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ARIZONA STATE SENATE
Fifty-Fourth Legislature, First Regular Session
schools; dyslexia; screening; training
Purpose
Requires the Arizona Department of Education (ADE) to develop a dyslexia plan for the screening of students for dyslexia risk factors and develop a list of training opportunities related to dyslexia.
Background
Dyslexia is a condition of neurological origin that is characterized by difficulties with accurate or fluent word recognition and by poor spelling and decoding abilities (A.R.S. § 15-701). ADE develops and maintains a dyslexia handbook to provide pupils, parents and teachers guidance concerning the identification of dyslexia, strategies to improve academic performance and resources and services available to pupils, teachers and parents (Dyslexia Handbook).
Certificated teachers and administrators must complete 15 continuing education credits each year to renew a certificate. Continuing education credits may include training on: 1) suicide awareness and prevention; 2) child abuse, human trafficking of children and the sexual abuse of children; and 3) screening, intervention, accommodation, use of technology and advocacy for students with reading impairments, including dyslexia (A.R.S. § 15-219 and A.A.C. R7-2-619).
There is no anticipated fiscal impact to the state General Fund associated with this legislation.
Provisions
1. Requires ADE to collaboratively develop a dyslexia plan with the ADE dyslexia specialist and dyslexia experts, including nonprofit entity representatives with expertise in dyslexia-related issues.
2. Requires the dyslexia plan to:
a) ensure every student first enrolled in kindergarten or first grade at an Arizona public school receives screening for dyslexia risk factors;
b) provide guidance for notifications sent by school districts to parents of students identified as at risk for dyslexia based on a screening; and
c) identify cost-effective screening tests that screen for phonological awareness, rapid naming skills, correspondence between sounds and letters, and a family history of difficulty in learning to read.
3. Requires ADE to annually develop, in addition to the continuation education opportunities, a list of training opportunities related to dyslexia that:
a) ensures that training opportunities satisfy professional development requirements; and
b) includes at least one entirely-online training opportunity.
4. Requires training opportunities related to dyslexia to:
a) comply with knowledge and practice standards of an ADE-designated international organization on dyslexia;
b) enable a teacher to understand and recognize dyslexia; and
c) enable a teacher to implement systematic, explicit and evidence-based instruction to meet the educational needs of students with dyslexia.
5. Requires ADE to designate a dyslexia specialist for ADE to provide school districts and charter schools with support and resources to assist students with dyslexia.
6. Becomes effective on the general effective date.
Prepared by Senate Research
February 8, 2019
JO/LB/kja