AIM Institute's Deborah Lynam Joins Dyslexia Advocates in DC
AIM Institute for Learning & Research's Director of Partnerships and Engagement Deborah Lynam just returned from three days in Washington DC with dyslexia advocates from 17 states as part of the 5th annual Dyslexia Hill Day organized by Decoding Dyslexia parents.
This three day gathering of families, professionals and policy-makers on Capitol Hill focused on discussing current trends and upcoming federal legislative efforts impacting individuals with dyslexia.
Lynam participated in networking and panel discussions on Monday including presentations by organizations such as Made By Dyslexia and the new National Center for Improving Literacy. On Tuesday, at the 2nd Annual #SayDyslexia Rally, Lynam was asked to deliver closing remarks thanking all the hard-working volunteers who've been advocating so fiercely in their own states to bring awareness and resources for dyslexia into their local schools, communities and state legislatures.
Lynam also spent time visiting state Representatives and Senators to support overall education funding, resources within the Higher Education Act for teacher preparation programs and the RISE Act introduced by U.S. Senator Bob Casey of Pennsylvania.
The event came to a close on Wednesday morning with the annual National Center for Learning Disabilities Congressional Breakfast where four Congressional Representatives, including dyslexia caucus co-chair U.S. Representative Julia Brownley from California, confirmed their support for students with learning disabilities.
The breakfast also featured the release of a new resource spearheaded by NCLD in collaboration with 11 diverse national advocacy organizations including the AIM Institute called "5 Questions Parents and Educators Can Ask to Start Conversations About Using Terms Like Learning Disabilities, Dyslexia, Dyscalculia, and Dysgraphia." It was an honor for AIM to participate on the national workgroup developing the document and to now see the final collaborative product!
