Experts from the International Dyslexia Association (IDA) are working to raise awareness of and find a solution to the growing problem faced by English language learners in the United States, in an effort to improve literacy and combat the disparity between performance of English language learners in the classroom and traditional students.

Statistics show a problem of epidemic proportions which currently has no end in sight. According to the International Dyslexia Association:

• There are 5.3 million English language learners in U.S. public schools. This has skyrocketed by 51 percent since 1997.
• Only 3 percent of English language learners met the 8th grade reading standard on the National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP 2009).
• Only 2 percent of teachers in the U.S. are certified to work with English language learners.
• Only 11 states have met their accountability goals for English language learners.
• Eighty percent of English language learners speak Spanish in the home.