In the last year, there has been a resurgence of articles and reports in media outlets such as "The New York Times," "PBS NewsHour," "EdWeek," and "The Atlantic" about students experiencing reading difficulties. Many of these pieces have created confusion and provided misinformation by oversimplifying both the sources of reading difficulties and how to address them. As reading researchers and teacher educators, each with more than 30 years of experience working on the ground in schools, reading clinics, and universities, the authors are compelled to set the record straight regarding what is known and what is not known about reading difficulties. The authors are especially concerned because some of the discussions have included emotionally charged personal stories of frustrated parents and use alarmist language such as "early warning signs" and "no cure," even implying that reading difficulties may lead to outcomes such as depression, imprisonment, or suicide. Such claims are likely to induce unfounded fear and anxiety for families, educators, and policymakers and impede positive actions to improve the prospects for all students to learn to read. The goal of this brief is to share research that can provide a more in-depth understanding of the complexities of reading difficulties and to help families, teachers, and policymakers make sound decisions. [This literacy leadership brief was originally published in December 2019 and was updated in January 2020.]