To the Editor:

We write to share our enthusiastic recommendation for Todd Higgins for the Board of Education.

We have known Todd for almost fifteen years and can proudly attest that he is a wonderful person, passionately devoted to the people and to the causes he supports, including our work as experts in the fields of dyslexia, learning disabilities, and the science of reading. Todd has counseled us many times in the mission to grow our ability to help children who struggle to learn to read and steadfastly encouraged us as we engaged schools and districts across the country to identify struggling readers and intervene while they are young.

He has also been a strong supporter of our efforts to introduce improved screening for at-risk kindergarten students and our work to provide IDA accredited intense teacher training to all teachers, especially those in preschool and kindergarten, in how to teach reading.

The sad truth is that barely a third of 4th grade students can read in our country, an unacceptable realty that has not changed in many years. Todd knows how difficult it has been to make changes in the education system, but he has always been there for us.

The country needs people like Todd who are intelligent, committed, rational problem-solvers that want to make a difference in the lives of young people. A person with his drive, his beliefs, and his ability to get things done, despite many obstacles, makes him an amazing board member candidate. Education needs to change to reflect evidence-based results, not just allow things to be done as they always have.

Based on our combined six decades of working in the education field, we firmly believe that no one can affect those changes more than Todd Higgins.

Please support his election.

Sincerely,

Elliot G. Levy, MD & Deborah Levy, EdD

Founders, MaxScholar & Levy Learning Center