In a perfect world – all teachers would have more than a superficial – or myth-filled – understanding of dyslexia.

Sadly, however, too many of even the very best teachers do not know much about dyslexia. But please, there’s no use blaming them. How would they know? Dyslexia is barely even touched upon in education programs at universities and colleges in the US. Don’t you think if most teachers were made aware of the prevalence, the early signs of dyslexia, the indicators beyond reading and writing, and the fact that there is very specific help – they’d want to do something about it? Of course. Unfortunately, the right resources and training aren’t available to teachers who want to help. So they’re stuck.

In that same perfect world – schools would respond and be proactive in addressing the needs of their dyslexic students.

But so many just don’t.

For my own sanity, I have to believe that the lack of response and action plans demonstrated by many schools is only because of lack of knowledge. If they knew, they’d help. Wouldn’t they?

I hear over and again the struggles that parents face only to end up with no meaningful progress and withering self esteem for their children and themselves due to the endless frustration over the inability to affect change.

Here’s the fact: without the right help, struggling readers continue to struggle.

Studies repeatedly confirm that more than 80 percent of all students receiving special education services under an IEP are dyslexic, however, very few school systems have in place a response specifically for dyslexia.

For some reason, dyslexia – the most prevalent of all learning challenges – remains somewhat off the radar. For schools to compartmentalize dyslexia from literacy measurements seems incongruent at the very least, and in cases when educators are armed with information yet no changes are made, it’s closer to negligent .

In October 2015, the US Department of Education issued a Letter to Colleagues advising schools they must say dyslexia and respond to the needs of their dyslexic students.

I write today to focus particularly on the unique educational needs of children with dyslexia, dyscalculia, and dysgraphia, which are conditions that could qualify a child as a child with a specific learning disability under the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA). — Michael K. Yudin

I can’t help but wonder how long is a reasonable amount of time for schools to process and implement that direction. When well-informed friend recently mentioned dyslexia to school reading specialist, who then proceeded to declare, “I don’t have any students who are dyslexic,” its pretty safe to say change can’t come soon enough.