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Steamboat Reading tells school board early screening, partnerships key to helping students with dyslexia
Summary
Steamboat Reading told the Steamboat Springs School Board that dyslexia affects about 1 in 5 students (roughly 480 locally) and described sustained one-on-one interventions, partnerships with schools, and plans for community outreach as state screening requirements take effect.
Kim Schultz, executive director of the nonprofit Steamboat Reading, told the Steamboat Springs School Board on Oct. 20 that dyslexia is a common language-based learning difference affecting reading, spelling and writing and that early screening and structured interventions are critical to student success.
"Dyslexia impacts about 1 in every 5 students," Schultz said, and that rate would translate to roughly 480 students in the district. Schultz and Alyssa Liberte, Steamboat Reading’s program director, described the group’s one-on-one interventions, learning evaluations and free workshops for parents and teachers.
Schultz and Liberte said Steamboat Reading worked with a Colorado Department of Education (CDE)-funded high-intensity tutoring program in 2023–24 that reached about 13–16 students a year across the district and produced measurable growth; she said five students who participated were subsequently able to graduate. The presenters told the board the CDE grant has ended but Steamboat Reading continues to provide services, supported in part by donor funds and scholarships.
During the presentation and board Q&A, Schultz said schools do not perform formal dyslexia diagnoses and that community providers play a role when students fall outside IEP eligibility. She urged broader educator training, earlier identification and consistent cross-referencing of data (for example, comparing math and reading profiles) to catch students who "fly under the radar." Liberte described referral processes: school staff may notify parents about available services, parents provide permission, and then Steamboat Reading coordinates with schools.
Board members asked about capacity and screening. Kevin noted the role of local funding sources in supporting programs; Leah and other members praised Steamboat Reading’s work and asked about simulation events and community outreach. Schultz said space and staffing constrain service expansion (Steamboat Reading has maintained a waiting list since 2020) and that the organization recently hired a full-time learning specialist to expand capacity.
Megan Alexander, a district literacy specialist who spoke during public comment, said she partners with Steamboat Reading and urged continued support from the Education Foundation Board (EFB): "They are not taking my job. I need them," Alexander said, calling one-on-one work essential to reach more students.
Schultz noted a recently passed state bill will require dyslexia screening in kindergarten statewide; she said the law will add elements to existing screening batteries and, in other districts, has led to identifying substantially more students for intervention. Steamboat Reading plans community simulations and a documentary screening to raise awareness and provide local context for families and educators.
The board received the presentation as part of its reports and communications agenda; no formal action was required or taken on the presentation. The district plans to continue collaborating with community partners and to monitor effects as state screening requirements are implemented.
