Assigned to ED FOR COMMITTEE
ARIZONA STATE SENATE
Fifty-Seventh Legislature, First Regular Session
FACT SHEET FOR H.B. 2170
individualized education programs; dyslexia diagnosis
Purpose
Requires a child with a specific learning disability's Individualized Education Program
(IEP) to indicate whether the child has been diagnosed with dyslexia.
Background
Each school district and charter school must develop policies and procedures for providing
special education and each child with a disability must receive special education programming in
accordance with their abilities and needs. To meet the needs of a child and ensure access to the
general education curriculum, specially designed instruction that is in accordance with a child's
IEP may be delivered in a variety of education settings by a general education teacher or other
certificated personnel, provided that certificated special education personnel are involved in the
specially designed instruction (A.R.S. § 15-763).
An IEP is a written statement for providing special education and related services to a child
with a disability that is developed and reviewed in accordance with the federal Individuals with
Disabilities Education Act (IDEA). An IEP must include: 1) a child's academic achievement,
functional performance and measurable annual goals; 2) the special education services, aids,
support and any individual accommodations to be provided; 3) the projected beginning date of
services and support; and 4) beginning when the child is 16 years old, appropriate postsecondary
goals and transition services to assist reaching those goals. A local education agency must have an
IEP in effect for each child with a qualifying disability (20 U.S.C. § 1414).
Child with a disability means a child who is: 1) between 3 and 22 years of age; 2) has been
evaluated in accordance with IDEA and found to have a specified disability; and 3) needs special
education and related services because of the disability. Statute outlines qualifying disabilities,
including autism, a developmental delay, an emotional disability and a specific learning disability
(A.R.S. § 15-761).
A specific learning disability means a disorder in the basic psychological processes
involved in understanding or in using language, which may manifest itself in the imperfect ability
to listen, think, speak, read, write, spell or do mathematical calculations. Federal law outlines
disorders that qualify as a specific learning disability, including dyslexia (20 U.S.C. § 1401).
There is no anticipated fiscal impact to the state General Fund associated with this
legislation. FACT SHEET
H.B. 2170
Page 2
Provisions
1. Requires, if a child is found to need special education and related services because of a specific
learning disability, the child's IEP to indicate whether the child has been diagnosed with
dyslexia.
2. Makes technical changes.
3. Becomes effective on the general effective date.
House Action
ED 1/28/25 DP 12-0-0-0
3
rd
Read 2/13/25 53-0-7
Prepared by Senate Research
March 3, 2025
MH/KK/ci