The Dyslexia Services Foundation (DSF) was established to address a staggering need: children are struggling to read and the public educational system is not able to explain why or to provide effective treatment.
The Dyslexia Services Foundation was founded by Lexercise to make research-based dyslexia treatment accessible to children whose families couldn't otherwise afford it.
Since 2011, DSF has worked with schools, community organizations, and qualified clinicians across the country to fund treatment for children ages 6 to 14, administering scholarships in partnership with Lexercise's network of reading specialists.
There are many reasons why a child might have difficulty reading, but often specialized, individualized testing and intervention are not available at the school level. In public schools, struggling readers are typically lumped together for one-size-fits-all remedial programs. Many private schools do not offer services for students with special needs.
Schools that are screening students for dyslexia often limit this to K-2 or 3rd grade — many struggling students are already behind their peers, or have passed 3rd grade and are falling further behind each year. Even if the school is screening students, they may not be using interventions aligned with the science of reading or structured literacy methodology, or they may not be implementing it in a way that helps the students who are struggling the most and who would benefit from one-on-one structured literacy intervention.
Given that many school systems are not able to adequately address reading disabilities, parents often turn to one of the aggressively marketed tutoring center chains or a local tutor to treat their reading disabled children. Tutoring typically involves instructional methods that are similar to those used in general education, as opposed to methods that help children with language processing differences.
Relatively few clinicians are trained in the therapeutic methods designed to address language-based reading and spelling disorders, and these research-backed services tend to cost more than tutoring services. But low-income families cannot afford to pay for private therapy for their children.
DSF provides funding for dyslexia treatment services for children from low-income families. These children need the opportunity to read, and DSF can help fund it.
If you are a concerned parent and believe your child may have dyslexia, this free online dyslexia test can help indicate their risk level.
