Megan Rosker, Director of Admissions and Outreach for the May Center for Learning, has emphasized the school's commitment to supporting neurodivergent students. She highlighted the importance of early screening and structured literacy that aligns with biliteracy models. Rosker made these remarks on The Chile Wire podcast.
"The information is quite literally being processed differently," said Rosker. "We don't need to wait till a child is failing. Our neurodivergent learners are excellent at masking. Why are we not adopting biliteracy structured literacy programs?"
New Mexico's educational initiatives are increasingly focusing on structured literacy, an evidence-based approach consistent with the science of reading. According to the Public Education Department, there is a push for training and implementation across districts to enhance decoding, fluency, and comprehension skills. In a state characterized by its multilingual population, these practices are integrated within biliteracy models to ensure foundational skills in both English and other languages. The overarching goal is to align curriculum, teacher training, and intervention supports to address persistent reading gaps among diverse learners.
The Yale Center for Dyslexia and Creativity reports that dyslexia affects about 20 percent of the population and constitutes 80–90 percent of those with learning disabilities. Dyslexia spans all intelligence levels, including gifted learners, who benefit from explicit multisensory instruction. These statistics highlight the necessity for early screening, structured literacy programs, and comprehensive teacher training to enable students to access grade-level content while receiving targeted support for decoding, spelling, and fluency challenges.
In 2019, New Mexico implemented a dyslexia-focused policy mandating early screening and professional development through Senate Bill 398. This legislation established first-grade dyslexia screening statewide and required districts to develop literacy professional learning plans incorporating evidence-based interventions and progress monitoring. The framework delineates responsibilities: schools identify dyslexic characteristics while families seek diagnosis and further steps with school teams or private providers. The law aims at earlier identification and consistent support to break the wait-to-fail cycle and improve outcomes in later grades through timely intervention by trained staff.
Rosker plays a pivotal role as Director of Admissions and Outreach at the May Center for Learning by guiding families through neurodiverse education options and connecting students with appropriate supports. Her experience includes teaching at May Center classrooms in Santa Fe and Albuquerque as well as at Manzano Day School where she applied May Way practices.
