Zeydel, a former Idaho math teacher and the 2015 Teacher of the Year. She now teaches courses through Northwest Nazarene University for educators on dyslexia.
Across the board, teachers say they aren’t getting the resources they need, and training opportunities specific to dyslexia or learning disabilities can be expensive.
Jordan Atnip, a special education teacher in the Council School District, grew up trying to help her brother, who is severely dyslexic. She went into special education because she saw so many students being missed.
Over the past several years, she’s worked in three different school districts in Idaho, and she’s seen the problem everywhere.
She sees kids struggle as early as pre-K and kindergarten. They start to develop low self-esteem because they notice they aren’t catching onto things as quickly as their peers. Sometimes teachers or parents think the students just aren’t trying hard enough, she said — when in fact, they’re not being taught in the right way for them.
Atnip, who is a certified educational therapist and has done her own research and attended specific training, said she is a resource for others in the district who all want to help. But that’s not enough, she said.
“I think in our districts, especially our smaller districts, what we run into a lot is funding for aids and having enough people in the building to help remediate these issues,” she said. “There’s just not enough time in the day, there’s not enough funding, there’s not enough resources that the state provides.”
When kids with dyslexia do get proper intervention, they can quickly excel.
Zeydel, who is dyslexic, said she encourages teachers to look for signs of dyslexia and intervene as early as possible. But change needs to happen at a state level, she said, including updating the curriculum at universities, doing early dyslexia specific screening and providing the materials and training teachers need.
“It’s cheaper to intervene when they’re in kindergarten,” she said. “If you can take care of them in grades K-3, they’re not in special ed for the rest of their lives.”
‘A CIVIL RIGHTS ISSUE’
Tammy Jablonski’s son, Kayleb, also started to struggle in kindergarten. She said she asked the school to screen him. She was told the school didn’t have a screening process for dyslexia. Dyslexia, which is genetic, runs in her family.
So she took her son to get evaluated and found out he was severely dyslexic.
“He is very smart, he’s very intelligent,” said Jablonski, who lives in Pocatello. “He has a different way of learning.”
Kayleb, a high school freshman, has found some learning methods that work for him. But he still struggles. Insurance often doesn’t cover the specific outside interventions that work for dyslexic children, parents said.
Jablonski remembered a time when she and her family were talking about what they would do if they won the lottery. Her other children had more typical answers — they’d take a vacation, go to Hawaii.
Kayleb said he’d open a school for dyslexic children.
“That broke my heart,” she said. “We’re thinking of these glamorous places you go, and all he wants is proper education. He wants people to understand him and teach him the way that he learns.”
As families await more action to be taken at the state level, Nordick said she’ll keep fighting for Quinn and other children to get the services they need to learn to read.
Quinn said she still feels like she doesn’t fit in at school. She has accommodations now and is getting extra help, but it’s difficult. Over the years, as the family has struggled to figure out what’s wrong, it’s taken a toll on the 12-year-old girl who loves animals and art.

Quinn Nordick, 12, sands down a wooden reindeer in the garage of her Meridian home on Friday, Dec. 17, 2021. Quinn’s mother, Marji Nordick, calls Quinn her “tinker fairy” because she loves to work with her hands and build things. “Her brain never stops,” Nordick said. | Hayat Norimine HNORIMINE@IDAHOSTATESMAN.COM
“We’ve called her our tinker fairy from the time she was little, because she’ll find anything at home and build something with it,” Nordick said. “Her brain never stops.”
In her Meridian home, Nordick described Quinn’s affinity to work with her hands and “incredible” mind. She watched her daughter, whose fingernails were painted green and red, smile as she sanded down wooden reindeer in the garage. She watched Quinn spell out “her” in the kitchen with clay — a learning tool she uses to help her visualize words.
“It comes down to being kind of a civil rights issue. They should be allowed to read,” Nordick said. “With (Quinn), she just needs the tools. She can do it, she just needs the extra help. And it’s not there.”
The post ‘We felt like we failed him’: Idaho parents push for resources for dyslexic children appeared first on East Idaho News.
Source: eastidahonews.com

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