New Dyslexia Task Force Formed, Orton Announced as Member

Last week Iowa Department of Education Director Ryan Wise announced members of a new state task force that will study the needs of students with dyslexia. 

The Dyslexia Task Force, established as part of Senate File 2360, will consider issues such as student screening, interventions, teacher preparation and professional development, classroom accommodations, and assistive technology. Recommendations are due by Nov. 15, 2019. 

“Dyslexia impacts thousands of children across the state, and I’m excited about this opportunity to bring together a group of knowledgeable, passionate Iowans to help make progress in meeting our students’ needs,” Wise said. “This work also aligns with Iowa’s early literacy initiative to ensure all students are reading on grade level by the end of third grade.” 

Task force members are: 
Lonna Anderson, Great Prairie Area Education Agency 
Helen Blitvich, Decoding Dyslexia Iowa 
Amy Conrad, University of Iowa 
Amy Dahlke, Decoding Dyslexia Iowa 
Sue Etscheidt, University of Northern Iowa 
Katie Greving, Decoding Dyslexia Iowa 
Elizabeth Hoksbergen, Apples of Gold Center for Learning, Inc. 
Erin Klopstad, Nevada Community School District 
Cindy Lewis, Pleasant Valley Community School District 
Kristin Orton, Heartland Area Education Agency 
Deborah Reed, Iowa Reading Research Center 
Kim Schmidt, Odebolt Arthur Battle Creek Ida Grove Community School District 
David Tilly, Iowa Department of Education