Bill > HB1164

This bill amends Mississippi's education law to strengthen dyslexia screening and evaluation procedures for students. It requires local school districts to screen kindergarten and first-grade students for dyslexia using specific components like phonological awareness, sound symbol recognition, and decoding skills. If a student fails the initial screening, parents can opt for a comprehensive psycho-educational evaluation by licensed professionals such as psychologists or speech language pathologists. The bill mandates that school districts must accept the results of these evaluations for determining student eligibility for dyslexia therapy programs or scholarships. Importantly, the bill introduces a reimbursement mechanism where the State Department of Education will cover up to $800 for qualifying evaluations that result in a dyslexia diagnosis. Additionally, the bill imposes fines on schools or districts that fail to accept a valid dyslexia diagnosis, specifically prohibiting them from using state education funds to pay these fines. The comprehensive evaluations must now consider extensive background information, including family history, intervention responses, and multiple aspects of the student's language and reading skills. The bill will take effect on July 1, 2025, providing time for schools and the state education department to prepare for implementation.

Education

https://billstatus.ls.state.ms.us/2025/pdf/history/HB/HB1164.xml