Dyslexia laws in the USA
Martha Youman & Nancy Mather
Annals of Dyslexia
An Interdisciplinary Journal of The
International Dyslexia Association
ISSN 0736-9387
Ann. of Dyslexia
DOI 10.1007/s11881-012-0076-2
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Ann. of Dyslexia
DOI 10.1007/s11881-012-0076-2
Dyslexia laws in the USA
Martha Youman & Nancy Mather
Received: 6 February 2012 / Accepted: 28 June 2012
# The International Dyslexia Association 2012
Abstract Throughout the various states of the USA, the appropriate identification of
dyslexia and the timely provision of interventions are characterized by variability and
inconsistency. Several states have recognized the existence of this disorder and the wellestablished need for services. These states have taken proactive steps to implement laws and
regulations for both identification and treatment, and the provision of equal access to
students who are diagnosed with dyslexia. The majority of states, however, have not
developed such laws and guidelines. The purposes of this article are to review the present
status and content of these dyslexia laws, highlight some differences among the laws and
regulations across states, and suggest strategies for initiating such laws.
Keywords Dyslexia eligibility . Dyslexia identification . Dyslexia laws . Dyslexia
legislation . Dyslexia treatments
Dyslexia is the most common neurobiological disorder that affects the development of
decoding (written word pronunciation) and encoding (spelling) skills and hinders the literacy
development of both children and adults (Lyon, Shaywitz, & Shaywitz, 2003; Shaywitz,
2003). Historically, prevalence rates have been estimated to be between 10 and 15 % of all
school children in the USA (Fletcher, Lyon, Fuchs, & Barnes, 2007). Although it is well
established that consistent and targeted early interventions can help mitigate the effects of
dyslexia and improve individual outcomes (Foorman, Francis, Shaywitz, Shaywitz, &
Fletcher, 1997), the majority of states have not developed guidelines regarding how to
identify, help, and accommodate students with dyslexia within the requirements of federal
law, including the Individuals with Disabilities Educational Act 2004 (IDEA 2004) and §
504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973. Several states, however, have recognized the need for
M. Youman : N. Mather (*)
Department of Psychoeducational and Disability Studies, College of Education, University of Arizona,
Tucson, AZ 85721, USA
e-mail: nmather@email.arizona.edu
M. Youman
e-mail: myouman@email.arizona.edu
Author's personal copy
M. Youman, N. Mather
early services and have taken proactive steps to implement rules and regulations for
identification, treatment, and the provision of legal protections. Through the creation of
laws and regulations, these states have attempted to create a standardized process for both
identification and service delivery.
As of July of 2012, 22 states had statewide dyslexia laws, three of which provide a
dyslexia handbook to inform parents and educators about the proper procedures for students
in public and private educational settings. An additional three states have drafted a dyslexia
handbook to provide resources and guide school personnel and parents in both identification
and intervention for children with dyslexia. Of the remaining states, six have laws making
their way through the legislature, and two have tried to increase dyslexia awareness through
creation of a dyslexia week and dyslexia month. Table 1 provides a summary of existing
laws and initiatives across all of the states. The laws focus primarily upon: (a) definitions and
terminology, (b) early screening, (c) identification, (d) provision of interventions and
accommodations, and (e) eligibility for services. The purposes of this article are to review
the present status and content of these dyslexia laws, highlight some differences among the
laws and regulations across states, and suggest strategies for initiating such laws.
Definitions and terminology
Even though researchers have been studying dyslexia for over 100 years and numerous
professional organizations around the world have attempted to develop such a definition, a
strong consensus regarding a clear, useful definition still does not exist (TǾnnessen, 1997). In
2002, the International Dyslexia Association (IDA) Research Committee and the National
Institute of Child Health and Human Development (IDA, 2002; Lyon et al., 2003) proposed a
revised definition that describes dyslexia as a specific learning disability that is neurological in
origin and characterized by difficulties with accurate and/or fluent word recognition and poor
spelling. These difficulties typically result from a deficit in the phonological component of
language that is often unexpected in relationship to an individual’s other cognitive abilities.
Although the IDA definition places emphasis on phonological processing as the proximal cause
of dyslexia, the definitions from other countries (e.g., Australia, England, and Ireland) include
other cognitive and linguistic factors in addition to phonology awareness, such as rapid
automatized naming, processing speed, working memory, and automaticity.
Despite this lack of agreement regarding definition and the exact causes of dyslexia,
researchers and scientists from around the world have reached a consensus regarding the
characteristics and symptoms of this disorder, as well as how dyslexia affects reading and
spelling development (Babayiğit & Stainthorp, 2011; Bekebrede, van der Leij, Plakas, Share, &
Morfidi, 2010; Ho & Bryant, 1997; Jimenez & Ramirez, 2002; Paizi, Zoccolotti, & Burani,
2010; Porpodas, 1999; Seki, Kassai, Uchiyama, & Koeda, 2008). Dyslexia is consistently
described as a language-based disorder with the primary symptoms being inaccurate and/or
slow printed word recognition (lack of automaticity) and poor spelling—problems that in turn
affect the development of reading fluency and have a secondary impact on reading comprehension and written expression (Moats, Carreker, Davis, Meisel, Spear-Swerling, & Wilson,
2010). Thus, dyslexia is characterized as a neurobiological disorder that results in poor reading
(word accuracy and reading rate) and spelling that are unexpected in relationship to an
individual’s other cognitive and academic abilities (Peterson & Pennington, 2012).
