FIXLEXIA TARGETS DYSLEXIA TO IMPROVE READING ABILITY

ITS HISTORY OF SERVICE TO YOUNG PEOPLE WITH DYSLEXIA AND OTHER READING DIFFICULTIES, THE COMPANY’S DEDICATION TO FAMILIES, AND ITS WORK AS AN ADVOCATE FOR DYSLEXIA-RELATED LEGISLATION HAVE EARNED FIXLEXIA THE HONOR OF 2022 CHAMPION OF SMALL BUSINESS.

Owner Rebecca Miller opened FixLexia, LLC in 2015 as Nebraska’s first clinic dedicated to helping school-aged youths diagnosed with dyslexia to become better readers and spellers. Prior to FixLexia, Miller was the co-owner of an educational franchise tutoring company that grew to become the largest provider of in-home tutoring services in Nebraska, serving more than 3,200 students through various state, federal, and private contracts.

According to the International Dyslexia Association (IDA), dyslexia is characterized by “difficulties with accurate and/or fluent word recognition, and by poor spelling and decoding abilities. These difficulties typically result from a deficit in the phonological component of language that is often unexpected in relation to other cognitive abilities, and the provision of effective classroom instruction.” Secondary consequences may include problems in reading comprehension that can impede growth of vocabulary and background knowledge.

Miller says the most common characteristic of dyslexia lies within the phonological component of language, which includes the ability to isolate individual sounds. If a child has difficulty manipulating sounds in a word when letters are added, it is a system that does not make sense to them, she says. These skills, which are the foundation of strong phonics skills, can be improved by direct, intensive intervention, she says.

“I built this business because a lot of parents struggle to get their children reading services at school,” Miller says. “I know how painful that process is. Parents know their child is different, but they don’t know why.” child has dyslexia, they have difficulty in differentiating those speech sounds. No amount of reading will fix that.” Miller says families often endure dyslexia longer than they should “because it is not recognized for what it is. My role is to help people truly understand how reading develops. If parents don’t understand this, they don’t know whether their child is receiving proper instruction or not.”

FixLexia provides clinical evaluations to determine a child’s underlying reading skills and what is needed to improve, Miller says. “Parents are told their child just needs to keep reading. Parents are told their child needs to find a book they like. They are told, ‘Just wait. Your child will catch up.’ That is just not true,” she says.

Tony Schultz, State Director of America's SBDC-Nebraska based at NBDC lauds Miller for her efforts for children and within the community. “She recently facilitated a $7,500 community mental health grant with Dr. Susan Reay of the UNO College of Social Work and the Omaha West Rotary Club,” Schultz says. “The grant funds will be used to develop an educational event with programming provided by the NBDC to help counselors start their own business practices.” programming. Additionally, she participated in the drafting of the Nebraska Dyslexia Statute passed in 2017, and provided input for the Nebraska Dyslexia Statute passed in 2018. The statutes state that a child with dyslexia “shall be provided instruction that is systematic, sequential, and multisensory.”

She says NBDC has been a welcome resource, both when she was expanding her business, and during the COVID-19 pandemic when she sought to secure Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) funds.

While dyslexia cannot be cured, Miller says proper instruction can improve a child’s reading accuracy and help them become more fluent readers. “That bleeds over into everything” she says. “Helping children to become better readers opens their entire world. I can’t imagine not having the ability to read. That’s how you learn.”

“Dyslexia is a neurobiological condition that ranges from mild to very severe,” she says. “Many children with dyslexia can read and spell, but they are not likely accurate and not likely quick. Individuals with dyslexia have difficulty putting sounds in the correct order. If a

Schultz says Miller offers 100 hours of free Special Education Consultations to parents of children with disabilities each year. “Her charitable donations in education, literacy, food insecurity, and micro-lending are extensive,” he says. “Rebecca and her husband, Mark, also cook meals for those experiencing homelessness.”

Miller also is assisting private schools in the implementation of a K-2 Dyslexia Screening Protocol and a supplemental phonological skills training program. She is developing a pilot project for teachers in rural Nebraska to access science-based reading professional development

The Champion of Small Business award is deeply appreciated and shared by her team, Miller says. “For many entrepreneurs, the struggle to bring a new business up to speed doesn’t come with a lot of acknowledgement,” she says. “The nights, the weekends can be very isolating. It’s very nice to hear from such a valued organization as NBDC that we’ve done well.”