Dyslexia Information & Resources

Audio Books for Students with Dyslexia

Accessible Books for Students with Dyslexia

Accessible Books for Students with Dyslexia Flyer

All students with qualifying print disabilities have the availability of three excellent resources for Audio Books for their entire educational career.

Wylie ISD enrolls all students identified with Dyslexia in Learning Ally and provides instruction for use of this learning tool within the Dyslexia program.

Learning Ally: Learning Ally has 80,000 + human-narrated audio books available to individuals with print disabilities. The materials can be delivered through internet downloads and accessed using various mainstream and assistive technology devices. Through a contract with TEA, Learning Ally offers free memberships to Texas K-12 public and charter schools with qualifying students.
Bookshare: an accessible online library which has over 500,000 titles available to individuals with print disabilities. Through an award from the U.S. Department of Education Office of Special Education Programs (OSEP), Bookshare offers free memberships to U.S. schools and qualifying U.S. students.
The Talking Book Program (TBP) provides free library services to qualifying Texans with visual, physical, or reading disabilities. TBP is part of the National Library Service to the Blind and Print Disabled, a program administered by the Library of Congress. The TBP collection consists of more than 100,000 titles, including hundreds of titles in Spanish, and some in French, German, Russian, and other languages.

If any student or parent is interested in applying for a membership to Bookshare or the Talking Book Program, the campus Dyslexia therapist or counselor can provide the certification for your individual membership.

Dyslexia Contacts

Title	Name	Phone	Email
District Coordinator	Jamie Fletcher	972-429-2365	jamie.fletcher@wylieisd.net
Akin Elementary	Heather Outlaw	972-429-3000, ext. 6231	heather.outlaw@wylieisd.net
Birmingham Elementary	Jamie Dunkle	972-429-3000, ext. 6006	jamie.dunkle@wylieisd.net
Bush Elementary	Whitney Grammer	972-429-3000, ext 2600	witney.grammer@wylieisd.net
Cox Elementary	Allyson Palmer	972-429-3000, ext. 7058	allyson.palmer@wylieisd.net
Dodd Elementary	Kalie Sires	972-429-3000, ext. 5618	kalie.sires@wylieisd.net
Dodd Elementary / Davis Intermediate	Carol Leonard	972-429-3000, ext. 5619	carol.leonard@wylieisd.net
Groves Elementary	Chelsea Chilcott	972-429-3000, ext. 6443	chelsea.chilcott@wylieisd.net
Hartman Elementary	Sarah Johnson	972-429-3000, ext. 6320	sarah.johnson@wylieisd.net
Smith Elementary	Michelle Horak	972-429-3000, ext. 6530	michelle.horak@wylieisd.net
Tibbals Elementary	Karen Turner	972-429-3000, ext. 2520	Karen.Turner@wylieisd.net
Watkins Elementary	Angie Wilsford	972-429-3000, ext. 2583	angie.wilsford@wylieisd.net
Watkins Elementary	Candice Alegria	972-429-3000, ext. 2583	candice.alegria@wylieisd.net
Whitt Elementary	Sharla Palmer	972-429-3000, ext. 5522	sharla.palmer@wylieisd.net
Davis Intermediate	Jessica Badgett	972-429-3000, ext. 6580	jessica.badgett@wylieisd.net
Draper Intermediate	LaNaye Reid	972-429-3000, ext. 3350	lanaye.reid@wylieisd.net
Harrison Intermediate	Erin Walters	972-429-3000, ext. 6638	erin.walters@wylieisd.net
Burnett Junior High	Teresa Abrams	972-429-3000, ext. 6165	teresa.abrams@wylieisd.net
Cooper Junior High	Sarah McReynolds	972-429-3000, ext. 6330	sarah.mcreynolds@wylieisd.net
McMillan Junior High	Renee Kelley	972-429-3000, ext. 3225	renee.kelley@wylieisd.net
Wylie East High School	Teresa Abrams	972-429-3000, ext. 6165	teresa.abrams@wylieisd.net
Wylie High School	Sarah McReynolds	972-429-3000, ext. 6330	sarah.mcreynolds@wylieisd.net

Dyslexia Handbook

On September 3rd, 2021, the State Board of Education (SBOE) gave final approval for updates to the Dyslexia Handbook. Some of the updates to the Dyslexia Handbook may require LEAs to make policy, procedure, and practice changes. The updated Dyslexia Handbook will go into effect on February 10th, 2022.

The handbook contains guidelines for school districts to follow as they identify and provide services for students with dyslexia. In addition, information regarding the state's dyslexia statutes and their relation to various federal laws is included. The changes to the handbook are summarized for parents in English and Spanish by TEA.

The updated Texas Dyslexia Handbook, linked below, is in effect as of February 10th, 2022.

Dyslexia Identification

Wylie ISD Evaluation and Identification Processes

Identification of Dyslexia in Wylie ISD follows the procedures outlined under TAC §74.28.