In many school settings, the term “dyslexia” is not used to describe students who fit the
criteria for this disorder. Instead, school teams and clinical personnel use the terms “specific
learning disability (SLD),” which is specified within the Individuals with Disabilities Act
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Dyslexia laws in the USA
Table 1 US dyslexia laws, proposed bills, and initiatives
State Law/purpose
Status
Handbook
Other
AL
None
None
Dyslexia
Month
AK
None
None
None
AZ
None
None
None
AR
SB 749 (2011): Proposes K–12 screening, training,
and intervention
None
None
CA
Education Code Section 56333–56338: Students with In CA law
dyslexia who do not qualify for SLD receive services
in the classroom
None
None
Education Code Section 56240–56245: Encourages
education of teachers
Failed
In CA law
Family Code Section 8733: Adoption agencies to report In CA law
to adoptive parents if biological parents had
disabilities, including dyslexia
Education Code Section 52853: Schools to develop
programs for training in dyslexia intervention
In CA law
Education Code Section 44227.7: Higher education
encouraged to provide teacher training for dyslexia
and related disorders
In CA law
CO
SB 245 (2011): Provides funds for in-school dyslexia
training, identification, and higher education
programs to train on dyslexia
Passed
None
None
CT
HB 115 (2000): Books on tape for classrooms with
students with dyslexia
Passed
None
None
DE
None
None
None
FL
HB 1329 (2011): Scholarships for students with
disabilities, including dyslexia
Passed
FCRR Technical
Report #8
None
HB 1249 (2011): Waives certain requirements for high Failed
school diploma for students with disabilities,
including dyslexia
GA
SB 69 “ABC Initiative” (2001): Determine risk for
dyslexia in K–2
Pending
None
None
HI
SB 2217 (2010): Promotes awareness of dyslexia,
assessment and identification, remedial curriculum,
progress monitoring, interventions, and training
Passed
None
None
None
None
None
Dyslexia
Week
SCR 110–HCR 129 (2010): Establishment of a working Passed
group to develop a comprehensive plan to improve
awareness of and strengthen support for persons with
dyslexia
ID
None
IL
HB 4084 (2011): Pilot project for early screening
Pending
HB 5344 (2009–2010): School recordings for blind
and dyslexic students
Failed
Dyslexia
Month
IN
None
None
IA
None
None
None
None
KS
SB 75 (2011): Screening, instruction, intervention,
and development of pilot programs
Pending
None
None
HB 5015 (2008): Early screening; review level
and pace of implementation of best practices
of instruction; review teacher preparation
Passed
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M. Youman, N. Mather
Table 1 (continued)
State Law/purpose
Status
Handbook
Other
courses; submit a progress report by
December 31, 2009
KY
SB 410 (2012): Schools to implement “best practices”
of instruction for students with dyslexia
Pending
SB278 (2000): Dyslexia resource center
Failed
Passed
HB 69 (2012): Early Education Assessment and
Intervention; create a new section of KRS Chapter
158 to define “aphasia,” dyscalculia,” “dysgraphia,”
“dyslexia,” “phonemic awareness,” and
“scientifically based research”; require the Kentucky
Board of Education to promulgate administrative
regulations to implement district-wide use of K–3
response-to-intervention system in reading
LA
R.S. 17:7(11): Identification and services within the
regular education program for students
demonstrating characteristics of dyslexia;
assessment, intervention, and accommodations
In LA law
SCR 62 (2010): Dyslexia regulations; requests study
and review of the clarity of board regulations and
guidelines relative to the education of dyslexic
students and the effectiveness of procedures for
monitoring the compliance of public schools and
school districts when implementing such regulations
and related state law
Passed
HR 185 (2010): Dyslexia pilot study
Passed
Part XXXV. Regulations
and Guidelines for
Implementation of
the Louisiana Law
for the Education of
Dyslexic Students
ME
None
None
None
MD
None
None
None
MA
HB 3680 (2011): Requires teachers to get training in
disorders including dyslexia
In MA Law
Mass. Gen. Laws ch. 15A, § 30, 1983: Waiver of
college exams to students with dyslexia
In MA Law
MI
None
None
None
MN
None
Informational Paper # 1:
Dyslexia
None
MS
Amendment to 37-23-15, Mississippi Code Of 1972
(1997): Pilot programs for testing certain students
for dyslexia
Passed
HB 1494: Funds for educator training, including
dyslexia
Passed
HB 1031 (2012): Allows students enrolled in schools
that do not have dyslexia programs to transfer to a
different school or district universal K-1 screening
required
Passed
Mississippi Dyslexia
Handbook
MO
None
None
None
MT
None
None
None
NE
None
None
None
NV
Section 1–Chapter 388 of NRS (1984): School
districts to establish reading programs
NH
None
NJ
AB 811 (2010): Provides for instruction in dyslexia
awareness and methods of teaching students with
In Law
Study of Dyslexia and
Other Learning
Disabilities
None
None
Pending
None
None
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Dyslexia laws in the USA
Table 1 (continued)
State Law/purpose
Status
Handbook
Other
dyslexia for candidates for teaching certificates and
current teachers and paraprofessionals
AB 880/SB 2400 (2008–2009): New Jersey Reading
Disabilities Task Force
Passed
NM
HB 230 (2010): Interventions for students with signs
of dyslexia required
Passed
NY
None
None
None
NC
None
None
None
ND
None
None
None
OH
HB 96 (2011–2012): Pilot program for dyslexia
screening
None
Dyslexia
Month
None
None
None
None
None
Dyslexia
Month
Passed
None
HB 157 (2011): Educational service centers to provide Passed
teacher professional development on dyslexia;
"dyslexia specialist" to provide training for K–4
teachers in school districts and other public schools
OK
HB 1997 (2011): Dyslexia screening
Passed
HB 3073 (2012): Dyslexia training pilot program
Pending
OR
None
PA
HB 322 (1985–1986): Waives college entrance exams
In PA Law
Dyslexia
Week
HB 7541 (2012): Rhode Island Dyslexia Act, defines
dyslexia and the research-based interventions
appropriate for students with dyslexia
Pending
HB 7542 (2012): To form commission for educational
recommendations for students with dyslexia
Pending
SC
SB 241 (2011): Create the South Carolina
dyslexia taskforce
Passed
SD
None
TN
None
TX
SB 867 (2011): Adult testing accommodations for a
person with dyslexia taking a licensing examination
administered by a state agency
RI
None
None
None
None
None
The Dyslexia Handbook
for Teachers And Parents
in South Dakota
None
Passed
Passed
SB 866 (2011): Education of public school students
with dyslexia, the education and training of educators
who teach students with dyslexia, and the assessment
of students with dyslexia attending an institution of
higher education
Texas Education Code (TEC) § 38.003: Screening and In TX Law
treatment
Texas Education Code § 28.006: Diagnose reading in
K–2
In TX Law
Texas Education Code § 7.028(b): Compliance with
dyslexia law
In TX Law
Texas Administrative Code § 74.28: Districts to
provide procedures for identification;
adherence to dyslexia handbook; purchase program
for students w/dyslexia
In TX Law
None
Texas Dyslexia Handbook Dyslexia
Day
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M. Youman, N. Mather
Table 1 (continued)
State Law/purpose
Texas Occupations Code Chapter 403: Licensed
dyslexia practitioners and therapists
Status
Handbook
Other
In TX Law
UT
None
None
None
VT
None
None
None
VA
SJR 87 (2010): Pilot study for screening in kinder
None
None
None
None
Passed
HB 558 (2010): Early reading intervention services for Failed
students in grades K–3 who demonstrate deficiencies
WA
SB 6016 (2009–2010): Funds pilot projects to develop Passed
educator training programs and develop a handbook
SB 6318 (2011–2012): Revise teacher and principal
evaluation through professional development and
training, dyslexia included
Pending
WV
SB 662 (2012): Pilot project for dyslexia screening and Pending
institutions of higher education to include course
work on dyslexia
WI
AB 584 (2009–2010): Screening deficits in phonemic
awareness or rapid naming
Failed
WY
SB 39 (2012): Dyslexia screening and intervention as
early as possible in K–3
Passed
Adapted from the Legislative Commission of the Legislative Counsel Bureau, State of Nevada (1984);
Louisiana Administrative Code, Title 28, Education, Part XXXV (2002); Minnesota Specific Learning
Disability Committee, & Division of Special Education (2002); Mississippi Department of Education, Office
of Reading/Early Childhood/Language Arts (2002); South Dakota Department of Education (2009); and
Texas Education Agency (2007).
