Bill > HB1644

This bill establishes new requirements for screening and intervention for dyslexia and related disorders in public schools, defines dyslexia as a neurobiological learning disability impacting word recognition and spelling due to phonological language deficits, and outlines potential indicators of these disorders such as difficulties with rhyming, letter recognition, and sound blending. School districts must screen all public school students, including English learners, using tools like the Dynamic Indicators of Basic Early Literacy Skills (DIBELS) or similar screeners upon kindergarten or first-grade enrollment and periodically thereafter, with screenings completed by November 30th each year starting in 2017. Students identified with characteristics of dyslexia must receive age-appropriate, evidence-based interventions by January 1, 2018, and parents or guardians will be notified and provided with screening information, intervention plans, and the right to submit independent evaluations at their own expense. The bill also creates a temporary position for a reading specialist within the department of education by January 1, 2017, to provide technical assistance to school districts, develop professional development materials for teachers and administrators on recognizing and intervening in dyslexia and related disorders, and create a dyslexia resource guide by June 30, 2017. Additionally, the bill makes a technical correction regarding funding for chartered public schools, adjusting grant amounts and specifying when certain payments are made.