I am more surprised that NYC schools cannot handle a relatively common learning disability.
Public schools aren't typically equipped to teach to a small percentage of children who require a completely different method of teaching. And that method can change depending on what type of dyslexia the student has.
Dyslexia is easily misdiagnosed or overlooked, and requires relatively expensive testing and evaluation to properly identify, which school districts are often reluctant to fund. And when I say reluctant, i mean a school district may be inclined to go as far as outright lying to parents.
It's easily misdiagnosed because there's other symptoms that often go along with it. ADHD being very common. Behavioral problems are a common symptom as well, and for trusting parents the underlying issue may go undiagnosed for a long time. This can go as far as medicating children for behavioral issues where dyslexia is the root cause.
Lastly, schools or programs designed for dyslexic children aren't common place, and are much more costly for school districts, further fueling a districts reluctance to properly handle students who struggle in a typical classroom setting.
Parents of even middle class income can struggle to afford the testing to diagnose learning disabilities, the lawyer, time off from work to attend meetings in the middle of the day, or educational advocate to get the district to provide the help the student needs.
www.usatoday.com
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