(IDEA 2004), and “reading disability,” which is used within the Diagnostic and Statistical
Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-IV-TR; American Psychiatric Association, 2000). Unfortunately, the inconsistency in terminology and the lack of a clear definition of dyslexia as a distinct
type of SLD have caused confusion regarding the distinction of dyslexia from other language and
learning disorders. Thus, in most school districts in the USA, educators place students with
dyslexia under the large umbrella of SLD; as a result, the suggested general intervention strategies
and accommodations may or may not fit the needs of students with dyslexia. Some states,
however, have implemented methods for separating dyslexia from other learning disabilities
while still adhering to federal law. For example, although still using the term SLD for identification and intervention, a few states (e.g., Texas) separate the identification and service delivery for
dyslexia from SLD and provide guidelines for parents and educators through published
dyslexia handbooks and other informational documents (Texas Education Agency, 2007).
Early screening
Most US school districts maintain records of students’ reading progress during early grades
in order to comply with No Child Left Behind (No Child Left Behind (NCLB), 2002). Thus,
most children in public schools who struggle with reading are being monitored and receive
some sort of intervention, but the causes and characteristics of their reading difficulties may
remain unknown. A few states, however, have mandated universal screening for dyslexia
and other reading disorders as part of reading progress monitoring in grades K–2. For
example, Texas Education Code § 38.003 specifies that all students be tested for dyslexia
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Dyslexia laws in the USA
using a program that is approved by the State Board of Education. The most common
screening procedures include the major linguistic and academic areas associated with
dyslexia, such as phonological awareness, single word decoding, reading fluency, and
spelling. Students who show this pattern of difficulties receive more comprehensive evaluations that are then followed by well-targeted reading interventions. Other states, including
Louisiana, Washington, Mississippi, South Carolina, Virginia, and Ohio, have laws that
require pilot programs and allocation of funds to establish universal screening for dyslexia
during the early school years. Additional states, including Kansas and Oklahoma, have
pending legislation on universal screening for dyslexia in public schools. A few remaining
states, including Arkansas, Kentucky, Kansas, Wisconsin, Colorado, and Louisiana, have
drafted universal screening legislature that failed to pass, but revisions and modifications to
current proposals are likely to be forthcoming. The early screening initiative in these states is
crucial for students with dyslexia, as research shows that the most effective interventions are
ones that are implemented early, during the beginning stages of literacy instruction (National
Reading Panel; National Institute of Child Health and Human Development, 2000).
Along with the initiative to screen early, although not mandatory, a number of states provide
guidelines for early screening of children with dyslexia. For example, The Dyslexia Handbook for
Teachers and Parents in South Dakota (South Dakota Department of Education, 2009) highlights
characteristics of students with dyslexia in grades K–3, such as difficulty remembering names and
shapes of letters, confusion of letters with similar sounds (e.g., d/t, b/p, f/v), and spelling errors
that involve difficulties with sequencing and monitoring sound/symbol correspondence (e.g.,
past/pats). In Louisiana, the Regulations and Guidelines for Implementation of the Louisiana Law
for the Education of Dyslexic Students (Louisiana Administrative Code, Title 28, Education, Part
XXXV, 2002) provide a list of factors that may contribute to the characteristics of dyslexia.
Among others, these factors include delayed speech development, a family history of similar
problems, low expressive language skills, cramped or illegible handwriting, difficulty learning
sound-letter correspondences, and difficulty identifying, blending, segmenting, and manipulating
phonemes. In another reference handbook, the Florida Center for Reading Research (FCRR)
technical report no. 8, Dyslexia: A Brief for Educators, Parents, and Legislators (Torgesen,
Foorman, & Wagner, 2010), specifies that the clearest indicators of dyslexia in kindergarten are
difficulties acquiring phonemic awareness, learning letter/sound correspondences, and learning to
decode using phonics. Of the remaining states, some refer educators and parents to the provisions
of IDEA 2004 under the SLD category, and others to the specific state IDA chapter.
Identification
At the federal level, under IDEA 2004, students who have been given appropriate access to
education, but continue to struggle academically, and whose difficulties cannot be explained by
cultural and environmental factors must be evaluated for SLD, with dyslexia fitting under this
umbrella term. Currently, IDEA 2004 specifies that three procedures may be used as a part of
the evaluation for SLD: (a) an ability–achievement discrepancy formula; (b) a failure to respond
to research-based methods, which is often referred to as a response-to-intervention (RTI); and
(c) alternative research-based models, such as a pattern of strengths and weaknesses (PSW)
approach. If the discrepancy model is used as the sole method for identification of SLD, it must
be supplemented by other documentation, including classroom observations, parent and teacher
reports, and intervention history. As with the ability–achievement discrepancy model, IDEA
2004 specifies that the application of research-based methodologies can be used as only part of
the evaluation process. Because most school districts adhere to the diagnostic categories of
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M. Youman, N. Mather
IDEA 2004, they do not recognize dyslexia as a separate disability. Many school districts still
use a numerical discrepancy formula for SLD or are attempting to build a model based upon
systematic application of RTI. A few states are now moving toward the implementation of a
third alternative research-based approach, typically through the documentation of a pattern of
strengths and weaknesses (e.g., Idaho, Oregon). Educators working in districts without specific
dyslexia laws should become familiar with the established procedure for the identification of
students with dyslexia under SLD in their school district.
