The Texas Education Code (TEC) §38.003 defines dyslexia and related disorders in the following way:

“Dyslexia” means a disorder of constitutional origin manifested by a difficulty in learning to read, write, or spell, despite conventional instruction, adequate intelligence, and sociocultural opportunity. 

“Related Disorders” include disorders similar to or related to dyslexia, such as developmental auditory imperception, dysphasia, specific developmental dyslexia, developmental dysgraphia, and developmental spelling disability.

At Life School, elementary and secondary students who are identified with dyslexia and are determined to need specialized instruction will receive services through the Take Flight Program. Take Flight is a Comprehensive Intervention for Students with Dyslexia through a curriculum written by the staff of the Center for Dyslexia at Scottish Rite Hospital.

Take Flight was designed for use by Certified Academic Language Therapists for children with dyslexia ages 7 and older. It is intended for one-on-one or small group instruction.

Life School students identified with dyslexia may also receive classroom and testing accommodations to provide the student with dyslexia effective and equitable access to grade-level or course instruction in the general education classroom. Accommodations are determined by the ARD or Section 504 committee based on the impact of dyslexia on the individual student.

Senate Bill (SB) 2075 requires school districts to notify the parents or guardians of students determined to be dyslexic, or to be at risk for dyslexia or other reading difficulties, that you have access to  the Talking Book Program (TBP) maintained by the Texas State Library and Archives Commission. The TBP provides students with reading disabilities the ability to borrow audiobooks free of charge, and includes over 100,000 titles, hundreds of which are in Spanish.

The guidelines and procedures adopted are designed to correlate to the identification and instruction of students with dyslexia and related disorders adopted by the State Board of Education in 1992, mandated by the state of Texas and presented in The Dyslexia Handbook: Procedures Concerning Dyslexia and Related Disorders, updated in 2021.

Dyslexia support services are provided on all district campuses K-12. A request for a dyslexia evaluation may be made at any time.

Additional Resources

• TEA Dyslexia Information
• Dyslexia Handbook 2024 Update (English)
• Manual Sobre Dislexia Actualización 2024
• Dyslexia Parent Education Program
• Dyslexia & Related Disorders — Information for Parents (English)
• Dislexia y trastornos relacionados: información para padres (Spanish)

Parent information 

• Dyslexia and Related Disorders (English)
• Dyslexia and Related Disorders (Spanish)

Title IX Compliance

“No person in the United States shall, on the basis of sex, be excluded from participation in, be denied the benefits of, or be subjected to discrimination under any education program or activity receiving federal financial assistance.”

Title IX compliance is a shared responsibility of an entire district, from top-level administration to all levels of staff.  Title IX protects students, employees and applicants for employment, and other persons from all forms of sex discrimination, including discrimination based on gender identity or failure to address stereotypical notions of masculinity or femininity. All students (as well as other persons) at institutions/districts that receive federal funds are protected by Title IX—regardless of their sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, disability, race, or national origin—in all aspects of a recipient’s educational programs and activities (OCR Title IX Resource Guide).

Reporting Sexual Harassment

At Life School, we believe in treating all students and employees with dignity and respect therefore we take these matters seriously. It is the responsibility of all staff, teachers, and administrators to report complaints of sexual harassment, sexual assault and/or any other forms of sexual misconduct that they receive or of which they may become aware by immediately contacting the Title IX Coordinators.

Title IX Coordinators

• Students
  • Joy Shepherd, Director of Student Services
    132 E. Ovilla Road, Suite A, Red Oak, Texas 75154
    469-850-5433
    joy.shepherd@lifeschools.net.
• Staff
  • Devonne Hutson, Director of Talent
    132 E. Ovilla Road, Suite A, Red Oak, Texas 75154
    469-850-5433
    devonne.hutson@lifeschools.net.

Facts About Title IX

Role of the Title IX Coordinator(s):

Although the recipient of the complaint is ultimately responsible for ensuring that it complies with Title IX and other laws, the Title IX coordinator is an integral part of a recipient’s systematic approach to ensuring non-discrimination, including a non-discriminatory environment. Title IX coordinators can be effective agents for ensuring gender equity within their institutions only when they are provided with the appropriate authority and support necessary to coordinate their institution’s Title IX compliance, including access to all of their institution’s relevant information and resources (OCR Title IX Resource Guide).

Examples of Title IX Concerns:

• Gender Discrimination
• Domestic and/or Dating Violence
• Sexual Harassment
• Sexual Assault
• Sexual misconduct (inappropriate touching, comments, text messages)
• Gender Identification Discrimination
• Teasing or Bullying/Cyberbullying because of gender/gender identification

For more information, you may visit the Office of Civil Rights.

Training

• Role of Title IX Coordinator
• The District's Title IX Team
• Title IX K-12 Regulations

Life School is committed to making the information on its website accessible individuals with disabilities in compliance with the requirements of Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 and Title II of the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990.

If you use assistive technology (such as a screen reader, eye tracking device, voice recognition software, etc.) and have difficulty accessing information on the Life School website, please contact the Chief Culture Officer or the Director of Marketing & Communications by telephone at (469) 850-LIFE (5433) or email to webmaster@lifeschools.net. When requesting assistance via email, please write “Accessibility” on the subject line. Please also include the following when communicating with Life School regarding accessibility issues:

• A description of your accessibility concern.
• The format in which you prefer to receive the materials.
• The web page address of the requested material(s).
• The best way to contact you (email address or phone number, or both).

Life School will make appropriate accommodations to facilitate access to any website content.

Complaints regarding website accessibility may be filed by members of the community through the Public Complaint process outlined in Board Policy PG-1.205. Additionally, students and parents may file a complaint regarding website accessibility through the Student and Parent Complaint/Grievances process outlined in Board Policy PG-3.509.

Please note that some pages on the Life School website contain links to third-party sites, which are not within Life School’s control. If you notify Life School of problems with accessing a third-party site that is necessary to participate in one of Life School’s programs or activities, we will make the material or information available in an accessible format.

Meeting Dates

TBD

Meeting Minutes

TBD

Recordings

TBD