About Us
We are concerned with the limited access to educational interventions for dyslexia within our public schools and communities. This page is a place to find resources, network with others in your area, and strategize on how best to affect public policy in support of individuals with dyslexia. Help us spread the word!
Our group is made up of parents of children who are dyslexic. We are not experts, nor are we a business or educational organization. We can only offer you the benefit of our collective experiences. We encourage parents to meet with local policy-makers to tell their child’s story and ask for legislation to identify and support dyslexic children in our public schools.
What we do
“Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed citizens can change the world”
-Margret Mead
Provide Parents with Support
We provide support to parents as they try to seek help for their children. We share our experiences of getting help for our own children to help parents navigate a road with many paths and new lingo.
Provide Educators with Knowledge
We want all teachers to know the signs of Dyslexia. Dyslexia affects 1 in 5 students. That means every teacher in every classroom has a student with dyslexia. Providing students with reading instruction utilizing a structured literacy approach can allow students with dyslexia to learn to read.
Advocate for Students, families, and educators
We advocate for students with dyslexia at the local, state, and federal levels. We review existing and proposed legislation to ensure that students with dyslexia receive the help they need. We host a Day at the Capitol to share the stories of parents, educators, and, most importantly, students with elected officials.
Our Leadership Team
built on shared experiences
We are a group of parents and educators who volunteer to advocate and educate. Our leadership team, many of whom have family members with dyslexia, also have full-time jobs and families. While we want to help, we ask that you are mindful that we are not always available.
We have created an online community to assist families with disabilities. Our team regularly monitors the community to provide families with the most effective practices. We hope you will join our growing Facebook Network.
What can you do?
Join our advocacy work
There are so many things that you can do to help. Most of them are simple and don’t require a commitment to DDOK.
- Spread the word. Share our website and Facebook page with your family, friends, teachers, and fellow parents. There may be someone that you know whose child is struggling and may think they are alone trying to help their child. So many don’t know the signs of dyslexia. There have been many teachers who have said they wish they had known how to help. You may be that person who demystifies dyslexia and changes the life of a child, family, or teacher.
- Call your Congressional Representative and ask them to join The Bipartisan Congressional Dyslexia Caucus and support The READ Act HR3033. The Research Excellence and Advancement for Dyslexia Act or the READ Act requires the National Science Foundation to devote specified funding to support dyslexia research with the goal of practical application. How: Find your representative here:
- Write your story. Nothing is more powerful than hearing the struggle of a child. Help lawmakers and the public understand how the system has failed your child and so many more that might not have a voice or an advocate. We are often asked to share stories with our representatives.
- Dyslexia Day at the Capitol. Register to join us at Dyslexia Day at the Capitol, or if you can’t join us, call you Representatives that day and ask them to support Dyslexia. We are asking you to register to ensure every representative hears a personal story and receives an informational packet. If you are not sure who your representatives are, we will help you find out. Ask us to help you find your Representative by filling out our Contact US page and providing your City and Zip Code.
- Follow us on Twitter. Twitter is an easy way to connect with our State and Federal Representatives. The State Superintendent Joy Hofmeister is very active on Twitter and very active in the #OkalEd conversations. From time to time, we will reach out asking for your help sharing specific messages.