States with clearly defined dyslexia laws or with dyslexia reference handbooks take a
different approach when identifying students with dyslexia. Districts within these states are
mandated or encouraged to find symptoms of dyslexia in young children, so that interventions can be implemented early, when they are likely to yield the best outcomes. It may be
determined later that the student also qualifies for SLD under IDEA 2004, but at the time of
identification, interventions are already in place. The process of dyslexia identification
across these states is similar, beginning with K–2 screening that includes assessment of
basic reading skills related to dyslexia, followed by formal assessment. In Texas, for
example, the identification process begins with initial detection of the symptoms of dyslexia
during K–2 mandatory periodic screenings. If a child’s reading development begins to lag behind,
and deficiencies are noted in areas consistent with dyslexia, districts notify parents and begin a
formal assessment process for dyslexia identification. This process includes data gathering,
review of educational records and the results of benchmark reading assessments, and samples
of student work. Following the review of data, students are formally assessed in a number of
domains, including academic skills (e.g., letter knowledge and written spelling), cognitive
processes (e.g., phonological/phonemic awareness and rapid naming), and other additional areas,
such as vocabulary and listening comprehension. The results of this comprehensive assessment
process are used to determine educational needs (Texas Education Agency, 2007).
Similarly, in South Dakota, the department of education suggests that students suspected
of having dyslexia be evaluated in oral language skills, word recognition, decoding, spelling,
phonological processing, automaticity/fluency skills, and reading comprehension (South
Dakota Department of Education, 2009). In Mississippi, the formal evaluation components
include auditory perception, oral expression, letter identification, word attack, oral reading
comprehension, silent reading comprehension, spelling, written expression, handwriting,
math calculation, and math reasoning (Mississippi Department of Education, Office of
Reading/Early Childhood/Language Arts, 2002).
In states that acknowledge dyslexia, students that cannot be identified with dyslexia under
IDEA 2004 are identified under § 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973. Section 504 defines
a disability as a limitation in one or more of nine major life activities, one of which is reading
[34 C.F.R. 104.3 (j)]. Thus, a student with dyslexia, who has a limitation in reading, can still
be considered to have a disability under § 504, even if the reading limitation does not reach
the criteria for SLD. Districts aware of dyslexia develop 504 teams to evaluate students
under this criterion, making sure that interventions continue for students with similar reading
challenges who do not qualify for special education. Whether through IDEA or § 504, early
identification of dyslexia as a separate disorder ensures that students receive the critical early
interventions they need: explicit instruction in phonological awareness and letter–sound
relationships (Hulme, Bower-Crane, Carroll, Duff, & Snowling, 2012; Uhry, 2005).
In some instances, the identification of dyslexia occurs outside of school. If a student is given
a diagnosis of dyslexia from a private provider, parents can request an evaluation for SLD in the
school to determine eligibility for services. In most states, only after a school team determines
that a student meets criteria for SLD can the student receive specific accommodations and
reading instruction. Thus, a child may have clear signs of dyslexia and may have undergone an
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extensive private evaluation for dyslexia outside of the school, but may not meet a school
district’s requirements. Even though they may have dyslexia, some students may be judged as
ineligible for services under the state or school district policy and, therefore, will not receive
specialized instruction and cannot request classroom accommodations.
English language learners
As with the diagnosis of SLD in monolingual English speaking children, IDEA 2004
mandates the procedures for evaluation and identification of individuals with limited
English proficiency. Communications with parents must be done in the parents’ first
language, assessment must be conducted in the language in which the child is most
proficient, and access to services must not be denied based on language proficiency.
In order to comply with the federal mandates of IDEA 2004 and to reduce overidentification and underidentification of English language learners (ELLs) with SLD, most
school districts form task forces and multicultural teams who have experience and
knowledge in assessment of culturally and linguistically diverse children. These task
forces and multicultural teams follow the same procedures for identification under the
SLD category in IDEA 2004, but keep in mind the expected difficulties that explain
academic difficulties in ELLs. The initiative of forming task forces that are familiar
with the cultural and language characteristics of the population they serve is supported
by research. Ortiz (2011), for example, explains that evaluations of students from
diverse backgrounds are more accurate when the evaluation team includes at least one
member who is familiar with the unique linguistic and cultural makeup of the child
being evaluated.
Like their monolingual peers, ELLs are not explicitly identified as having dyslexia
in most school districts; they instead are identified as students with SLD. For those in
school districts using the stipulations of §504 to serve students with dyslexia, identification will take a similar course as that of monolingual children with dyslexia, but
with special considerations for language limitations. Few guidelines exist for the
identification of ELLs with dyslexia across districts. Only Texas provides explicit
regulations of data gathering and assessment to identify ELLs with dyslexia. The
additional data gathering requirements include a survey of home language, assessment
of English proficiency through oral language, norm-referenced tests and state-wide
tests, evidence of second language acquisition development, previous schooling in and
outside of the US, and the language of instruction. The additional assessment requirements include comprehensive oral language proficiency testing of the native language
and in English and assessment in both languages of the cognitive and academic
domains assessed in English monolingual students (when the student has received
academic instruction in both languages) (Texas Education Agency, 2007).
Interventions and accommodations
The policies regarding the provision of interventions and accommodations also vary from
state to state. In some states, children with dyslexia receive specific interventions and
accommodations within the public school setting; in other states, children may not receive
any additional classroom instruction or supports because they do not qualify for services
under IDEA 2004.
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Interventions
To learn to read and spell, children with dyslexia require intensive instruction by highly trained
teachers (Moats, 2009). As Richardson (1992, p. 46) noted over two decades ago: “It is incumbent
on the educational system to recognize dyslexia and to provide the appropriate alternative
instructional approaches to beginning reading for children with developmental dyslexia.” This
type of instruction typically involves phonological awareness training followed by systematic
instruction in phonics and then fluency (Mather & Wendling, 2012; Shaywitz, 2003; Snowling &
Hulme, 2012). Although NCLB requires districts and charter schools to implement scientifically
based reading programs, the selected programs may not be ones that are most appropriate for the
treatment of dyslexia. In some cases, a student with dyslexia, who is receiving special education
services (under the category of SLD), will have appropriate interventions in his or her Individualized Education Program (IEP). These interventions are usually delivered in the least restrictive
environment, which is the general classroom or a “pull-out” resource room for reading intervention sessions. In the states that recognize dyslexia, however, the methodologies in the IEP or
intervention plan for a student with dyslexia are consistent with empirically proven interventions
for this disorder. States that have explicit intervention programs for students with dyslexia include
New Mexico, Louisiana, Texas, Minnesota, Colorado, and South Dakota. Common intervention
strategies and programs for dyslexia target instruction in areas such as phonemic awareness,
phonics, spelling, fluency, and vocabulary, all of which have ample research of effectiveness with
students with dyslexia (National Reading Panel; National Institute of Child Health and Human
Development, 2000; Snow, Burns, & Griffin, 1998; Torgesen et al., 2010). Most states with
dyslexia handbooks or reference documents provide a list of approved programs that schools may
implement. Table 2 provides a list of approved programs listed in various dyslexia handbooks and
reference documents. Although some of the programs have more recent versions and/or additional updated materials (e.g., Auditory Discrimination in Depth, the Herman Method, and
Wilson Reading System), Table 2 lists programs and publishers (not always correct) as they
currently appear in dyslexia handbooks.
