Today, an estimated 10 million American students struggle with reading—about one in five—a staggering number. An estimated 80% of these struggling readers are dyslexic. A student’s inability to read can have a profound impact on his or her academic and emotional development. It can also impact their teachers, families, and communities.
If children with dyslexia go undiagnosed or do not receive appropriate reading interventions, they face years of frustration and will most likely never reach their true learning potential. In fact, about 41% of students with learning disabilities like dyslexia will fail to graduate from high school.
What are the costs of not supporting struggling readers?
The lack of reading proficiency is a key reason why an estimated 8,000 students drop out each day—limiting their financial potential and ability to compete in the workforce.
The Breakdown of the Hidden Costs of Dyslexia
- One dropout will cost U.S. taxpayers $260,000 over a lifetime.
- Only 35% of adults with low literacy skills are actively employed.
- Adults with low literacy skills earn $28,000 less on average
than other adults.
- If undiagnosed, adults with dyslexia may experience anxiety,
depression, low self-esteem, and other mental health issues.
STATES PROVIDE NEARLY HALF OF SCHOOL FUNDING
Source: Census Bureau. *Public Elementary-Secondary Education Finance Report, June 2018 IDA, 2019
Students with dyslexia who don’t get the support they need struggle in the classroom and beyond. The impact is felt not just by the students, but also by their classmates, teachers, and families, and eventually, their fellows in the workplace and the nation as a whole.
The Multifaceted Costs of Dyslexia
The hidden costs of dyslexia are significant and multifaceted, impacting individuals, families, and society as a whole. Here’s an overview of the key costs associated with dyslexia:
Financial Costs of Dyslexia
Dyslexia imposes substantial financial burdens on both individuals and society:
- In California alone, dyslexia is estimated to cost the state $12 billion in 2020 and $1 trillion over the next 60 years.
- One high school dropout costs U.S. taxpayers $260,000 over a lifetime.
- Adults with low literacy skills earn on average $28,000 less annually than other adults.
The costs accumulate in various areas:
- Education: Additional resources and support needed for dyslexic students
- Litigation: Legal costs related to ensuring proper educational support
- Unemployment: Higher rates of unemployment among dyslexic individuals
- Criminal justice: Overrepresentation of dyslexic individuals in the prison system
Economic Impact of Dyslexia
Dyslexia’s economic impact extends beyond direct costs:
- California is projected to miss out on nearly $340 billion in GDP due to unemployment caused by dyslexia over the next 60 years.
- Only 35% of adults with low literacy skills are actively employed.
- By 2020, the U.S. was projected to have 1.5 million too few college-educated workers, partly due to learning disabilities like dyslexia.
Dyslexia’s Impact on Family Costs
A recent study in California suggests that families of dyslexic children often bear significant financial burdens. In California, families spend $5 billion every year on additional support for dyslexic children. On average, California families spend $15,000 per year on support, with many spending over $20,000 annually. These costs cover private school, tutoring, homeschooling, evaluations, technology, counseling, and litigation.
Emotional and Psychological Costs
The non-financial costs of dyslexia are equally significant:
- Many dyslexic students experience low self-esteem, anxiety, and depression.
- Undiagnosed dyslexia can lead to years of frustration and unrealized potential.
- Families may grapple with feelings of failure and strained relationships.
Social Costs
Dyslexia’s impact extends to broader social issues:
- About 41% of students with learning disabilities like dyslexia fail to graduate high school.
- An estimated 8,000 students drop out each day, partly due to reading difficulties.
- Literacy is a social determinant of health, affecting overall health outcomes.
Hidden Costs in Education
The education system bears significant hidden costs:
- Nearly half of school funding comes from state revenue, highlighting the financial burden on public resources.
- Teachers and administrators need additional training and resources to support dyslexic students effectively.
To address these costs, early intervention and appropriate support are crucial. Implementing early screening, providing reading accommodations, and utilizing tools like audiobooks can help mitigate the long-term impacts of dyslexia and reduce its associated costs.
Five money-saving tips and techniques to close the learning gap for students with dyslexia
1. Implement early screening techniques to identify students with reading challenges. This can save schools tens of thousands of dollars not to mention lessening the heartache and frustration of
students, teachers and families.
2. Pool federal, state and local funding streams. Investigate grant monies from your local school boards to enable your district to maximize systemic reading support across all grades and instructional environments.
3. Provide reading accommodations as early as possible. Students who struggle to read attend both special and general education classes. Are you accommodating these students? Some students may have an IEP or a 504 plan that requires a reading accommodation, but many others also need this support to be successful.
4. Educate teachers and administrators on the benefits of human-read audiobooks. Audiobooks offer struggling readers access to grade-level material, including textbooks, literature and popular reading in easy-to-absorb digital formats. They also promote independent reading by enabling students to read books at school or at home without Internet access.
5. Give teachers data-driven performance tools to manage reading assignments. With educator tools and resources, like those in Learning Ally, teachers can track students’ reading progress, gaining valuable insight into their student’s reading preferences and habits, and enabling them to individualize their reading material and goals.
What is dyslexia, and how does it affect students?
Dyslexia is a specific learning disability that is neurobiological in origin. It is characterized by difficulties with accurate and/or fluent word recognition and by poor spelling and decoding abilities. These difficulties typically result from a deficit in the phonological component of language that is often unexpected in relation to other cognitive abilities and the provision of effective classroom instruction. Secondary consequences may include problems in reading comprehension and reduced reading experience that can impede growth of vocabulary and background knowledge.
What are the long-term consequences of not addressing dyslexia in students?
If dyslexia goes undiagnosed or untreated, students may experience significant long-term consequences, including higher dropout rates (*41% of students with learning disabilities fail to graduate high school), lower earning potential (adults with low literacy skills earn $28,000 less on average), and increased rates of anxiety and depression. These issues can also impact families and communities economically and socially.
How can schools effectively support students with dyslexia?
Schools can support students with dyslexia by implementing early screening techniques to identify reading challenges, providing appropriate accommodations (like extra time on tests or access to audiobooks through tools like The Learning Ally Audiobook Solution®), and educating teachers about effective instructional strategies. Additionally, pooling federal, state, and local funding can enhance systemic support for struggling readers across all grades.
What role do audiobooks play in helping students with dyslexia?
Audiobooks provide struggling readers access to grade-level material in an engaging format that bypasses decoding difficulties. They enable students to enjoy literature and textbooks without the barriers of traditional reading. Audiobooks promote independent reading, allowing students to explore content at their own pace and build confidence in their reading abilities.
What resources are available for parents of children with dyslexia?
Parents can access various resources to support their children with dyslexia. Organizations like the International Dyslexia Association (IDA) offer information on advocacy, educational strategies, and local support groups. Additionally, tools such as Learning Ally provide audiobooks and data-driven performance tools that help track reading activity. Seeking guidance from educational professionals can also help parents navigate the process of obtaining necessary accommodations and interventions.
Citations:
*Source: Census Bureau.
Public Elementary-Secondary Education
Finance Report, June 2018
*IDA, 2019