As states across the country pass dyslexia legislation requiring evidence-based reading instruction, there is real reason for hope. For families like mine, these laws feel like long-overdue validation, proof that lawmakers are finally listening to what parents have been saying for years: Children deserve instruction rooted in the science of how reading actually works.
But hope without action is not enough. I am a parent whose child struggled for far too long in a system that did not know how to help him — and I am still an advocate, more than 10 years after I first began fighting for my own son. Today, I walk alongside families facing the same uphill battle: delayed identification, educators without the right training, interventions that don’t work, and months, often years, left lost while children fall further behind. And what I see, again and again, is this: Passing dyslexia legislation is not the finish line. It is the starting point.
Without intentional systems, sustained teacher training, and clear accountability developed in partnership with educators and families, these laws will not reach classrooms in meaningful ways. Policy alone does not change outcomes. If dyslexia legislation is going to truly improve students’ reading results, leaders must act by training every teacher in Structured Literacy, building accountability systems that measure impact rather than compliance, and creating authentic opportunities to listen to and partner with parents. Our students cannot afford a delay. The laws are in place. Now it’s time to make them real.
Train every teacher in structured literacy
Dyslexia mandates will only succeed if educators are equipped with a clear understanding of how reading develops and how to teach it effectively. Right now, too many teachers are being asked to meet new expectations without the preparation they need. Research consistently shows that only about half of in-service teachers report feeling prepared to teach students with dyslexia, even as dyslexia affects roughly 1 in 5 students and the majority of those with learning disabilities.
If we want these literacy laws to translate into better outcomes for students, Structured Literacy training cannot be limited to specialists or interventionists. Every teacher is a reading teacher. When knowledge of the science of reading remains siloed, students’ access to effective instruction depends more on placement than need, often leading to misidentification, delayed support, or strategies that fail as academic demands increase.
Consistent, evidence-based instruction across classrooms and all tiers of instruction changes that reality. When educators share a common instructional foundation, students are more likely to receive timely, appropriate support. As districts consider training options, leaders should prioritize solutions that are grounded in strong evidence programs that have earned ESSA evidence badges or met other reliable standards of efficacy, have a proven track record in real schools and are supported by both teachers and administrators.
Aligned Structured Literacy training also honors the intent of dyslexia legislation. It allows students to experience the same routines, language and expectations whether they’re in a general education classroom or receiving extra support. When instruction is not aligned, however, students may have to absorb one approach in general education and a completely different one during intervention, and, over time, that fragmentation can slow their progress or obscure early warning signs.
In my experience from working with IMSE, the districts making the biggest gains also recognize that one-time professional development is not enough. Structured Literacy requires sustained, sequenced training that builds shared language, confidence and consistency over time, across all tiers of instruction. Leaders must be willing to treat professional learning as an ongoing system if they are serious about closing reading gaps and delivering on the promise of these laws.
Build accountability with teachers, not to them
For many educators, the word accountability carries understandable concern. Too often, it has meant top-down mandates or compliance exercises that overlook classroom realities. If we want to improve literacy outcomes, we must start with a simple truth: classroom teachers are not the problem to be managed — they are essential partners in the solution.
No one understands daily instruction better than the teachers working with students every day. Accountability systems built without their voice risk missing what actually works, what doesn’t, and what support is truly needed at the building level and within each classroom. When teachers are invited into the process and their expertise is respected, accountability becomes a tool for improvement rather than oversight.
Many districts track whether required steps have been completed, such as trainings attended, screenings administered or reports submitted. While important, those measures don’t show whether instruction is being implemented consistently or improving student outcomes. That clarity comes from shared feedback loops that combine classroom observations, coaching conversations, student data, and teacher insight.
Strong literacy accountability begins with collaboration. Leaders and teachers must work together to identify a small set of non-negotiable instructional practices aligned to the science of reading and define what effective implementation looks like in real classrooms. Regular support and coaching, grounded in trust, support reflection and growth, while student data helps guide timely instructional adjustments.
When accountability is built in partnership with teachers, it strengthens instruction, sustains momentum, and honors the expertise of those doing the work every day.
A chance to change the story
Dyslexia legislation represents a long-overdue commitment to students, but laws alone will not change what happens in classrooms. Real progress depends on what comes next — on whether we invest in comprehensive teacher training, build accountability systems that support implementation, and intentionally partner with the families who experience these systems firsthand.
I’m a parent of a child with dyslexia, and I work alongside districts, educators and families every day. Parents bring a critical perspective shaped by lived experience, persistence and the urgency of watching a child struggle. Leaders must create meaningful opportunities to listen to families, learn from them, and include their voices in implementation — not as an afterthought, but as a core strategy for success.
Across the country, there is real momentum around literacy. With thoughtful implementation and true partnership among leaders, teachers, and parents, that momentum can translate into lasting change for students. These laws have opened a door. If we walk through it together, we can change the story of literacy and give every student a real opportunity to become a confident reader.
Opinions expressed by SmartBrief contributors are their own.
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