Following the initiative from states that already have established dyslexia intervention laws, some states are beginning to implement pilot projects to document the
effectiveness of dyslexia intervention programs. The state of Washington, for example,
under the Lorraine Wojahn Dyslexia Pilot Reading Program, provided funds to five
schools to test the effectiveness of intervention programs for students with dyslexia.
In the project report, Young (2008) reported an increase from 17 to 40 % passing
grades in the reading portion of Washington State exams for students who participated
in the intervention programs.
In addition to programs that are selected for intervention, some states emphasize the
modality and setting of instruction for students with dyslexia. Table 3 provides an example
of instructional methodology recommended for students with dyslexia adapted from the
Regulations and Guidelines for Implementation of the Louisiana Law for the Education of
Dyslexic Students. Similar recommendations are also seen in other handbooks, including the
Texas Dyslexia Handbook, which recommends explicit, direct, structured, sequential, and
cumulative instruction with no assumption of prior skills.
The use of multisensory instruction (MSL) is also recommended by various dyslexia
reference documents including the Mississippi Dyslexia Handbook (Mississippi Department
of Education, Office of Reading/Early Childhood/Language Arts, 2002), which specifies that
classrooms serving students with dyslexia must incorporate a MSL program, which combines
auditory, visual, and tactile elements into learning tasks. The handbook provides a “Multisensory Program Review Form” for educators who are evaluating possible commercial programs
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Table 2 Intervention programs listed in dyslexia handbooks
Program
Grades/age
ACADEMY OF ORTON–GILLINGHAM PRACTIONERS
AND EDUCATORS
K–12
PUBLISHER OF ALPHABETIC PHONICS
K–12
Educators Publishing Service
ASSOCIATION METHOD
Pre-K–Middle School
Maureen K. Martin, Ph.D.
AUDITORY DISCRIMINATION IN DEPTH
K–Adult
Lindamood–Bell Publisher
CLASSROOM PHONICS/SAXON PHONICS
K–2
Saxon Publisher Inc.
DISTAR/CORRECTIVE READING
Association for Direct Instruction Publisher, etc.
K–12
HERMAN METHOD
8 year–Adult
Romar Publications
ESSENTIAL LANGUAGE STRUCTURES PROGRAM
5–12
KURZWEIL 3000
2–College
Assistive Learning Technology
LANGUAGE!
1–12
Sopris West
LANGUAGE CIRCLE
Project Read Strand 2
Grades 1–4
Grades 4–8
Linguistics
Grades 4–8
Project Read Strand 3
Grades 1–adult
Comprehension
Project Read Strand 4
Written expression
LAUNCHING LITERACY WITH LANGUAGE!
K–3
Sopris West
LEAD PROGRAM
LEAD Educational Resources
MULTISENSORY TEACHING APPROACH
Educators Publishing Service
MULTISENSORY TEACHING TECHNIQUES
Developmentally K–3
Remedial 1–6
Ungraded
1–12 and college
Menninger Center for Learning Disabilities
PROJECT READ
Language Circles Enterprises
K–6
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Table 2 (continued)
Program
Grades/age
READING PLUS
K–12
Taylor and Associates/Communications
RECIPE FOR READING
1–3
Educators Publishing Service
SLINGERLAND APPROACH
K–12
Educators Publishing Service
SRA CORRECTIVE READING SYSTEMS
4–12
TEXAS SCOTTISH RITE DYSLEXIA TRAINING PROGRAM
2–12
Texas Scottish Rite Hospital
TEXAS SCOTTISH RITE DYSLEXIA LITERACY PROGRAM
Secondary
Texas Scottish Rite Hospital
TEACHERS AND TOOLS (TNT)
K–Adults
VISUALIZING AND VERBALIZING FOR LANGUAGE
TRAINING PROGRAM
Various
Lindamood–Bell
WILSON READING SYSTEM
5–Adult
Wilson Language System
THE WRITING ROAD TO READING
Pre-K–12
Spalding Foundation
WRITING TO READ (IBM)
K–2
Instructional Business
to be used with students with dyslexia. Table 4 lists some of the evaluating criteria included in
the Mississippi Multisensory Program Review Form.
At the general education classroom level, some of the existing dyslexia handbooks
provide suggested interventions by subject area. These interventions include techniques
such as books on CD and color overlays for reading, spell check and spelling charts for
spelling, copying procedures and letter-form charts for writing, and vocabulary decks and
the use of highlighters for content areas. Although handbooks that list these strategies
recognize that some of these techniques are controversial and not always research-based,
they encourage teachers to adapt any or a combination of these methods if they help students
with dyslexia in the general education classroom.
