Dyslegia: A Legislative Information Site
New US & State Laws about Dyslexia and Reading Education
Revises the definition of dyslexia for purposes of testing and providing services to students.
Dyslexia is now defined as:
an unexpected difficulty in reading for an individual who has the intelligence to be a much better reader, most commonly caused by a difficulty in phonological processing, which affects the ability of an individual to speak, read, and spell. “Phonological processing” means the appreciation of the individual sounds of spoken and written language.
An Act relating to schools; requiring screening for
dyslexia; allowing certain persons to request
dyslexia screenings; directing the State Board of
Education to develop certain policies; requiring the
Board to adopt a list of approved qualified dyslexia
screening tools; requiring screenings be conducted in
certain manner; requiring school districts report
certain data; requiring the State Department of Education submit certain report; providing for
certain training; authorizing the Board to promulgate rules; providing for codification; and providing an effective date.
This bill requires the Department of Public Instruction (DPI) to develop a guidebook for parents, guardians, teachers, and administrators regarding dyslexia and related conditions.
To develop the guidebook, the state superintendent of public instruction must establish an advisory committee, whose membership shall be determined in consultation with the International Dyslexia Association—Wisconsin Branch, Inc. (IDA), and the Wisconsin State Reading Association, Inc. (WSRA). Representatives from IDA and WSRA also serve as cochairpersons on the advisory committee.
Definition of Dyslexia for special education purposes:
Dyslexia is a learning disability that is neurological in origin. It is characterized by difficulties with accurate or fluent word recognition and by poor spelling and decoding abilities. These difficulties typically result from a deficit in the phonological component of language that is often unexpected in relation to other cognitive abilities and the provision of effective classroom instruction. Secondary consequences may include problems in reading comprehension and reduced reading experience that can impede the growth of vocabulary and background knowledge.
School Funding Bill includes specific allotment for funding of dyslexic students.
Additional funding is provided to support students with Dyslexia. School districts and open-enrollment charter schools will receive a weight of 0.10 multiplied against the Basic Allotment for each student that has been identified as having Dyslexia or a related disorder.
Students may qualify for both SPED and Dyslexia Allotments.
Minnesota has incorporated new provisions concerning dyslexia screening and teacher education in the Omnibus Education Finance act signed into law by after a special session of the legislature.
The new dyslexia provisions include:
Creates the Right to Read Act to require certain licensed teachers to be proficient in scientific reading instruction and further require all other licensed teachers to have a cursory knowledge of scientific and structured literacy reading instruction. This act also establishes new provisions addressing the education of children with dyslexia and related disorders
