Dyslexia
OVERVIEW OF THE HPISD DYSLEXIA PROGRAM
The Highland Park ISD Dyslexia Program follows all TEA guidelines for assessment, identification, and instruction as per TEA guidelines outlined in the TEA Dyslexia Handbook.
Highland Park Independent School district supports the educational concept that reading, writing, and spelling skills provide the foundation for overall academic success. Although dyslexia is a life-long condition, the Highland Park ISD Dyslexia Program equips students with dyslexia the skills needed to be successful in school. The district provides an evidenced-based, multisensory structured literacy instruction for students with dyslexia.
Highland Park ISD utilizes the Take Flight program developed by the Scottish Rite for Children Luke Waites Center for Dyslexia and Learning Disorders in Dallas, Texas and the Reading by Design program developed by the Region 4 Education Service Center in Houston, Texas depending on the student’s needs.
WHAT IS DYSLEXIA?
“Dyslexia is a specific learning disability characterized by difficulties in word reading and/or spelling that involve accuracy, speed, or both and vary depending on the orthography. These difficulties occur along a continuum of severity and persist even with instruction that is effective for the individual’s peers. The causes of dyslexia are complex and involve combinations of genetic, neurobiological, and environmental influences that interact throughout development. Underlying difficulties with phonological and morphological processing are common but not universal, and early oral language weaknesses often foreshadow literacy challenges. Secondary consequences include reading comprehension problems and reduced reading and writing experience that can impede growth in language, knowledge, written expression, and overall academic achievement. Psychological well-being and employment opportunities also may be affected. Although identification and targeted instruction are important at any age, language and literacy support before and during the early years of education is particularly effective.” (International Dyslexia Association, 2026)
To access the Dyslexia Handbook published by the Texas Education Agency click one of the following: Handbook and FAQ or Dylexia Handbook - Spanish.
The following link will take you to a video that provides a deeper understanding of dyslexia and its lifelong effects. Click here to watch the video.
For additional information about dyslexia, refer to the TEA Dyslexia and Related Disorders Information for Parents: English or Spanish