Accommodations
Depending upon a state’s definition and perception of dyslexia, students with this disability may
be granted accommodations for classroom and homework assignments and assessment. In
dyslexia handbooks across states, the most commonly suggested accommodations include
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Table 3 Summary of recommended instructional methodology for students with dyslexia
Instruction for students with dyslexia should include:
1. Direct instruction with student-teacher interaction and diagnostic teaching
2. Simultaneous and multisensory instruction: an instructional approach that uses a simultaneous combination of
visual, auditory, kinesthetic, and tactile pathways, to achieve proficiency in language processing
3. Synthetic to analytic phonics: teaches students the sounds of the letters first and then combines or blends these
sounds to create words. Analytic phonics uses prior knowledge of letters and their corresponding sounds to decode
and form new words (e.g., using -at to form bat)
4. Systematic: Material is organized and taught in a way that is logical and fits the nature of our language. It refers to
the way sounds combine to form words and words combine to form sentences to represent knowledge. The ways
are determined by a system of rules
5. Sequential: The learner moves step-by-step, in order, from simple, well-learned material to that which is more
complex, as he or she masters the necessary language skills
6. Cumulative: Each step is incremental and based on those skills already learned
7. Individualized: Teaching is planned to meet the differing needs of learners who are similar to each other, but no
two are exactly alike
8. Allows for automaticity of performance: Fluent processing of information that requires little effort or attention as sight
word recognition. Adequate practice with decodable text is to be provided for mastery of skills and applications of concepts
9. Multisensory Structured Language (MSL) programs with a minimum of 150 min/week
• Regular class placement with a MSL program
• Out-of-class placement in a MSL program
• Individual or small group instruction in a MSL program
• A combination of these options or any additional arrangements that may be developed by the committee
10. Instruction in recognition and identification of the number of syllables in a word providing training in
• Sound blending of phonemes (sounds) in words and syllables
• Phoneme segmentation of real words and syllables
• Phoneme Manipulation
11. Syllable instruction: instruction in the six kinds of syllables and their application to reading
12. Meaning-based: instruction provided in words and sentences to extract meaning in addition to teaching isolated
letter-sound correspondences
(a) Instruction in morphology which includes identification of morphemes and their functional use in written and
spoken words
(b) Instruction of syntax to include sentence construction, combining, and expansion in both narrative and expository
text
(c) Instruction of semantics to include vocabulary acquisition, idioms, figurative language
(d) Instruction in comprehension of narrative and expository text
13. Instruction in reading fluency: the accuracy; appropriate use of pitch, juncture and stress; text phrasing; and rate
at which one reads
(a) Provides for substantial practice and continual application of decoding and word recognition to work toward
automaticity
(b) Provides opportunities for reading large amounts of text
i. At the student's independent reading level (with 95 percent accuracy)
ii. Which provides specific practice in skills being learned
Adapted from: Title 28 Education, Part XXXV. Bulletin 1903—Regulations and Guidelines for Implementation of the Louisiana Law for the Education of Dyslexic Students, p. 7.
extended time for reading tasks, not penalizing students for spelling mistakes, additional time
for statewide assessments, and oral reading of questions during assessment. These accommodations may be implemented in everyday curricular activities in the classroom and/or during
statewide assessment periods. Ultimately, classroom accommodations are left to the discretion
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Table 4 Summary of components of multisensory program review form in Mississippi Dyslexia Handbook
Reading specialists, general and special education teachers, principals, or literacy teams review possible
multisensory programs for school wide implementation. The following characteristics of the program are
evaluated in order to assess potential programs:
1. Name of program
2. Author(s) of program
3. Date of publication
4. Areas covered by program
(a) Reading
(b) Writing penmanship
(c) Spelling
(d) Writing composition
(e) Other language
5. Program characteristics
(a) Age/grade range of program design
(b) Suggested group size
(c) Length of program for students
(d) Intended outcome for students
(e) Support services offered or needed
6. Program Rating (as compared to other programs). Comparisons given a numerical number [(4) for
Excellent (1) for Poor] in the following areas
(a) The program is specifically designed for students with dyslexia
(b) The program was developed by a person with extensive training and experience in teaching students with
dyslexia at all age levels and with varying degrees of severity
(c) The program provides criteria for evaluating student progress
(d) The program provides for multisensory learning
(e) The program provides spelling and writing components
(f) The program provides ample opportunity for review of previous learning
(g) The program provides curricula coherence between grade levels and between the remedial classroom and
the regular classroom
(h) The program provides for individualization to meet the needs of various students in various settings
7. Teacher/general education commitment required
8. Training needed
9. Training provided
10. Cost
11. Type of materials needed (consumable, provided, part of program, etc.)
12. Class setting recommended for service
13. Teacher/student ratio
14. Support studies, data or reports from current program users
15. Short- and long-term advantages and disadvantages
of the teacher and his/her adherence to the IEP or 504 plan, while statewide assessment
accommodations are left to each school district’s policy for identified students with dyslexia.
Statewide assessment policies become very important for students with dyslexia, as their
advancement to higher grades will depend on their performance as it compares to their peers.
Unfortunately, as with policies regarding eligibility for services for students with dyslexia,
policies for accommodations during statewide assessment vary greatly among states and
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school districts. The majority of states do not provide explicit accommodations for students
with dyslexia during statewide testing. For students with dyslexia identified under IDEA
2004, testing accommodations will be provided according to the specifications of their IEP.
However, if the state does not explicitly recognize dyslexia, these testing accommodations
may not be appropriately matched to the student’s needs.
In contrast, school districts that acknowledge the limitations of students with dyslexia
during high stakes statewide testing provide accommodations that allow these students the
same opportunity for success. In Texas, for example, students with dyslexia are provided
with “Dyslexia Bundled Accommodations” during the Texas Assessment of Knowledge and
Skills, a statewide assessment of Texas education standards in reading, writing, math,
science, and social studies (Texas Education Agency, 2007). These accommodations are
sensitive to the students’ limitations due to dyslexia, as well as their native language. The
bundled accommodations include options such as oral/signed partial or total administration,
extended time, and administration in the student’s native language. All students identified
with dyslexia, whether they have an IEP or a 504 plan, are considered for the bundled
accommodations. A team of professionals knowledgeable about dyslexia makes decisions
about the appropriate accommodations based upon each student’s unique needs.
Teacher training
Inadequate teacher preparation remains a significant concern across the nation (Moats, 2009).
In public academic settings, students with dyslexia receive intervention services from a variety
of school personnel, including general education teachers, special education teachers, reading
specialists, resource room teachers, and even dyslexia specialists. Recognizing that general
education teachers will spend the most time with a student with dyslexia, some states have taken
proactive steps to educate teachers on effective interventions for dyslexia. For example, § 503
of the Regulations and Guidelines for Implementation of the Louisiana Law for the Education
of Dyslexic Students mandates school districts to provide training to general education teachers
on the interventions and strategies that are most effective for students with dyslexia in the
general education classroom. Similar stipulations are stated in current laws and proposed bills in
California, Arkansas, Hawaii, Washington, Colorado, and Wisconsin. Texas has even adopted
training and practice standards for teachers of students with dyslexia. These standards include
knowledge and skills of the psychology of reading and reading development, knowledge of
language structure (e.g., phonology, phonetics, syntax, etc.), practical skills of instruction, and
knowledge of assessment of classroom reading and writing skills. Each school district is
responsible for training teachers to meet the state standards and provides monitoring to ensure
adherence to validated instructional practice. In states without laws for in-class intervention for
dyslexia, both special and general education teachers are often not trained on the implementation of crucial dyslexia intervention strategies, such as structured phonics methods and MSL
approaches to reading and spelling.
