ReadSource Celebrates 10 Years

In 2013, David Schenck's vision to extend assistance to struggling readers beyond The Schenck School became a reality with the formation of The Dyslexia Resource Trust, now known as ReadSource. Leveraging The Schenck School’s effective dyslexia remediation approach, ReadSource has trained dedicated teachers in proven reading techniques that benefit dyslexic learners. Today, our expertise, experience, and results have reached a wider audience.

On November 20, 2013, The Dyslexia Resource Trust, Inc., now known as ReadSource, was established by The Schenck School Board of Trustees. With a mission "to provide expertise, resources, research, and assurance to all interested in dyslexia." Recognizing the physical constraints and full student capacity of The Schenck School, it was clear that the School's vision surpassed these limitations. Understanding that only a small percentage of individuals with dyslexia receive a diagnosis and adequate support, the Board believed that a major contributing factor to creating this nonprofit arm of The Schenck School was the lack of dyslexia awareness. Therefore, the primary objective of The Dyslexia Resource Trust became training teachers in the Orton-Gillingham Approach, a fundamental remediation and educational technique in The Schenck School's curriculum, to identify dyslexia and support its remediation. 

In October 2022, the Board of Trustees unanimously decided to change The Dyslexia Resource Trust to ReadSource. This change was prompted by the recognition that not all educators had a clear understanding of dyslexia or how to identify and support students with dyslexia. The previous name, "The Dyslexia Resource," was deemed too specific and primarily focused on students with dyslexia. Evidence suggested that the intensive reading instruction offered by The Schenck School Reading Model and The Orton-Gillingham Approach benefited all students. Jennifer Dangar, Trustee and Chair of the Long Range Planning Committee, stated, “The fact that our approach to teaching students how to read works for all students, not just those who struggle, confirmed to the Board that the organization’s name should evolve. We believe the new name is more inclusive of our approach and more inclusive of all students learning to read and educators who support them. We are proud that The Schenck School and ReadSource are working together to fulfill David T. Schenck’s vision of helping students reach their full potential.”

Continued Demand for Teaching Training

In-person training remains central to ReadSource’s teacher training program. This summer, ReadSource provided training to 61 Atlanta Public School teachers and 54 Marietta City School teachers, maintaining longstanding partnerships with both school districts. ReadSource’s public classes and workshops reached full capacity. Through partnerships with Atlanta Public Schools, Marietta City Schools, and other public and independent schools, ReadSource has successfully trained over 1,700 teachers over the past few years, averaging about 430 teachers annually.

In addition to in-person training, ReadSource introduced a digital product in July 2021 designed to support teachers at all experience levels—this teacher-led overview of the five areas of reading benefits both new and veteran teachers. With hundreds of teachers having completed the course, this represents an area for growth and expansion in the future.

Remediation Services in Partnership with Purpose Built Schools Atlanta

Since January 2018, The Schenck School and ReadSource have placed up to ten Reading Remediation Specialists at Slater Elementary and Price Middle Schools, both located in historically underserved communities. Dr. Kim Day, Purpose Built Schools Atlanta (PBSA) Liaison and Director of Research and Academic Development at The Schenck School, shared, “ReadSource aims to close the reading gap for struggling readers, knowing that improved educational outcomes will result for these students across all content areas. Students who received our remediation showed faster improvement in reading and comprehension when compared to grade-level peers.” The partnership with PBSA exemplifies how The Schenck School shares its reading expertise with the community, and ReadSource fulfills its mission of helping all students struggling to learn to read.

A Look Ahead

ReadSource’s goal remains to empower communities to support and educate learners who struggle to read through our training programs and community partnerships. ReadSource continues to expand its Fellow-in-Training program with the intention of increasing the number of Orton-Gillingham classes offered each season. To expand outreach, ReadSource continues to cultivate strong community partnerships, strengthen existing relationships, and foster innovation in building new ones. With the necessary resources, increased awareness, and collaboration with like-minded organizations, we are wholly committed to our long-term vision of supporting and educating learners.

A decade ago, we embarked on a journey guided by a shared vision, dedication, and belief in the power of our mission. ReadSource's progress would not be possible without the generous support of our donors. Donor contributions have played a pivotal role in achieving our mission. Every gift to ReadSource contributes significantly to advancing our mission. As we commemorate this significant milestone, we reflect on the remarkable journey, lives touched, and impact made. As we move forward, our organization's tenth anniversary signifies not only a celebration of our past but also a testament to our potential. It reminds us that our journey has only just begun, and the best is yet to come.