The documents in this article may be of use to you if you are filing a state complaint or due process—or to present to your local education agency if you’re not at a state complaint for due process stage.
The documents were used in one, or both, of two due process hearings in Virginia that included a focus on the program “Just Words”. In both cases, the hearing officer ruled that “Just Words” is inappropriate for students with Dyslexia. The cases were held within a year of each other (2019 and 2020). John Cafferky of the firm Blankingship & Keith represented Fairfax County Public Schools (FCPS) in both cases.
The hearing officer’s decision for the first hearing is included as well. The hearing officer’s decision for the second hearing has not been posted to VDOE’s site. The one page on which the hearing officer addresses her final decision in relation to “Just Words” is included. The transcripts for the “Just Words” sections of both hearings will be added in the coming week.
This article is not a criticism of the program “Just Words”. Neither it nor any other article on the site that mention “Just Words” should be considered as negative criticism of the program. Indeed, I’m thankful for the work of Barbara Wilson and her decades of dedication to individuals struggling with Dyslexia.
Negative criticism is reserved for school divisions who 1) administer programs that are inappropriate for students with Dyslexia and/or 2) incorrectly implement programs period.
In the case of “Just Words” Wilson does not endorse it for students with Dyslexia. However, FCPS has long used it as a go-to for students with Dyslexia.
Documentation from Wilson, the Publisher of “Just Words”
Wilson, the publisher of “Just Words”, has indicated that of its programs, the “Wilson Reading System” (WRS), not “Just Words”, is the program to be implemented for students with Dyslexia. The graphic below, which details Wilson’s recommendation, appears in Wilson Reading System Instructor Manual 1–6. Read the comments next to the asterisk that is under the graph.
Below you’ll find an article in the Spring/Summer 2019 edition of Wilson’s newsletter “The Decoder”, which is titled, “When It’s Not Dyslexia: Using Just Words”. (Click on the image to view the full article.) The following excerpt appears toward the beginning of the article:
Students diagnosed with dyslexia require intensive instruction to become proficient readers. But what if it’s not dyslexia? What if the problem is mild-to-moderate gaps in decoding and spelling proficiency, and not a significant language-based learning disability? What if students never received strong initial instruction in foundational skills? Wilson’s Tier 2 intervention program Just Words may be the answer.
Click on the image below to view full document.
In the graphic below, Wilson again indicates WRS to be the recommended program for individuals with Dyslexia. Click on the image to view it at a larger size, and then scroll down to the “student focus” section, and you’ll see “dyslexia” under WRS, but not under any of the other programs.
Click on the image below to view full document.
In the brochure below, Wilson again indicates WRS to be the recommended program for individuals with Dyslexia. Click on the image to view it at a larger size, and then scroll to page two, and you’ll see “dyslexia” under WRS, but not under “Just Words”.
Click on the image below to view full document.
In the document “Just Words® or Wilson Reading System®?” below, Wilson discusses the two programs and how to choose the one that is best for a student.
Click on the image below to view full document.
In response to a request for a Wilson representative to speak during the hearing, Wilson’s Chief Operating Officer & General Counsel Mary-Janet Cafferty stated
It is just not possible for Wilson to serve as an advocate on the individual level for many reasons- some logistical, but also because we do not have a full picture of the student’s profile and history. We do our best to partner with school districts so that our programs are properly implemented with fidelity.
Deanna M. Fogarty, Wilson’s Vice President of Curriculum and Professional Learning, later sent a letter that could be presented during the due process hearing. In the emails to which she attached it, she wrote:
I do feel it will be helpful to those who read it to understand who our programs are for and the importance of professional learning (training) for educators.
The letter Deanna sent appears below. Please click on the image to view both pages of the letter.
Click on the image below to view full document.
3.1.21: SEE NEW INFORMATION BELOW
Fairfax County Public Schools Slide Deck
The following is the Dyslexia participant slide deck for the 2.12.19 FCPS Secondary Literacy Intervention Teachers “Resource Bonanza”. The slide deck incorrectly states that “Just Words” is “the better dyslexia intervention”, however it does acknowledge that “Just Words” “still may not be appropriate for all students.”
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