If students with dyslexia in general and special education classrooms continue to show lack of
progress in reading performance, schools often do include extra time with a reading specialist or
resource room teacher as part of the intervention program. Reading specialists in states that
recognize dyslexia as a separate disorder must be knowledgeable about dyslexia intervention
strategies and provide focused instruction in small groups. In states where dyslexia falls under the
umbrella of SLD, however, reading specialists may or may not be knowledgeable about reading
strategies that help students with dyslexia or may just use a general strategy or methodology for all
struggling readers. Thus, students with dyslexia who are not separated from other SLD students
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often receive reading instruction with other struggling readers who may not need the same type of
instruction (e.g., English language learners, who mostly need vocabulary building activities;
students with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, who have fallen behind their peers).
Although general reading strategies provided to a heterogeneous group of struggling readers is
not harmful for students with dyslexia, they are not targeted to the specific needs of students with
dyslexia. The FCRR Dyslexia report (Torgesen et al., 2010) recognizes the need to separate the
intervention strategies for students with dyslexia from other struggling readers, who are only “one
subgroup” of students at school with reading difficulties. Many students with dyslexia, the report
explains, have well-developed vocabularies, strong reasoning skills, and excellent language
comprehension abilities. Thus, their primary instructional needs for reading are in: phonemic
awareness, phonemic decoding, sight word development, and fluency.
A few states have dyslexia “specialists” or “therapists” who provide instruction solely to
students with dyslexia. In Texas, for example, a teacher or other school professional may
obtain a license to work with students with dyslexia. This “Dyslexia Practitioner License”
requires a bachelor’s degree, 45 hours of course work in MSL education, and 60 hours of
supervised clinical experience in MSL instruction. A “Dyslexia Therapist License” requires
a bachelor’s degree, 200 hours of course work in MSL education, and 700 hours of
supervised clinical experience in MSL instruction. Teachers with either of these licenses
are considered first for assignment to teach students with dyslexia.
A few higher education programs across states also provide dyslexia intervention certification for educators who wish to work helping students with dyslexia. One program at
Fairleigh Dickinson University in New Jersey, for example, offers the Dyslexia Specialist
(Orton–Gillingham) FDU Certificate, which requires 30 graduate credits, including theory
and practica based on the Orton–Gillingham approach, an approach often used in interventions for students with dyslexia. Unfortunately, in many states, teachers still have to seek out
and pay for any specialized training they receive. A common knowledge gap still exists
between the vital instructional components for students with dyslexia and the actual classroom instructional practices (Budin, Mather, & Cheesman, 2010; Moats, 2009). To address
this gap, the IDA developed Knowledge and Practice Standards that were designed to
inform the preparation of reading teachers (Moats et al., 2010).
Eligibility for services—contrast between K–12 and postsecondary education
Although IDEA 2004 and § 504 provide protections for elementary and secondary students
with SLD, the responsibilities of postsecondary institutions vary significantly from those of
public K–12 school districts. In K–12 settings, the district has a responsibility to provide a
Free Appropriate Public Education (FAPE), whereas colleges are not required to provide
FAPE. Thus, school districts focus on finding, classifying, and providing services, modifications, and accommodations to students with disabilities and, in some states, dyslexia. In
contrast, higher education institutions are only concerned with providing academic adjustments that ensure that students are not being discriminated against because of a disability.
Services in K–12 settings
For the most part, eligibility for services for dyslexia will depend on a state’s and district’s
interpretation of federal and state legislature. Following federal and state law, some school districts
place dyslexia under IDEA 2004 as part of the SLD category; others consider dyslexia to be a part
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of § 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973. Unfortunately, the use of these categories, as well as a
state’s particular position on dyslexia, will determine the specific services a student receives.
Whereas a student with dyslexia in one state may be entitled to multiple services, a student with
dyslexia in another state may have no opportunity to request or receive the same services.
Students with dyslexia who have met a state’s criteria for SLD under IDEA 2004, through
one of the three approaches (ability–achievement discrepancy, limited response to intervention,
or a PSW approach), will be provided with interventions and instructional accommodations.
These instructional procedures and accommodations will be prepared by a multidisciplinary
team, including parents, and will be listed on the student’s IEP. If, however, a student fails to
meet a school district’s criteria for SLD, services will not be rendered, regardless of whether or
not the student shows the characteristics of dyslexia or has a diagnosis of dyslexia from a private
practitioner. As an example, consider that a student shows signs of dyslexia and is evaluated for
SLD by a multidisciplinary team. The multidisciplinary team follows the district’s guidelines
that include evidence of delayed academic performance (classroom observations, academic
work samples, interviews with the teacher, etc.) and the use of a discrepancy formula (intellectual functioning vs. expected academic performance). In addition to academic performance
data, the guidelines require a discrepancy of 22 points between intellectual functioning and
academic performance to qualify for SLD. The evaluated student shows academic difficulties,
but after formal academic and intellectual assessment, the discrepancy is only 15 points. In this
case, the criteria for SLD under the district’s guidelines are not met and the student does not
qualify for services or accommodations. This student will not receive academic accommodations, even if the teacher and/or parents believe that the student has dyslexia. Unfortunately,
many states and school districts still adhere to this type of approach to determine eligibility of
services for students with dyslexia and, as a result, some students who actually have dyslexia
are not provided with the needed accommodations and interventions that would help them keep
pace with their peers.
Some states use the specifications of § 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 to provide
services to students with dyslexia who do not meet the criteria for SLD under IDEA 2004.
The Mississippi Dyslexia Handbook (Mississippi Department of Education, Office of Reading/Early Childhood/Language Arts, 2002), for example, advocates for implementation of
accommodations for students with dyslexia and indicates that under § 504 “…non-discrimination requires the provision of special services or modifications of a program to enable the
student to benefit from the education that is offered to him or her” (p. 77). Other states that
justify services for students with dyslexia under § 504 include Texas, South Dakota,
Louisiana, Washington, Arkansas, and Minnesota.
Postsecondary education
Although students with dyslexia may have been identified and received services for their
disability in their K–12 education, their diagnosis and services do not continue into their
postsecondary education because colleges and universities are not required to provide a free,
appropriate public education. Upon entering a college or university, it is the student’s responsibility to inform the higher education institution of an existing disability and the necessary
accommodations that are needed for equal access to academic material. In most states, this
means that students with dyslexia must pay for an evaluation to be completed by an approved
provider since the documents that determined their diagnosis of dyslexia in K–12 settings may
be too old or incomplete. After completion of a comprehensive evaluation, students must also
ensure that results are submitted and that accommodations are granted for each class in which
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Table 5 Proposing dyslexia state laws and initiatives
Law/initiative
Screening for Dyslexia
Suggestions
1. Form committee or task force of professionals knowledgeable about dyslexia
2. Propose a pilot program to determine cost, time, and procedure for dyslexia
screening in public K–12 schools. Example: OH HB 96 (2011-2012)
3. Determine timeline for pilot program and indicate date of final report
4. Present findings of pilot program in report and draft bill for universal
screening for dyslexia
5. Include specifications for special populations (e.g., ELLs, students with
multiple disabilities, etc.)
