The school, originally named Austin Area School for Dyslexics, was named “Rawson Saunders” after Margaret Byrd Rawson (1899-2001) and Roger E. Saunders (1924-2006). Margaret and Roger were preeminent pioneers in the research, diagnosis, and treatment of dyslexia. They were also instrumental in the founding of what now is known as the International Dyslexia Association, formerly the Orton Society.
A Timeline of Events
March 7, 1997: Articles of Incorporation for the Austin Area School for Dyslexics were filed.
September 1997: Rawson Saunders School opened its doors to 22 students (growing to 29 students by year’s end) in grades fourth through eighth, at the Hillcrest Baptist Church in Northwest Austin.
September 1998: The school year begins with 41 enrolled students, and 5 on the waiting list. RSS informally began an outreach program by allowing faculty to tutor students attending other local schools.
September 1999: A Rawson Saunders Soccer team is started this year. The team plays two games and wins both.
2000: The school sponsored its first teacher training program, inviting 18 local public school instructors to join 7 of our faculty for a Lindamood Bell Seminar.
August 2001: Rawson Saunders moves to its current location on Exposition Blvd., renting the space from The Sanctuary Church.
Summer 2006: Rawson Saunders begins providing literacy workshops for teachers.
January 2009: Laura Steinbach, M.S.Ed., is hired as Head of School.
Summer 2010: Rawson Saunders forms the Rawson Saunders Institute and, guided by Drenda Haddock and Lynn Hoover, begins training teachers in Neuhaus Education Center’s Basic Language Skills program.
March 2010: Rawson Saunders purchases the Exposition property from The Sanctuary (2010)
September 2012: Rawson Saunders starts a 1:1 technology program with the support of the Burdine Johnson Foundation.
August 2013: Guided by Drenda Haddock and Lynn Hoover, the Rawson Saunders Institute receives full recommendation for accreditation by the International Multisensory Structure Language Education Council (IMSLEC).
2014: Jamie Nettles, M.Ed., CALT-QI, LDT, joined RSS in 2014, joining the Dyslexia Services department.
Spring 2015: Rawson Saunders announces the launch of its Upper School, which, under the leadership of John Pomeroy, opens with six students in August 2015.
August 11, 2015: Rawson Saunders experiences a significant school fire, just a week before school begins! Amazingly, all classes start on time.
2015: Billy Austin was named Dean of Students.
November 7, 2017: Laura Steinbach, M.S.Ed., receives the IMSLEC Innovator Award for Outstanding School Administrator and IMSLEC recognizes RS for excellence in Multisensory Structured Language Education
September 2019: Rawson Saunders begins offering educational assessments as part of RSS Support Services.
March 2020: Rawson Saunders goes fully remote, due to the Covid pandemic and in-person classes don't resume until 2021.
August 2022: Rawson Saunders Upper School moves to its own location, renting space on Bull Creek Road from Highland Village Church.
