SB 25-200
Fiscal Note
Legislative Council Staff
Nonpartisan Services for Colorado’s Legislature
SB 25-200: DYSLEXIA SCREENING AND READ ACT REQUIREMENTS
Prime Sponsors:
Sen. Kolker; Mullica
Rep. Hamrick; Soper
Published for: Senate Education
Drafting number: LLS 25-0590
Fiscal Analyst:
John Armstrong, 303-866-6289
john.armstrong@coleg.gov
Version: Initial Fiscal Note
Date: March 27, 2025
Fiscal note status: The fiscal note reflects the introduced bill.
Summary Information
Overview. The bill makes several changes to the Colorado Reading to Ensure Academic Development
(READ) Act.
Types of impacts. The bill is projected to affect the following areas on an ongoing basis:
Minimal State Workload School Districts
Appropriations. No appropriation is required.
Table 1
State Fiscal Impacts
Type of Impact
Budget Year
FY 2025-26
Out Year
FY 2026-27
State Revenue $0 $0
State Expenditures $0 $0
Transferred Funds $0 $0
Change in TABOR Refunds $0 $0
Change in State FTE 0.0 FTE 0.0 FTE
Page 2
March 27, 2025 SB 25-200
Summary of Legislation
The bill makes several changes to early literacy education through the Colorado Reading to
Ensure Academic Development (READ) Act.
Individualized Readiness Plans
Current law requires that public schools and districts ensure that each preschool and
kindergarten student is assessed to determine the child’s readiness for reading instruction,
which must include a reading deficiency screening. The bill allows but does not require that
schools and districts assess for reading deficiencies and implement an individualized readiness
plan for students identified with a reading deficiency.
Identification of Reading Deficiencies
The bill expands the criteria for determining if a child has a reading deficiency. Teachers may
conclude that a student has a reading deficiency if they receive certain assessments, relevant
demographic information, educational histories, or errors in assessments. The bill requires
teachers to evaluate if this information includes any evidence of dyslexia and to discuss this
evidence with the child’s parent or guardian.
Dyslexia Screening
Beginning in the 2026-27 school year, the bill requires school districts to annually screen
students in Kindergarten through 3
rd
grade for dyslexia during a required reading assessment.
The bill specifies minimum requirements and risk factors that must be identified for these
screenings. If symptoms of dyslexia are identified, teachers must administer additional tests as
appropriate, and implement an individualized readiness plan.
State Board Requirements
The bill requires the State Board of Education to adopt rules which expand the minimum
reading competency skill levels to include oral skills, oral reading fluency, encoding and word
decoding. The state board must also ensure that interim reading assessments meet certain
specified criteria.
State Expenditures
Department of Education
The Colorado Department of Education (CDE) and the State Board of Education will update
guidance documents related to the READ Act, review reading assessments to include new
sections for dyslexia screening, and adopt the new rules required by the bill. This additional
workload is minimal and can be accomplished within existing appropriations. Page 3
March 27, 2025 SB 25-200
Department of Early Childhood
Similar to the CDE, the Department of Early Childhood will update its reading assessments and
collaboration with the CDE to comply with the bill’s new requirements. This work is estimated to
be minimal.
School District
School districts, boards of cooperative services, and district and institute charter schools will
change their reading assessments to screen for dyslexia and follow the additional requirements
adopted through state board of education rulemaking. If schools identify more students with
developmental disabilities as a result of these screenings, they may incur additional revenues
and expenditures through federal disability funds and their associated expenditures for
additional instruction.
Effective Date
The bill takes effect 90 days following adjournment of the General Assembly sine die, assuming
no referendum petition is filed.
State and Local Government Contacts
Early Childhood Education
The revenue and expenditure impacts in this fiscal note represent changes from current law under the bill for each
fiscal year. For additional information about fiscal notes, please visit the General Assembly website.