Dyslexia Training for
Professionals
1. Draft bill requesting funds for in-school dyslexia training and dyslexia
training in higher education programs. Example: CO SB 245 (2011)
2. Determine appropriate allocation of funds for dyslexia training
3. Develop training standards
4. Specify criteria for professionals working with students with dyslexia.
Example: Texas Occupations Code Chapter 403
Eligibility for Accommodations
and Services for Students with
Dyslexia
1. Promote awareness of dyslexia under IDEA-SLD or § 504 or Rehabilitation
Act
2. Develop district or school policy for eligibility of services and
accommodations under IDEA or § 504 for students with dyslexia. Example:
CA Education Code Section 56333–56338
Classroom Instruction for Students 1. Draft bill requesting instruction for students with dyslexia using researchwith Dyslexia
based programs. Example: LA R.S. 17:7(11)
2. Provide a list of approved programs for implementation in the instruction of
students with dyslexia. Example: Mississippi Dyslexia Handbook
3. Develop education programs for students with dyslexia. Example: Part
XXXV. Regulations and Guidelines for Implementation of the Louisiana Law
for the Education of Dyslexic Students
Interventions for Students with
Dyslexia
1. Draft bill requesting interventions for students with signs of dyslexia.
Example: NM HB 230 (2010)
2. Provide list of approved intervention programs to districts. Example:
Intervention programs listed in dyslexia handbooks
3. Update list every 3 years
Dyslexia Handbook
1. Form committee or task force of professionals knowledgeable about dyslexia
2. Develop dyslexia handbook
3. Draft bill proposing adherence to dyslexia handbook (when state has specific
dyslexia laws). Example: LA SCR 62 (2010)
4. Distribute dyslexia handbook to districts or require districts to develop a
dyslexia handbook. Example: Texas Administration Code § 74.28
Students with Dyslexia in Higher
Education Institutions
1. Draft bill proposing exclusion of standardized college entrance exams for
students with dyslexia. Example: MA Gen. Laws ch. 15A, § 30 (1983)
2. Develop informational documents for students transitioning from K–12
education to institutions of higher education. Example: TX Dyslexia
Handbook, Appendix K
Dyslexia Awareness
1. Draft bill proposing declaration of dyslexia day, week, or month
2. Provide dyslexia professional development for educators
3. Develop dyslexia “Frequently Asked Questions—FAQs” for parents,
teachers, and the community
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they enroll. To help students with this transition, some dyslexia handbooks provide information
for students with dyslexia who are transitioning to postsecondary institutions.
Another factor affecting students with dyslexia who are transitioning into postsecondary
education is the requirement of standardized college entrance aptitude tests. In most states,
students with dyslexia who are not in special education are required to provide scores on
standardized college aptitude tests as part of their application materials. These scores may
significantly affect the higher institution’s decision on admitting a student with dyslexia. In the
state of Massachusetts, however, the term dyslexia is listed as one of the disabilities taken into
consideration when waiving the requirement of standardized aptitude scores for admission to
higher education institutions. Specifically, the law states that “No resident of the commonwealth
who has been diagnosed as being developmentally disabled, including but not limited to,
having dyslexia or other specific language disabilities, by any evaluation procedure prescribed
by Chapter 71 B, or equivalent testing, shall be required to take any standardized college
entrance aptitude test to gain admittance to any public institution of higher education in the
commonwealth” (Massachusetts General Laws, 1983, Chap. 15A, § 30). Most private and
public colleges and universities in Massachusetts include the above statement in their admission
documents. Universities and colleges in other states, however, do not provide this type of
protection for individuals with dyslexia and thus, most admission offices in postsecondary
institutions are unlikely to consider the impact of dyslexia on these types of high stakes tests.
Conclusion
State laws must include at least the same rights and protections as federal laws; they can
provide more protections, but not less. Clearly, advocates in many states are paving the way
for increased understanding and support of individuals with dyslexia. This growing support
for dyslexia laws is encouraging. For example, on May 24, 2011, Ohio HB 96 was passed by
a resounding vote of 94 to 1. This law includes dyslexia in its definition of SLD and will
allow for students with dyslexia to be included in the list of students who are provided with
special instruction at school. State Representative Ted Celeste, who cosponsored the bill
with State Representative Andrew Brenner, commented that: “Many times the proper
diagnosis of dyslexia is what holds students back from receiving the kind of educational
instruction most appropriate for their individual situations. Often times a student may fall
through the cracks in which he or she is not ‘behind far enough’ to qualify for special
educational services.” In addition to securing services for children, another major milestone
is simply getting the word “dyslexia” to be recognized by personnel within the public school
systems. Table 5 provides suggestions for beginning the process of enacting dyslexia laws
and promoting dyslexia awareness.
Two years ago, the governor of Alabama, Bob Riley, declared October “Dyslexia Awareness
Month.” In this proclamation, Riley stated: “Alabamians will benefit from increased awareness of
the nature of dyslexia, the early warning signs of dyslexia, and the value of multisensory structured
language interventions for students with dyslexia. Greater recognition and understanding are
necessary to ensure that individuals with dyslexia living in Alabama and all other Americans with
dyslexia are accurately identified and provided with appropriate services so that they might lead
maximally productive lives.” As of 2011, there is still no policy or state law addressing dyslexia in
Alabama. In fact, many Alabama schools refuse to acknowledge that dyslexia even exists”
(retrieved from http://community.brightstar-learning.com/2011/dyslexiainalabama/).
Although progress has been made regarding the creation and passing of state dyslexia
laws, much remains to be accomplished. Clearly, the passing of laws does not fully
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guarantee that individuals with dyslexia will be identified and provided with appropriate
accommodations and instruction. In discussing his own realization that he had dyslexia,
Schultz (2011, p. 64), a Pulitzer prize winning poet, reflected: “My ignorance of my dyslexia
only intensified my sense of isolation and hopelessness. Ignorance is perhaps the most
painful aspect of a learning disability.” These state laws help reduce ignorance; they increase
public awareness and the likelihood that students with dyslexia in our schools will receive
empathetic treatment and the necessary instruction and supports.
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