LEGISLATIVE RESOLUTION memorializing Governor Andrew M. Cuomo to
proclaim October 2015, as Dyslexia Awareness Month in the State of New
York

WHEREAS, It is the sense of this Legislative Body that the State of New
York is committed to equal educational opportunities by identifying
obstacles to educational advancement and helping to remove those obsta-
cles; and
WHEREAS, Dyslexia, often inherited, is a language-based learning disa-
bility that is neurological in origin which interferes with language
processing, accurate and/or fluent word recognition, spelling and decod-
ing abilities and reading comprehension despite average or above average
intelligence; and
WHEREAS, Dyslexia varies in severity ranging from mild to profound and
is characterized by a combination of difficulties in reading, writing,
spelling, handwriting and/or math which can create a wide gap between an
individual's intellectual ability and their academic and/or personal
achievement; and
WHEREAS, Dyslexia is identifiable as early as 4-6 years of age and
early intervention is beneficial as the negative consequences are highly
preventable through effective, direct instruction in phonemic awareness,
phonics, fluency, vocabulary and comprehension; and
WHEREAS, Dyslexia can affect anyone, regardless of race, gender,
culture or socioeconomic status and impacts up to 20% of the population;
and
WHEREAS, Literacy skills for everyone is an important goal for the
State of New York and dyslexia affects a high percentage of our struggl-
ing readers, and it is important that we learn to recognize and to
address this learning difference so that each person in New York has the
opportunity to be able to learn, read and spell proficiently and reach
their full potential; now, therefore, be it
RESOLVED, That this Legislative Body pause in its deliberations to
memorialize Governor Andrew M. Cuomo to proclaim October 2015, as Dysle-
xia Awareness Month in the State of New York; and be it further
RESOLVED, That copies of this Resolution, suitably engrossed, be tran-
smitted to The Honorable Andrew M. Cuomo, Governor of the State of New
York, and the "Decoding Dyslexia -- NY" Board of Directors.