Signed by Governor Kevin Stitt

Vote Smart's Synopsis:

Vote to pass a bill that requires dyslexia screening for K-3rd grade students not reading at grade level.

Highlights:

• Requires any student enrolled in kindergarten, first, second, or third grade in a public school who is not meeting grade-level reading targets to be screened for dyslexia beginning in the 2022-2023 school year (Sec. 1).

• Specifies that a parent or guardian, teacher, counselor, speech-language pathologist, or school psychologist may also request a screening (Sec. 1).

• Requires the State Board of Education to develop policies for required dyslexia screening by July 1, 2021 including, but not limited to (Sec. 1):

• The definition and characteristics of dyslexia and related language disorders;

• The process for referring students in grades K-3 for screening;

• A process for providing notification to parents of the use of a qualified dyslexia-screening tool and notification of the results of the screening;

• A process for providing the parents of students screened for dyslexia with information and resource material regarding dyslexia; 

• A process for monitoring student progress after positive identification of characteristics of dyslexia or other disorders; and

• Requirements and qualifications for screeners.

• Requires the board to adopt a list of approved qualified dyslexia screening tools that address components including, but not limited to (Sec. 1):

• Phonological awareness;

• Advanced phonemic awareness;

• Sound symbol recognition;

• Alphabet knowledge;

• Encoding and decoding skills; 

• Rapid naming; and 

• Developmental language.

• Requires school districts to provide data annually to the State Department of Education beginning June 30, 2023 including, but not limited to (Sec. 1):

• The number of K-3 students who were screened for dyslexia and the number newly identified as having characteristics of dyslexia;

• The process or tools used to evaluate student progress;

• The number of K-3 students who were participating in interventions within and outside of the school setting; and

• The programs used by districts for intervention within the school setting. 

• Requires the State Department of Education to provide a report containing this data to the Governor and Legislature, and publish it on the Department’s website (Sec. 1).

Full Bill Text