TITLE: Recognizing February 4, 2015, as Dyslexia Awareness Day.

SUMMARY: Recognizing February 4, 2015, as Dyslexia Awareness Day.

FULL TEXT:
WHEREAS, Members of the Academic Language Therapy Association are gathering at the State Capitol on February 4, 2015, to commemorate Dyslexia Awareness Day; and WHEREAS, Established in 1986 and headquartered in Dallas, the Academic Language Therapy Association is a national organization that includes licensed dyslexia therapists and practitioners as well as parents and educators of students identified with dyslexia; the group is dedicated to the mission of helping to provide high quality services for students with dyslexia and related disorders; and WHEREAS, One in five students has a language-based disability, and dyslexia is the most common of these disabilities; and WHEREAS, A joint study by the Texas Department of Criminal Justice and The University of Texas Medical Branch in 2000 found that 48 percent of the Texas prison population was identified with dyslexia; and WHEREAS, The 2014 Public Education Information Management System data indicates that public school district identification of students with dyslexia varies across Texas from 16.69 percent in some schools to 0.21 percent in others; and WHEREAS, These findings demonstrate that language therapy for individuals with dyslexia is crucial; and WHEREAS, The Academic Language Therapy Association and its Texas chapter are making a positive and lasting difference in the lives of many young Texans, and the association indeed merits special commendation; now, therefore, be it RESOLVED, That the Senate of the State of Texas, 84th Legislature, hereby recognize February 4, 2015, as Dyslexia Awareness Day at the State Capitol and honor the members of the Academic Language Therapy Association and its Texas chapter for their efforts and achievements; and, be it further RESOLVED, That an official copy of this Resolution be prepared for the organization as an expression of high regard from the Texas Senate. Huffman President of the Senate I hereby certify that the above Resolution was adopted by the Senate on February 4, 2015.