Available online 7 April 2024, 101376

Children with versus without dyslexia show functional and structural brain alterations.

Some brain alterations in struggling readers predate formal reading instruction.

Early atypical brain development underlines the importance of early identification.

Preventative education is often not the focus of educational policy.

Partnerships between parent organizations and researchers are a powerful policy driver.

Reading proficiency is crucial for academic, vocational, and economic success and has been closely linked to health outcomes. Unfortunately, in the United States, a concerning 63% of fourth-grade children are reading below grade level, with approximately 7%–10% exhibiting a disability in word reading, developmental dyslexia. Research in developmental cognitive neuroscience indicates that individuals with dyslexia show functional and structural brain alterations in regions processing reading and reading-related information, with some of these differences emerging as early as preschool and even infancy. This suggests that some children start schooling with less optimal brain architecture for learning to read, emphasizing the need for preventative education practices. This article reviews educational policies impacting children with dyslexia and highlights a decentralized parent-led grassroots movement, Decoding Dyslexia, which centers the voices of those directly impacted by dyslexia. It utilizes civic engagement practices, advocacy and lobbying on local, federal, and social media platforms, and strong partnerships with scientists to drive systems-level change in educational practices, leading to dyslexia prevention legislation across the U.S. The ongoing partnership continues to address the profound gaps between scientific findings and policymaking to drive system-level change for contemporary challenges in educational practices within a learning disabilities framework.

reading

dyslexia

learning disabilities

brain

neuroimaging

policy

© 2024 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Ltd.