Overview

Literacy is a human right and serves as the foundation for how we learn, work, make decisions, engage with our communities, socialize, and care for ourselves. For many children with dyslexia, basic literacy has been out of reach. The work of the ODRD, outlined in this Strategic Plan, is organized to achieve our mission through addressing the needs of students with dyslexia, their families and communities, and the educators who teach them. Three strategic priorities orient the work of the office to meet legislative charges, provide support for successful implementation of initiatives, and achieve outcomes aligned with the needs of interest holders across the state. These strategic priorities highlight the core statutory responsibilities of the office while providing opportunities to respond flexibly to changing needs of interest holders and support shared goals of improved literacy outcomes across Connecticut State Department of Education initiatives.

The core priorities of the office reflect the legislative charges established in C.G.S. Sections 10-14z through 10-14dd, and responsibilities designated to the office by the Bureau of Special Education (BSE) related to the information and assistance provision of C.G.S. Section 10-3d. The actions described below directly address those legislative charges and detail opportunities to advance each strategic priority through initiatives that support successful and sustainable implementation.

Strategic Priority 1 includes actions that bring clarity to the essential evidence-based knowledge and practices required for educators to successfully develop the reading and writing skills of students with dyslexia and other reading disabilities. This includes the development of a comprehensive set of evidence-based structured literacy and dyslexia competencies to be achieved by educators and the dissemination of related resources for educator preparation providers, educator preparation program faculty, and local and regional boards of education. The actions included under Strategic Priority 1 are intended to ensure that Connecticut-trained educators are well prepared to meet the challenge of effectively preparing each student, including students with dyslexia and other reading disabilities, for learning, life, and work beyond school.

Strategic Priority 2 includes actions to verify compliance with legislative requirements in educator preparation, professional learning, and credentialing that are aligned with scientific evidence-based reading research. This includes verification that dyslexia-focused legislative requirements have been implemented in educator preparation programs and completed by certification applicants, and that webinars and trainings developed or endorsed by the Connecticut State Department of Education are aligned to the structured literacy and dyslexia competencies. The actions included under Strategic Priority 2 are intended to ensure accountability to scientific evidence-based reading research through verification of the implementation of programming that is aligned with the scientific evidence base.

Strategic Priority 3 includes actions to support the needs of students with dyslexia, their families and communities, and the educators who teach them by providing information and assistance to Connecticut families and school districts. This includes direct assistance and the development of guidance resources, presentations, and other professional, family, and community learning opportunities related to dyslexia and reading disabilities. The actions included under Strategic Priority 3 are intended to flexibly respond to the stated needs of students, families, communities, and educators and expand the capacity of school districts to meet the challenge of effectively preparing each student, including students with dyslexia and other reading disabilities, for learning, life, and work beyond school.

The Office of Dyslexia and Reading Disabilities’ inaugural strategic priorities advance the office toward realizing the vision that all public schools are regarded as the standard of excellence for students with dyslexia and other reading disabilities. As this plan is implemented, all work across the office will be aligned with the vision and mission articulated here and carried out with consideration for team values.