New York City Plans to Screen Every Student for Dyslexia for the First Time
Lack of screenings contrast with policies in place across the rest of US
Mayor Eric Adams greets students at a public elementary school in the Bronx borough of New York.
Photographer: Jeenah Moon/BloombergNew York City will screen every student for dyslexia for the first time starting in September, bringing the nation’s largest school system in line with education policies adopted in most of the US and directly addressing an issue that disproportionately impacts low-income students and schoolchildren of color.
“This is an equity issue,” said Mayor Eric Adams, who announced the program at a briefing on Thursday. “Screenings are expensive. They cost hundreds of dollars and many families can't afford it. This is going to remove that barrier and ensure every child in every Zip code receive the help they need.”