California State PTA Adopts Statewide Dyslexia Resolution


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Summer 2016

By Rachel Hurd, Lorraine Hightower, and Karee Atkinson

On May 7, 2016, the California State PTA delegates voted unanimously to adopt a statewide resolution entitled “Dyslexia: Addressing the Educational Implications in Public Schools.

The San Ramon Valley Council of PTAs submitted the dyslexia resolution with assistance from Decoding Dyslexia CA (DDCA). This resolution references the International Dyslexia Association’s definition of dyslexia, its definition of Structured Literacy, and the Knowledge & Practice Standards for Teachers of Reading.

The resolution emphasizes the significant educational implications that need to be better addressed by CA public schools, including the necessity for the following:

  • teacher training in dyslexia, its warning signs, and evidence-based structured literacy instruction;
  • early screening for symptoms of dyslexia in kindergarten through third grade, with parental notification; and
  • appropriate accommodations for dyslexic students.

The PTA is the oldest and largest volunteer child-advocacy association in the United States. One purpose of the PTA is to secure adequate laws for the care and protection of children and youth. 

One purpose of the PTA is to secure adequate laws for the care and protection of children and youth.

writePTA’s advocacy efforts center around its core values and resolutions. These resolutions offer official guidance on a wide range of issues, such as school finance, health and safety, community concerns, and more. The resolutions start as issues and ideas of concern to members in units, councils, districts, or the California State PTA Board of Managers. These issues are carefully researched and formed into formal resolutions for consideration and adoption by convention delegates. Once adopted, resolutions serve as a basis for action in the unit, council, district PTAs and the California State PTA, including taking support positions on future legislation.

The CA PTA dyslexia resolution will be submitted to national PTA consideration at its annual convention in June 2017.

California is the third state to have adopted a PTA resolution on dyslexia. Virginia PTA adopted a dyslexia resolution on July 18, 2015, and Utah PTA adopted a dyslexia resolution on October 22, 2014.

California is the third state to have adopted a PTA resolution on dyslexia. Virginia PTA adopted a dyslexia resolution on July 18, 2015, and Utah PTA adopted a dyslexia resolution on October 22, 2014.

While all three state PTA dyslexia resolutions are similar in intent, Virginia and Utah’s resolutions also mention the importance of access to assistive technology. Virginia and Utah PTA dyslexia resolutions will also be submitted for National PTA consideration in June 2017. Click on the links below for the full text of these resolutions:

California PTA Resolution

Utah PTA Resolution

Virginia PTA Resolution

Suggestions for Individuals Who Are Considering Writing a PTA Convention Resolution on Dyslexia for Their State:

 Consult your state PTA’s guidelines and procedures for submitting a resolution, and view any written or video tips. These can usually be easily located on your state’s PTA website.

  • Form a team to do the research, writing, and creation of the documentation for submittal. Consider collaborating with another state PTA who has successfully submitted a dyslexia resolution.
  • Address all the areas of desired change in your resolve statements. Refer to the mission/goals of your state’s branch of Decoding Dyslexia (decodingdyslexia.net) and the International Dyslexia Association (www.dyslexiaida.org/).
  • Use a cloud-based collaboration tool, such as Google Drive, so everyone on the team has easy access to the current working draft, research articles, etc.
  • Because national PTA resolutions require all sources to be from within the last six years, most states have a five-year requirement for cited sources. Unfortunately, much of the foundational information cited on dyslexia websites is older and doesn’t meet this requirement. You will need access to complete research articles (not just abstracts). Consider contacting a local university to get access to a digital academic library for your research.
  • Use Google Scholar for your research, and use formal APA citation style for citations to all articles and websites that you review—noting the pages and particular lines that you will reference in the Index tab of the submittal.
  • Try to manage page count as you go. You may end up needing to swap some articles for others due to page-count limitations.
  • For the final submittal, mark up the electronic versions of your sources with a pdf editing tool (such as Adobe Acrobat), and print the pages that have underlining.
  • Partner with your state’s branch of Decoding Dyslexia to identify dyslexia advocates who are also PTA members and leaders so you can create awareness and support from voting delegates prior to your state’s PTA convention.

Contributing Authors:

Rachel Hurd (California), School Board Liaison and Advisor to San Ramon Valley Council of PTAs, Regional Manager for Decoding Dyslexia CA & parent of two dyslexic children.  Contact:  rachelhurd.ddca@gmail.com

Lorraine Hightower (Virginia), 2016 Virginia PTA “Child Advocate of the Year,” Regional Leader for Decoding Dyslexia Virginia & parent of a dyslexic child.  Contact: decodingdyslexialoudoun@gmail.com

Karee Atkinson (Utah), President of Decoding Dyslexia UT, DD-UT Representative on the Utah State PTA Special Needs Committee & parent of two dyslexic childrenContact:  kakaree1@gmail.com


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