Vermont’s literacy rates are falling, with half of Vermont’s third graders reading at a proficient level. That rate is lower for children of color, kids with learning differences, or those living in poverty.
Dyslexia is a learning difference that involves difficulty reading due to problems identifying speech sounds and learning how those sounds relate to letters and words. Senate Bill 204, currently making its way through the Vermont legislature, would screen kids between kindergarten and third grade for learning differences, including dyslexia. The bill passed the Senate and is headed to the House for its consideration. We spoke with the bill's sponsor, Sen. Martine Larocque Gulick, a Chittenden-Central District Democrat, as well as Abby Roy, an evaluator from the Stern Center for Language and Learning, and Nicole Chick, a reading specialist and owner of Early Literacy Labs.
Broadcast live on Tuesday, April 2, 2024, at noon; rebroadcast at 7 p.m.
Have questions, comments, or tips? Send us a message or check us out on Instagram.
