Hello and welcome back! On today’s episode of the Orton-Gillingham Podcast, we are speaking with special guest Jeanine Cyrwus about Dyslexia in D.C.

Jeanine has an M.Ed. in Special Education and a Certificate of Advanced Graduate Studies in Education Leadership. She also has a Dyslexia Advocacy Certificate from the Dyslexia Training Institute.

Jeanine has an impressive 20 years of experience in the field of Special Education, with her focus being on learning difficulties and dyslexia. Positions that Jeanine has held include Classroom Special Education Teacher, Learning Specialist, Language Arts Coordinator at Oakwood School, and most recently, the Director of Outreach and Literacy at Oakwood School.

When asked about her passion, Jeanine responded, “I'm a mother to a child with dyslexia, dysgraphia and ADHD and I know what it's like to see your child struggle to read, not get appropriate intervention, and watch as this impacts their self-esteem.”

Jeanine joins us today to talk with us about her time in D.C. attending a Congressional Dyslexia Panel. In this panel, members of the Senate and Congress discussed the 21st Century Dyslexia Act. This bill will allow students to be identified by their school as students with dyslexia and will get them the specialized help they need to succeed.

So, what is the status of this bill, and why hasn’t it been passed yet? Jeanine goes through the ins and outs with our hosts and shares what you as a listener can do to help move this bill along and get it passed. Check the links below to see how to contact your state legislators about passing the 21st Century Dyslexia Act today!

DON’T FORGET!

In honor of National Reading Month, the Orton-Gillingham Podcast has launched a contest. All you have to do is go to our Facebook page at the link below and comment on this post what you are currently reading, and your name will be entered into a drawing to win a $500 donation to a library of your choosing. Hurry, because the contest ends on March 13th!

Contest Facebook Post

We want to thank Jeanine Cyrwus for joining us today and to remind everyone to make sure to check the links below for the resources discussed in today’s episode.

Have any questions or comments you would like to share? Make sure to reach out to us using the email below or send us a voicemail to be addressed in a future episode!

Also make sure to follow us on all social media and check out our YouTube for visual resources.

Thank you and see you next time! 

Oakwood School 

21st Century Dyslexia Act

IDEA Act

Phonics First® Level I In-Person Course - Annandale, VA July 24-28, 2023 (8:30 AM - 3:30 PM EST) 

National Center on Improving Literacy

Decoding Dyslexia 

Decoding Dyslexia VA – Action Alert Campaign 

List of Senators and Congressmen and women supporting the 21st Century Dyslexia Act 

Senate: 

Senator Cassidy - Louisiana 

Senator Kennedy - Louisiana 

Senator Scott – South Carolina 

Senator Graham – South Carolina 

Senator Braun - Indiana 

Senator Hickenlooper - Colorado 

Congress: 

Rep. Westerman - Arkansas 

Rep. Brownley - California 

Rep. Bucshon - Indianna 

Rep. McGovern - Massachusetts 

Rep. Palazzo- Mississippi 

Rep. Golden - Maine 

Rep. Manning – North Carolina 

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