Parent Request or RtI Team reviews student data and determines that the student exhibits characteristics of dyslexia or other specific learning disability.
RtI Team begins the process for Referral - completing the necessary paperwork for a FIIE.
RtI Team notifies the Diagnostician that the student is being referred for evaluation. The Diagnostician prepares the Notice and Consent and procedural safeguard paperwork for a full FIIE.
RtI Team/Dyslexia Therapist/Diagnostician meets with and shares the student data, Dyslexia Evaluation and Identification Flyer, link to the current TEA Dyslexia Handbook and the Notice and Consent and procedural safeguards for a full FIIE to Parents.
If the parent consents to a full FIIE, the Diagnostician is contacted and Special Education will conduct the evaluation. The Evaluation timeline begins the date consent is signed. Diagnostician and Dyslexia Therapists will work in collaboration to complete the assessment.
If the parent denies full FIIE by indicating a decision on the Consent for FIE document, an evaluation will be offered through Section 504. Notice and consent through Section 504 along with the Procedural Safeguards / Parent Rights through Section 504 are provided to the parent. The Dyslexia Therapists will complete the assessment and evaluation will be completed through Section 504.
After the evaluation is completed, the ARD or Section 504 Committee meets to interpret test results. It is recommended that the committee also include members who have specific knowledge regarding
- the reading process
- dyslexia and related disorders, and
- dyslexia instruction

Once the Dyslexia Assessment is completed, the data is presented to both the parent and the ARD or 504 Committee and academic decisions are made to most appropriately meet the needs of the student.

Dyslexia Assessment Components

NOTE: Individual testing follows this general list. However, since dyslexia is manifested in various forms and levels of severity, it may be necessary to revise this list of tests as the Diagnostician or Dyslexia Therapist deems appropriate. At no time, however, will the integrity of the specific tests used be compromised. All test administrations used will comply with the instructions of the test manual as well as the identification components outlined in the TEA Dyslexia Procedures Handbook.

Strengths & Weaknesses:

Teacher Observation Record
Parent Questionnaire

Alphabet and Sequencing:

Oral and written alphabet
Woodcock Reading Mastery Test III (WRMT III): Letter ID
Phonological Awareness Test – Letters/Sounds subtest

Rapid Automatic Naming of letters and objects:

Subtests from Comprehensive Test of Phonological Processing (CTOPP-2)
Tests the student’s ability to rapidly recall the names of objects and letter forms

Phonological Awareness Assessment using one of the following instruments:

Phonological Awareness Test (PAT)
Comprehensive Test of Phonological Processing (CTOPP-2)

Word Recognition:

Woodcock Reading Mastery Test III (WRMT III): Word Identification
Test of Word Reading Efficiency (TOWRE-2): Sight Words List

Word Attack (Decoding):

Woodcock Reading Mastery Test III (WRMT III): Word Attack
Test of Word Reading Efficiency (TOWRE): Phonetic Decoding List

Reading Comprehension:

Woodcock Reading Mastery Test III (WRMT III): Passage Comprehension
Gray Oral Reading Test (GORT 5): Comprehension

Accuracy & Fluency:

Gray Oral Reading Test (GORT 5): Accuracy & Fluency

Spelling:

Test of Written Spelling 4 (TWS-5)

Dyslexia Intervention

Three types of instruction are implemented:

Students identified as having dyslexia in grades 2 – 12 are served with one of the following interventions (all of which meet the descriptors according to the State of Texas Dyslexia Procedures Handbook):

Early intervention interventions for grades K-1 include Rite Flight, Lexia or other research-based interventions for Phonological Awareness.
Alpha-phonics (grades 2 – 6)
Language Science (grades 7 – 12)

The research-based curriculum used in grades 2-12 is Take Flight (Texas Scottish Rite Hospital) or Phonics Blitz (Really Great Reading)

Schedule of classes:

Approximately 6 students per class
Scheduled 45 min. to 1 hour per day, 5 days per week
Elementary program is a "pull-out" situation
Secondary program is a scheduled class - reading or elective.
Early Intervention Programs are implemented by campus & student need.

Time line for instruction:

Early Intervention Programs are generally for the duration of K and 1st grade, as long as needed by the student.
Alpha-phonics is usually completed in 3 - 4 years.
Language Science can usually be completed in 3 years.

The major instructional strategies used in the Dyslexia Program in Wylie ISD utilize individualized, intensive, multisensory methods, containing writing and spelling components, and include the following descriptors:

Graphophonemic Knowledge: explicit, synthetic, and analytic phonics
Linguistic: patterns of language
Meaning based: purposeful reading and writing
Multisensory: simultaneous use of more than one sensory pathway
Phonemic Awareness: detect, segment, blend, and manipulate sounds in spoken language
Process Oriented: decoding & encoding which lead to word recognition, fluency, and comprehension
Language Structure: morphology, semantics, syntax, and pragmatics
Explicit and Direct Instruction: systematic, sequential, and cumulative
Individualized Instruction: small group instruction to meet the needs of individual students
Intensive, Highly Concentrated Instruction: containing components of Instruction mandated in 19 TAC §74.28

