According to the Texas Education Code §38.003, Dyslexia is a disorder of constitutional origin manifested by difficulty in learning to read, write, and/or spell, despite conventional instruction, adequate intelligence, and socio-cultural opportunity.
Dyslexia is a specific learning disability that is neurological 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. Secondary consequences may include problems in reading comprehension and reduced reading experience that can impede the growth of vocabulary and background knowledge.
Children learn to read, write, and spell in different ways. A balanced reading program should meet the needs of most students. Students who do not learn to read, write, and spell when presented with a broad, balanced literacy program should be offered a variety of alternative strategies to meet this goal. If these alternative strategies are unsuccessful, the student may have a reading disorder, sometimes known as dyslexia.
Students who exhibit signs of dyslexia may need intervention treatment to be successful in school. Waxahachie Independent School District offers a dyslexia program for students who meet the eligibility criteria. Students identified as being dyslexic will be given support and appropriate accommodations to be successful in their academic programs.
View the Fact Sheet for Families