In Gabriella Cruz’s article, “Andover seeks to improve dyslexia treatment,” (Jan. 19, page 3) Sara Stetson, director of student services, states: ” If you have a kid go to Landmark for three years and then come back to Andover High School, they’re going to be behind because the reading at the high school is so advanced.” This is a very concerning statement and leads one to assume that Landmark students are not able to go back to a public high school or possibly on to a competitive college experience.
As an associate dean at Boston College, I have had the privilege of working with students with a variety of learning disabilities, including dyslexia. Many of these very successful and intelligent students have attended schools which specialize in dyslexia nationally with similar programming to the Landmark School and the Carroll School in Massachusetts. One of the traits I have found in these students is their insight and understanding of their individual learning styles which allows them to thrive in a competitive academic institution.
Based on this information, I suspect Ms. Stetson’s apparent conclusion may have more to do with the delay in receiving appropriate intervention as highlighted by the published research.
Many of the students at Landmark may not have received the critical evidenced-based services they needed until very late in their brain development. Had they received it earlier, they may not have needed to attend a school specializing in dyslexia. The research shows that this is clearly a diagnosis where timing and brain development make the difference for a child’s success. The delay in receiving intervention may be a more telling reason why students would not be able to come back to a public school. If now, the Andover school system is beginning to use effective, evidenced-based interventions in the early elementary grades, then hopefully there will be less out-of-district placements in the future.