Dyslexia Links

Academic Language Therapy Association (ALTA)
Helpline/Hopeline
972-907-3924
Bookshare
Audio books
Charles Schwab Foundation
International Dyslexia Association
Learning Ally
Audio books
512-323-9390
Lexia (software)
National Center for Learning Disabilities
National Institutes of Child Health & Human Development
Texas Dyslexia HotLine
Dyslexia Coordinators: Gina Mitchel & Virginia Gonzalez
800-232-3030 ext. 1454 or 1410
Texas Scottish Rite Hospital
Luke Waites Child Development Center
Texas Talking Books
For free audio novels
The Center for Brain Health
Research in ADHD conducted by UTD

Dyslexia Screening (Kinder, 1st and 7th Grade)

In 2017, the 85th Texas Legislature passed House Bill (HB) 1886, amending TEC §38.003, Screening and Treatment for Dyslexia, to require that all kindergarten and first-grade public school students be screened for dyslexia and related disorders. Additionally, the law requires that all students beyond first grade be screened or tested as appropriate.

Texas Education Code §38.003 mandates that kindergarten students be screened at the end of the school year. The grade 1 screening must conclude no later than January 31 of each year.

Wylie ISD incorporates Dyslexia screening into the existing comprehensive RtI processes on our Elementary Campuses. Wylie ISD utilizes NWEA/MAP Growth as our district Universal Screener. The adaptive assessment gives a clear picture of what each student knows and is ready to learn next. Utilizing the results of Goal 1, Foundational Reading skills, our teams are able to focus on areas of concern in Phonological Awareness. Wylie ISD also utilizes the Fontes & Pinel BAS Reading Assessment for reading accuracy data along with detailed teacher observation data. MAP Spanish Screener will be utilized by Spanish speakers whose strongest language is Spanish in addition to the above-mentioned data.

The teacher records the following observation items from Guided Reading/BAS testing, classroom observations, and testing for each student:

Lacks knowledge of all 26 letters
Lacks knowledge of letter sounds
Difficulty reading words in isolation
Difficulty spelling sight words
Difficulty spelling phonetically
Lack of automaticity
Difficulty sounding out words left to right
Frequent guessing
Fails to Self correct
Inability to focus on reading
Avoidance Behavior
Family History of Dyslexia

Using the cumulative student data gathered, the RtI team, administration, and Dyslexia therapists work together to analyze and make recommendations for the students including interventions, RtI and possible Dyslexia evaluation. The Pathway for Identification and Provision of Instruction for students with Dyslexia flowchart is used to guide these discussions. Referrals are processed through this team and must include parent notification if the student is suspected to be at risk for Dyslexia.

Wylie ISD Screening Timeline

Wylie ISD 1st Grade Dyslexia Screening (per TEA due annually by January 1)

Dyslexia Overview and Screening Training in January, 1st Grade PLC
BAS Reading Benchmark and Reading NWEA MAP MOY window: Jan 4 -13, 2023
Observation data completed by 1st-grade teams due Friday, Jan 27, 2023
Student data reviewed by Dyslexia therapists and students ranked and identified as at-risk for Dyslexia by January 31, 2023
February PLC/RtI for continued data analysis, RtI and Evaluation discussions.
Parent Notification if a student is identified as at-risk for Dyslexia - Spring 2023

Wylie ISD Kindergarten Dyslexia Screening (per TEA due by 5/26/23)

Dyslexia Overview and Screening Training in April 2022 Kinder PLC
BAS Reading Benchmark and Reading NWEA MAP EOY window is May 1-12, 2023
Campus spreadsheets for observation data will be shared on Wed, May 15, 2023, with Therapists and Admin.
Observation data completed by Kinder teams due by Friday, May 22, 2023
Student data reviewed by Dyslexia therapists and students ranked and identified as at-risk for Dyslexia by May 29, 2023
Parent Notification if a student is identified as at-risk for Dyslexia - Summer 2023
August 2023 initial PLC's to include continued data analysis, RtI and Evaluation discussions.

Esperanza Resources

Esperanza is a Spanish multisensory, structured language approach for reading, writing and spelling. The Esperanza program addresses the five components of effective reading instruction identified by the National Reading Panel’s Research: phonemic awareness, phonics, fluency, vocabulary and reading comprehension.

Phonemic Awareness – following established procedures for explicitly teaching speech sound identification, discrimination, manipulation, and omission
Phonics – providing a systematic approach for single word decoding
Fluency – using research-proven directed practice in repeated reading of words, phrases and passages to help students read newly encountered text more fluently
Vocabulary – featuring multiple word learning strategies (contextual, structural, definitional) and explicit teaching techniques for application in text
Reading Comprehension – teaching students to explicitly use and articulate multiple comprehension strategies (i.e., cooperative learning, story structure, question answering and generation, summarization and comprehension monitoring).

Level 1 is called “Lenguaje y Lectura” and it is appropriate for kindergarten.

Level 2 is Esperanza, and it is designed for students in 1st-2nd grade or for those students who are at that level of reading.

Once the Esperanza program is completed you may incorporate the WELLS (Working with English Language Learners) program, which is the Esperanza transition program in English that can later be introduced so that the student can then apply his or her knowledge of phonology, phonics, vocabulary, and the rules of one language for the acquisition of the second language.