The chimichanga solution | 4

Kelly, a kindergarten teacher, knew her son McKay struggled with reading even before he started school. It took years and repeated pushback from the school before he was tested and diagnosed with dyslexia. Even then, the district resisted formally including it in his education plan. By seventh grade, McKay was faking being sick just to avoid school. This episode follows the family through years of reading interventions that weren’t working, and their decision to enroll McKay at the Gow School, a boarding school for students with dyslexia — and to sue their district to cover the cost. It asks what school choice really means when getting the right education requires resources most families don’t have. Along the way: what “wait to fail” means, how structured phonics instruction works, and the legal standard (a Carter case) that determines whether families can be reimbursed for tuition when a public school falls short. For more on this topic Read: The Education Freedom Tax Credit: What families of kids with disabilities need to know Listen: What if I think my child might have dyslexia? Read: How is special education funded? Explore: IEP Guide for Parents Read: The Brief: Understood News For a transcript and more resources, visit Zero Reject on Understood.org. You can also email us at [email protected]. We’re taking Zero Reject live! Join host Anya Kamenetz on Thursday, October 29, at 6 p.m. ET for an honest conversation with parents, teachers, and policymakers about where special education goes from here. Be part of the conversation in person in New York City or watch live on YouTube. Save your spot here: understood.org/zero-reject-live Understood is a nonprofit where millions of people who are navigating neurodivergence find clear guidance, practical tools, and people who get it. To help us continue this work, donate at u.org/give Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.