Dyslexia: Guidance,

Current Legislation,

and

Other Information

Dyslexia is distinguished from other learning disabilities due to its weakness occurring at the phonological level. Dyslexia is a specific learning disability that is neurobiological in origin. It is characterized by difficulties with accurate and/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 growth of vocabulary and background knowledge.

(§ 22.1-213 of the Code of Virginia; 34 CFR 300.8(c)(10))

The Office of Special Education and Rehabilitation Services (OSERS) has received communications from stakeholders, including parents, advocacy groups, and national disability organizations, who believe that State and local educational agencies (SEAs and LEAs) are reluctant to reference or use dyslexia, dyscalculia, and dysgraphia in evaluations, eligibility determinations, or in developing the individualized education program (IEP) under the IDEA. The purpose of this letter is to clarify that there is nothing in the IDEA that would prohibit the use of the terms dyslexia, dyscalculia, and dysgraphia in IDEA evaluation, eligibility determinations, or IEP documents.

https://www2.ed.gov/policy/speced/guid/idea/memosdcltrs/guidance-on-dyslexia-10-2015.pdf

Interview with Michael Yudin with https://www.understood.org

https://www.understood.org/en/community-events/blogs/expert-corner/2015/11/09/answering-your-questions-about-the-new-government-letter-on-dyslexia-dysgraphia-and-dyscalculia

VDOE dyslexia resources available for educators, administrators, parents,

stakeholders -

http://www.doe.virginia.gov/special_ed/disabilities/learning_disability/dyslexia.shtml

Awareness training in dyslexia for school staff/parents

Helpful resources from the International Dyslexia Association (IDA)……

• Fact Sheets• Dyslexia in the Classroom• Dyslexia Handbook: What Every Parent Should

Know• Knowledge and Practice Standards for Teachers

of ReadingConsider what technical assistance TTAC’s

can provide?

Reading Rocketshttp://www.readingrockets.org/

Reading 101: A Guide to Teaching Reading and Writing

• These 9 course modules include in-depth information, classroom strategies, assignments, and additional resources on the building blocks of teaching reading and writing — including phonemic awareness, phonics, fluency, vocabulary and text comprehension .

• Reading 101 provides excellent preparation for becoming a Certified Literacy Teacher. You may attain certification through the Center for Effective Reading Instruction and The International Dyslexia Association. The first step is successful completion of the Certification Exam for Educators of Reading Instruction (CEERI).

House Bill 842: Part 1

• 22.1-298.1.D.8. Every person seeking initial licensure or renewal of a license shall complete awareness training, provided by the Department of Education, on the indicators of dyslexia, as that term is defined by the Board pursuant to regulations, and the evidence-based interventions and accommodations for dyslexia

July 1, 2017

HB 842: Part 2

22.1-298.4. Teacher preparation programs; learning disabilities.The Department of Education shall collaborate with the State Council of Higher Education for Virginia to ensure that all teacher preparation programs offered at public institutions of higher education in the Commonwealth or otherwise available convey information on the identification of students at risk for learning disabilities, including dyslexia, other language-based learning disabilities, and attention deficit disorder. 2. That the provisions of this act shall become effective on July 1, 2017.

SB 1516/HB 2395One reading specialist employed by each local school board that employs a reading specialist shall have training in the identification of and the appropriate interventions, accommodations, and teaching techniques for students with dyslexia or a related disorder and shall serve as an advisor on dyslexia and related disorders. Such reading specialist shall have an understanding of the definition of dyslexia and a working knowledge of (i) techniques to help a student on the continuum of skills with dyslexia; (ii) dyslexia characteristics that may manifest at different ages and grade levels; (iii) the basic foundation of the keys to reading, including multisensory, explicit, systemic, and structured reading instruction; and (iv) appropriate interventions, accommodations, and assistive technology supports for students with dyslexia.

July 1, 2017

HB 1265/SB368Requires each education preparation program offered by a public institution of higher education or private institution of higher education that leads to a degree, concentration, or certificate for reading specialists to include a program of coursework or other training in the identification of and the appropriate interventions, accommodations, and teaching techniques for students with dyslexia or a related disorder. The bill requires such programs to (i) include coursework in the constructs and pedagogy underlying remediation of reading, spelling, and writing and (ii) require reading specialists to demonstrate mastery of an evidence-based, structured literacy instructional approach that includes explicit, systematic, sequential, and cumulative instruction.

July 1, 2018

Did not pass:

SJ 59 Study; identification of and interventions for dyslexia; report. Establishes a one-year joint subcommittee consisting of seven members of the House Committee on Education and six members of the Senate to study the identification of and interventions for dyslexia in the public elementary and secondary schools of the Commonwealth. The resolution was incorporated into SJ 62.

SB 865 Standards of Quality; reading diagnostic tests.Requires that the first reading diagnostic test administered to a student in kindergarten through grade three include a rapid alphabet naming component and that local school divisions report the results of reading diagnostic tests to parents, including subset scores.

MSLIPP (OG) Cohorts

• MSLIPP initiative since 2015 to present

• To date, over 400 participants (general education teachers, special education teachers, reading specialists)

• 30 hour training in OG approach to teaching reading, spelling, writing

• Participants receive implementation support through onsite visits, Communities of Practice, summer refresher training opportunity through the regional TTAC’s and VDOE.