Assembly Resolution No. 880

BY: M. of A. Rules (Simon)

MEMORIALIZING Governor Kathy Hochul to proclaim May 12, 2022, as Dyslexia Awareness Day in the State of New York

WHEREAS, It is the sense of this Legislative Body that the State of New York is committed to equal educational opportunities by identifying obstacles to educational advancement and helping to remove those obstacles; and

WHEREAS, Dyslexia, which often runs in families, is a language-based learning disability that is neurobiological in origin which interferes with language processing, accurate and/or fluent word recognition, spelling and decoding abilities and reading comprehension despite average or above average intelligence; and

WHEREAS, Dyslexia varies in severity ranging from mild to profound and is characterized by a combination of difficulties with phonological and orthographic processing leading to difficulties in reading, writing, spelling, handwriting and/or math which can create a wide gap between an individual's intellectual ability and their academic and/or personal achievement; and

WHEREAS, Dyslexia is identifiable as early as 4-6 years of age and early intervention is beneficial as the negative consequences are highly preventable through effective, direct instruction in phonemic awareness, phonics, fluency, vocabulary and comprehension, the five pillars of reading identified in 2000 by the National Reading Panel of the National Academy of Sciences; and

WHEREAS, Dyslexia can affect anyone, regardless of race, gender, culture or socioeconomic status and impacts up to 20% of the population; and

WHEREAS, Educators familiar with imparting to our children literacy skills built on the five pillars of reading can ensure that the benefits of good literacy, accrue to improved educational and life outcomes for New York's children; and

WHEREAS, Literacy skills for everyone is an important goal for the State of New York and dyslexia affects a high percentage of our struggling readers, and it is important that we learn to recognize and to address this learning difference so that each person in New York has the opportunity to be able to learn, read and spell proficiently and reach their full potential; now, therefore, be it

RESOLVED, That this Legislative Body pause in its deliberations to memorialize Governor Kathy Hochul to proclaim May 12, 2022, as Dyslexia Awareness Day in the State of New York; and be it further

RESOLVED, That a copy of this Resolution, suitably engrossed, be transmitted to The Honorable Kathy Hochul, Governor of the State of New York.