About this episode
Jennifer Hyland calls herself an “accidental advocate.” She had no background in advocacy or education when her family began navigating a young daughter’s reading struggles. Over the next decade she became a co-founder of the Texas Dyslexia Coalition, a repeat witness at the state legislature, and an elected school board member.
This episode traces that journey — the grassroots organizing behind Texas House Bill 3928, the fight to move students with dyslexia from Section 504 plans to IEPs, and the equity gap that became the heart of her work.
In this episode
- How a family’s early experience with reading struggles grew into statewide advocacy
- Why Texas served dyslexia under Section 504 instead of IDEA — and what HB 3928 changed
- How “kitchen-table moms” and parent Facebook groups built a coalition
- What it meant for youth advocates to testify at the Texas legislature
- How HB 6005’s three-cueing ban opened the door to deeper reform
- Why the gap between families who can and can’t afford intervention drives her work
“Until all kids can read.” — Jennifer Hyland’s school board campaign slogan
About Jennifer Hyland
Jennifer Hyland describes her former self as someone who preferred working quietly in the background. Her family’s experience with dyslexia changed that. Over roughly ten years she went from researching the condition at her kitchen table, to administering a district parent network, to co-building the Texas Dyslexia Coalition, to testifying before Texas House and Senate education committees, and finally to winning a seat on her local school board — on the slogan “Until all kids can read.”
Episode chapters
Jump straight to any moment on YouTube:
- 0:01The Dyslexia Awareness Month series opens.
- 0:43Introducing Jennifer Hyland, accidental advocate.
- 2:27Early signs missed; schools promise she’ll catch up.
- 4:02A discouraging stretch at home becomes a turning point.
- 6:10A research deep dive: books, Facebook, parent groups.
- 7:39The “Dyslexia for a Day” simulation changes her perspective.
- 9:56A district Facebook group becomes an advocacy launchpad.
- 11:10The Texas Dyslexia Coalition and the 504-vs-IDEA problem.
- 12:372021 Austin session: learning the ropes, the bill stalls.
- 13:40Rep. Steve Toth champions HB 3928 in 2023.
- 14:00A young advocate testifies in Austin — and earns a truancy notice for it.
- 18:12Texas Collective Impact targets university teacher training.
- 20:36HB 6005 bans three-cueing in schools and colleges.
- 23:26“Sold a Story” and reframing teacher guilt.
- 24:57The “literacy ladies” push to update the reading curriculum.
- 27:09Personal transformation and the school board decision.
- 31:23An evaluation, an IEP, and slow progress in public school.
- 33:37A private-school breakthrough, and equity as the moral engine.
Resources mentioned in this episode
- Texas Dyslexia Coalition — the parent-driven group behind the 504-to-IEP legislative push.
- International Dyslexia Association (IDA) — whose Dallas, Houston, and Austin branches united as the Texas Collective Impact to push university teacher-training reform.
- “Sold a Story” (Emily Hanford / APM Reports) — the investigative podcast on how flawed reading instruction spread.
- Overcoming Dyslexia by Sally Shaywitz, M.D. — the foundational book Jennifer read early on (our review).
- Dyslexia Training Institute — online programming, including the kind of “Dyslexia for a Day” simulation discussed in the episode.
- Texas laws discussed: HB 3928 (dyslexia under IDEA / IEPs) and HB 6005 (three-cueing ban).
Frequently asked questions
What did Texas House Bill 3928 change for students with dyslexia?
HB 3928, passed in 2023, moved Texas students with dyslexia from Section 504 plans toward evaluation and services under IDEA, the federal special-education law — meaning eligible students can receive an IEP rather than the weaker 504 framework Texas had used. Advocates like Jennifer Hyland and the Texas Dyslexia Coalition pushed the bill through after years of organizing and testimony.
Why was Texas paying federal fines related to dyslexia?
According to the Texas Dyslexia Coalition, Texas administered dyslexia under Section 504 rather than IDEA, which advocates argued violated federal law that entitles qualifying students to IEPs. Jennifer Hyland says the state absorbed roughly $17 million in annual federal penalties rather than change course, until legislation forced the reclassification.
What is three-cueing, and did Texas ban it?
Three-cueing teaches children to guess unfamiliar words using context, pictures, and sentence structure instead of decoding the letters — an approach the science of reading has discredited for struggling readers. Texas House Bill 6005 (2023) prohibited three-cueing in both K-12 classrooms and university teacher-preparation programs.
What is a "Dyslexia for a Day" simulation?
It is an experiential seminar that puts parents and teachers through tasks designed to mimic the cognitive load a dyslexic student carries during ordinary schoolwork. Advocates say it reframes a child's slow progress as effort rather than laziness. Organizations such as the Dyslexia Training Institute offer this programming online.
How can a parent with no experience start advocating for their dyslexic child?
Jennifer's path was incremental: she researched first (including Sally Shaywitz's Overcoming Dyslexia), then connected with other parents through district Facebook groups and panels, joined a coalition, testified at the legislature, and eventually ran for school board. Her advice is to build knowledge and community before public voice — you do not have to feel qualified to start.
Keep reading
The Literacy Heroes Podcast shares the experiences and views of our guests. This episode reflects Jennifer Hyland’s account of her advocacy in Texas; figures she cites (such as federal fine amounts and illiteracy statistics) are her own recollection and are general information for parents, not legal advice. For guidance on your specific situation, consult a qualified advocate or attorney in your state.