NEWS & EVENTS

New grant looks to boost literacy effort for New York City’s students struggling to read

To help combat alarmingly low literacy rates and help underserved youth, the New York Community Trust awarded a $150,000 grant to the Literacy Academy Collective....

NYC plans to close Brooklyn school, open new ‘literacy academy’ for struggling readers

City officials want to close a shrinking Brooklyn school, replacing it with a new one designed to help struggling readers, modeled on an innovative program that launched last year in the Bronx.

Left Behind - Documentary Screening

We’re excited to announce the release of Left Behind, a gripping documentary that chronicles LAC’s journey to open the nation’s first public school for students with dyslexia.

The Path Forward: Transforming Literacy Instruction

Literacy Academy Collective is proud to have been working hard all year facilitating a state-wide conversation through Hunt Institute's The Path Forward...

Regents briefed on work to improve reading instruction

Chancellor Young: 'It is unconscionable that children are not learning to read'

Power to the Parents Ep 3: Beyond the Alphabet: Advocacy for Dyslexic Learners

This conversation explores the challenges and experiences of a parent advocating for her dyslexic children in the public school system.

CBS News - The Science of Reading: Schools taking direct aim at challenges posed by dyslexia

When kids fall behind on their reading, it can be easy to blame the school, the teachers or even the curriculum, and while sometimes bad instruction is to blame, undiagnosed dyslexia can be at the heart of the issue.

New York to rethink how teacher prep programs approach literacy instruction

Teacher preparation programs in New York and across the country have long faced criticism for not adequately training future educators to teach literacy, in part by failing to embrace long-standing evidence about how children learn to read.

City’s first public school for dyslexic students opens in Mott Haven

The South Bronx Literacy Academy, a school for second- and third-grade students with dyslexia and other reading disabilities, opened two weeks ago as the new school year began.

N.Y.C. to Launch School Dedicated to Dyslexia

New York City is designating its first school explicitly for students with dyslexia. The initiative will also screen detained or incarcerated students for difficulty with reading.

NY Daily News: NYC to start dedicated school for dyslexia, screening program at Rikers Island

New York City will grow its smorgasbord of dyslexia initiatives this fall — from the first district school explicitly for students with the learning disability, to screening detained or incarcerated students for difficulty reading.

Chalkbeat: Meet the principal of NYC’s first district school exclusively for students who struggle to read

In September, New York City’s education department plans to open the city’s first traditional public school exclusively devoted to students with dyslexia and other reading issues.

The Literacy View: Ep.22 - NYC Continues to Use Teachers College Reading Curriculum Despite Push for Change

Naomi Peña has spent years fighting the NYC school system to help her dyslexic children. Finally, she’s working with the Department of Education to launch the Literacy Academy Collective, a pilot program founded by parents to better serve students with dyslexia.

New York lags in helping struggling readers. Can Mayor Eric Adams’ pilot dyslexia program help?

MANHATTAN, N.Y. — When Naomi Peña’s first-born child was having trouble reading 16 years ago, teachers at his public school chalked it up to behavior problems.

First Person Podcast: Kids Aren’t Learning to Read. This Mom Has a Surprising Solution.

Naomi Peña doesn’t think parents should have to sue so their kids can learn to read.

Science of Reading Podcast: From the community, for the community: Grassroots organizing, with Naomi Peña & Akeela Azcuy

Community and education activist Naomi Peña and clinical psychologist Dr. Akeela Azcuy knew that, as moms of struggling readers themselves, they had the opportunity to advocate for not only their own children but all children.

Dealing with dyslexia in NYC Public Schools

Mayor Eric Adams has repeatedly promised a brand-new approach to reading and literacy for students this coming school year.

Spectrum News: Parents play a major role in new dyslexia pilot program

Naomi Peña has spent well more than a decade fighting the city’s school system to help dyslexic students — like her own four children.

How the city is helping students with dyslexia

Dyslexia is believed to affect 20% of the population, and for the city's public schools, that could mean hundreds of thousands of students.

Chalkbeat: NYC is promising to overhaul literacy in NYC schools. What will it take?

This fall, changes are coming to New York City classrooms.

A Conversation with Dyslexia Activists, Dr. Akeela Azcuy and Naomi Peña

Daniel spoke to a couple of the co-founders of the Literacy Academy Collective, Naomi Peña & Dr. Akeela Azcuy

Educating All Learners Alliance

Episode 43: 5 Minutes with Literacy Academy Collective

The Village Radio Talk Show

Advocacy for the Youth

Bloomberg: New York City Plans to Screen Every Student for Dyslexia for the First Time

Lack of screenings contrast with policies in place across the rest of US

CBS News: New York City to screen all students for dyslexia, with specialized instruction starting in the fall

New York City is embarking on a landmark program to assess all public school students for dyslexia and provide targeted, specialized instruction to help them reach their full potential.

The New York Times: Mayor Adams Unveils Program to Address Dyslexia in N.Y.C. Schools

The mayor, who has dyslexia himself, would open two new schools, train teachers and direct schools to use phonics-based lessons as a way to address a literacy crisis in the city.

NY1: Adams: All public school students to be screened for dyslexia

The city will assess all students to determine if they are at risk of dyslexia — and will launch new pilot programs offering targeted support to students with the reading disability, officials announced Thursday.

Harlem World: Mayor Adams Chancellor Banks Announce Comprehensive Approach To Support Students With Dyslexia

New York City Mayor Eric Adams and New York City Department of Education (DOE) Chancellor David C. Banks today announced the largest, most comprehensive approach to supporting public school students with dyslexia in the United States.

NY Daily News: NYC unveils sweeping new plan to support kids with dyslexia

The New York City Education Department revealed a sweeping, school system-wide plan Thursday to help kids with dyslexia — a cause near and dear to Mayor Adams’ heart.

Univision: La prueba que harán todas las escuelas de NYC a sus estudiantes, por iniciativa de Eric Adams

En vista de que la ciudad enfrenta una “crisis de alfabetización”, en alcalde Eric Adams está impulsando un agresivo plan para detectar la dislexia en los estudiantes de la ciudad de Nueva York.u

AMNY: Adams and Banks announce new approach to supporting students with dyslexia

New York City Mayor Adams and Schools Chancellor David C. Banks announced plans for a new approach to educating and supporting students with dyslexia.

New York Post: NYC public school kids to be screened for dyslexia, Eric Adams says

Big Apple public school students will soon be evaluated for risk of dyslexia as part of a broader effort to boost resources for children with the learning disability, Mayor Eric Adams vowed Thursday.

Gothamist: NYC will screen public school students for dyslexia for first time

Mayor Eric Adams will launch new pilot programs for students with dyslexia at two public schools, and increased literacy screenings at scores of others...

Identifying dyslexia early: NYC to provide literacy screeners to all public school students

STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. — New York City will provide literacy screeners to all public school students to identify those at risk of dyslexia and provide supports they need to succeed, Mayor Eric Adams announced on Thursday.

NYC schools slated to receive $7.4M to address dyslexia: What does that mean for students?

The budget includes funding for dyslexia screeners and programs, according to a report by Gothamist, as well as new school buildings in Harlem and the Bronx designated to support students.

TYT's The Conversation

Literacy Academy Collective Co-Founder Naomi Peña joins Adrienne Lawrence on The Conversation to talk about her efforts to start a school geared towards dyslexic learners.