Dyslexia Caucus

student with Dyslexia

Dyslexia is the most common learning disability which accounts for over 80% of all learning disabilities and affecting nearly 20% of Americans.  If misdiagnosed, it can have devastating consequences, particularly for our youth.

As Co-Chair of the House Dyslexia Caucus, I am committed to raising awareness about this topic and helping those who suffer its consequences.  Through this process, we can change the way we educate those with dyslexia and help millions of Americans achieve success.
For more information on dyslexia, please see below:

What is Dyslexia?

Dyslexia is a specific learning disability that is neurobiological in origin. It is characterized by difficulties with accurate and/or fluent word recognition and by poor spelling and decoding abilities. These difficulties typically result from a deficit in the phonological component of language that is often unexpected in relation to other cognitive abilities and the provision of effective classroom instruction. (A Definition of Dyslexia, Lyon, Shaywitz and Shaywitz, 2003)

Additional Resources:

 

The Bipartisan Congressional Dyslexia Caucus

Dyslexia impacts Americans from all walks of life, including Members of Congress, our families, and thousands of our constituents.  The Congressional Dyslexia Caucus was formed so that we can work across party lines to educate members of the public about dyslexia, as well as to identify policies that will support individuals as they overcome dyslexia and pursue educational and career opportunities.

Dyslexia robs individuals of their ability to read quickly and automatically and to retrieve spoken words easily but it does not dampen their creativity and ingenuity – skills important for America to prosper.  A recent GAO report (GAO-12-40) found that many students with learning and other disabilities, including dyslexia, are not receiving accommodations, such as extended testing time, required by the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) when they take high stakes examinations such as the SAT, GRE, LSAT, or US Medical Licensing Examinations and others.  This is unacceptable, and by working together we can make sure that those with learning abilities are receiving their proper and legal accommodations.

Members of Congressional Dyslexia Caucus

Co-Chairs

Rep. Bill Cassidy (R – Louisiana)
Rep. Pete Stark (D – California)

Members

Rep. Robert Andrews (D – New Jersey)
Rep. Gus Bilirakis (R – Florida)
Rep. Bruce Braley (D – Iowa)
Rep. Vern Buchanan (R – Florida)
Rep. Michael Burgess (R – Texas)
Rep. Leonard Boswell (D – Iowa)
Rep. Ken Calvert (R – California)
Rep. Lois Capps (D – California)
Rep. Gerry Connolly (D – Virginia)
Rep. Joe Courtney (D – Connecticut)
Rep. Jim Gerlach (R – Pennsylvania)
Rep. Tim Griffin (R – Arkansas)
Rep. Rush Holt (D – New Jersey)
Rep. Bill Johnson (R – Ohio)
Rep. Hank Johnson (D – Georgia)
Rep. Leonard Lance (R – New Jersey)
Rep. Tom Latham (R – Iowa)
Rep. Frank LoBiondo (R – New Jersey)
Rep. Dave Loebsack (D – Iowa)
Rep. Nita Lowey (D – New York)
Rep. Ben Luján (D – New Mexico)
Rep. Patrick McHenry (R – North Carolina)
Rep. Mike McIntyre (D – North Carolina)
Rep. Jerry McNerney (D – California)
Rep. Frank Pallone (D – New Jersey)
Rep. Charles Rangel (D – New York)
Rep. Laura Richardson (D – California)
Rep. Phil Roe (R – Tennessee)
Rep. Jon Runyan (R – New Jersey)
Rep. C.A. Dutch Ruppersberger (D – Maryland)
Rep. John Sarbanes (D – Maryland)
Rep. Adam Schiff (D – California)
Rep. Albio Sires (D – New Jersey)
Rep. Christopher Smith (R – New Jersey)
Rep. Lamar Smith (R – Texas)
Rep. Pat Tiberi (R – Ohio)
Rep. Henry Waxman (D – California)

The Big Picture: Rethinking Dyslexia
You can see a segment of the Congressional Dyslexia Caucus’s first event, a screening of the documentary The Big Picture: Rethinking Dyslexia here.

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