Dyslexia, a language-based learning challenge, currently affects 1 in 5 people in the U.S.

Neurological in origin, dyslexia is characterized by difficulties with accurate and fluent word recognition and by poor spelling and decoding abilities. Despite the learning challenge affecting 20% of the population, awareness is still very low.

The brains of those diagnosed oftentimes do not intertwine with public school education. Schools are not implementing the accredited curriculum with fidelity, therefore students are not succeeding and schools are not getting results in test score outcomes. Students with dyslexia and their families often feel unseen, with families searching for answers. Additionally, many individuals are not diagnosed until adulthood, and eye-opening statistics even prove a prevalence of dyslexia among the prison population.

The effort to support literacy for all and spread dyslexia awareness is a passionate mission for one local dyslexia advocate and business owner. Tammy Spencer, also once known as the “Dyslexia Lady of Houston ISD,” started Dyslexia School of Houston, along with the nonprofit organization, The Code Academy, in 2020. Located at 3642 University Blvd., Ste. 101, Houston, the tuition-based learning center focuses on four different factors: awareness, screening, assessment and support for students struggling with their literacy skills.

“At Dyslexia School of Houston, we believe in providing the first good instruction for students to succeed in their academics,” Spencer said. “We cater to each child’s unique educational needs and meet them exactly where they’re at in their academic journey. If they can’t learn the way we teach, we must teach the way they learn.”

The learning center assists students as young as 4 years old who are having issues with early language and literacy skills, as well as spelling, grammar and written composition. They also put an emphasis on teaching the lessons in person to better show students how the lips, tongue and teeth move when speaking, utilizing interactive and hands-on learning techniques. The ultimate goal at Dyslexia School of Houston is to help families better understand their children’s needs and help students get on the right path as early as possible.

“We practice prevention versus intervention, because while you can never truly prevent dyslexia, we believe the earlier you diagnose, the more you can prevent the social and emotional toll it can take on children and their families,” Spencer said.

Each student is equipped with an Individualized Education Plan to help tailor the education to their needs and all of their teachers are either a dyslexia practitioner, a Certified Academic Language Therapist and/or a Licensed Dyslexia Therapist. The learning center also takes pride in their 5:1 student-to-teacher ratio, meaning that every student is provided with personalized, intensive dyslexia therapy that delivers results.

“On average, a student confidently “decodes” in as little as 12 to 15 weeks, which is the true beauty of what we call the Science of Reading,” Spencer said.

A typical day for a student enrolled in the school is divided into three sections: a spelling deck, a reading deck and a writing deck, with no homework being assigned after school. The learning center offers multiple flexible options for when students attend class, with sessions taught from 8:30-11:30 a.m. and 1-4 p.m. Monday through Friday, as well as hour-long after school tutorials five times a week.

To enroll their children in school, parents can fill out an online application or call the school. After the application is approved, parents will receive a questionnaire to fill out and then a consultation will be scheduled between a teacher and the student. The consultation usually lasts between two to four hours over multiple visits. Applications are accepted on a rolling basis.

With the tuition costing $1,500 a month, The Code Academy was created as a way to give scholarships to students who cannot afford the monthly payments. Spencer stressed the importance of nonprofit, since it makes the services more accessible to more students who need the tutoring.

It is oftentimes difficult to navigate the best academic options for children diagnosed with dyslexia, as specialized private schools and tutors can be expensive while public schools tend to fail to provide students with the essential foundation to succeed. The Code Academy is fully committed to helping students with literacy challenges receive the education they deserve through scholarships to attend Dyslexia School of Houston.

Spencer does not make any money from the school, with all funds going toward paying the teachers as well as funding scholarships. With more donations, she would be able to open more locations to better reach other students in different areas who cannot make the trip into Houston.

In the future, it is Spencer’s goal to have locations all across Texas to help any student who might be struggling with dyslexia and not know it. Additionally, she hopes to provide access to dyslexia support without the financial barrier to individuals in need of literacy intervention through the nonprofit.

“The gift of a donation helps to ensure all students are afforded the opportunity to reach their full potential—join us in our goal of literacy for all,” Spencer said.

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