UNOFFICIAL COPY 24 RS BR 1374
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AN ACT relating to dyslexia. 1
Be it enacted by the General Assembly of the Commonwealth of Kentucky: 2
Section 1. KRS 158.307 is amended to read as follows: 3
(1) As used in this section: 4
(a) "Dyslexia" means a specific learning disability that is neurological in origin. It 5
is characterized by difficulties with accurate or fluent word recognition and by 6
poor spelling and decoding abilities. These difficulties typically result from a 7
deficit in the phonological component of language that is often unexpected in 8
relation to other cognitive abilities and the provision of effective classroom 9
instruction. Secondary consequences may include problems in reading 10
comprehension and reduced reading experience that can impede the growth of 11
vocabulary and background knowledge; 12
(b) "Evidence-based" has the same meaning as in 20 U.S.C. sec. 7801(21); and 13
(c) "Phonemic awareness" means the ability to recognize that a spoken word 14
consists of a sequence of individual sounds and the ability to manipulate 15
individual sounds in speaking. 16
(2) [By January 1, 2019, ]The Department of Education shall make available a dyslexia 17
toolkit that includes guidance, technical assistance, and training to assist all local 18
school districts in the implementation of evidence-based practices for instructing 19
students identified with or displaying characteristics of dyslexia. 20
(3) The dyslexia toolkit shall include but not be limited to the following guidance for 21
local districts targeting students in kindergarten through grade three (3) who have 22
been identified with or displaying characteristics of dyslexia: 23
(a) Evidence-based practices designed specifically for students with dyslexia; 24
(b) Characteristics of targeted instruction for dyslexia; 25
(c) Guidance on developing instructional plans for students with dyslexia; 26
(d) Best practices toward meaning-centered reading and writing; 27 UNOFFICIAL COPY 24 RS BR 1374
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(e) Structured multisensory and literacy approaches to teaching language and 1
reading skills; and 2
(f) Suggested professional development activities. 3
(4) The department shall collaborate with the Education Professional Standards Board, 4
Council on Postsecondary Education, and other groups as necessary to improve and 5
update professional development opportunities for teachers specifically related to 6
dyslexia. Professional development opportunities may focus on: 7
(a) Development and ongoing implementation of training and coaching for 8
teachers; 9
(b) Identifying high-quality trainers to provide support to local districts utilizing a 10
coaching model to develop building level dyslexia experts; 11
(c) Developing awareness training modules for all instructional staff to include 12
information about characteristics of dyslexia; and 13
(d) Evidence-based interventions, structured multisensory and literacy approaches 14
to teach language and reading skills, and accommodations for dyslexia and 15
other specific learning disabilities. 16
(5) Each local board of education shall[may] develop a policy addressing the 17
implementation of a program for the identification of and strategies for assisting 18
students in kindergarten through grade three (3) with dyslexia. 19
(6) The local board policies shall[may] include but not be limited to: 20
(a) The definition and characteristics of dyslexia; 21
(b) A process for identifying students who are displaying characteristics of 22
dyslexia; 23
(c) A process for the utilization of evaluation tools to accurately identify students 24
who are displaying characteristics of dyslexia. Any qualified dyslexia 25
evaluation tool utilized by a local district shall address but not be limited to 26
the following components: 27 UNOFFICIAL COPY 24 RS BR 1374
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1. Phonological awareness and phonemic awareness; 1
2. Sound symbol recognition; 2
3. Alphabet knowledge; 3
4. Decoding skills; 4
5. Encoding skills; and 5
6. Rapid naming; 6
(d) A process for how evaluation tools are administered and evaluated by trained 7
district personnel or licensed professionals; 8
(e) A process for outreach to parents of students identified with or displaying the 9
characteristics of dyslexia with information and resource materials and how 10
dyslexia may be addressed in the student's educational setting; 11
(f) Identification of evidence-based interventions, structured multisensory and 12
literacy approaches to teach language and reading skills, and accommodations 13
that schools may utilize to provide services to students identified as having 14
dyslexia; and 15
(g) A process for monitoring a student's progress after the positive identification, 16
including assessments to ascertain whether the intervention services improve 17
the student's language processing and reading skills. 18
(7) By June 30 of each year, each local school district [that developed a policy 19
addressing the implementation of a program for the identification of and strategies 20
for assisting students in kindergarten through grade three (3) with dyslexia ]shall 21
provide the department the following data for the current school year: 22
(a) The number of students in kindergarten through grade three (3) that were 23
identified as displaying characteristics of dyslexia; 24
(b) The number of students in paragraph (a) of this subsection that were identified 25
through the response-to-intervention process; 26
(c) The number of students in kindergarten through grade three (3) that were 27 UNOFFICIAL COPY 24 RS BR 1374
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evaluated for dyslexia; 1
(d) The number of students in kindergarten through grade three (3) that were 2
identified with dyslexia; 3
(e) The dyslexia evaluation tools used to identify students; 4
(f) The number of students in kindergarten through grade three (3) that were 5
participating in interventions within the school setting; 6
(g) The process or tools used to evaluate student progress; and 7
(h) The number of trained district personnel or licensed professionals used to 8
administer the dyslexia evaluation tools. 9
(8) (a) The department shall establish a study project to gather information on early 10
screening and intervention services for children with characteristics of 11
dyslexia. The commissioner of education shall select three (3) school districts 12
to participate in the study project, one (1) of which shall be located in an 13
urban setting, one (1) of which shall be located in a suburban setting, and one 14
(1) of which shall be located in a rural setting. 15
(b) The department shall establish guidelines and procedures for the study 16
project. 17
(c) The study project shall operate for three (3) full school years, beginning with 18
the school year that begins at least three (3) months after July 14, 2018. 19
(d) The goal of the study project shall be to evaluate the effectiveness of early 20
reading assistance programs for children with characteristics of dyslexia. 21
(e) The commissioner may consult with recognized organizations that specialize 22
in structured literacy programs for the treatment of dyslexia in establishing 23
and operating the study project. 24
(f) The department shall submit a final report outlining the findings of the study 25
to the Interim Joint Committee on Education by November 1 after the final 26
academic year of the study project. 27 UNOFFICIAL COPY 24 RS BR 1374
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Section 2. KRS 164.304 is amended to read as follows: 1
By the 2025-2026[2019-2020] academic year, postsecondary institutions offering teacher 2
preparation programs for elementary and secondary regular education shall[, subject to 3
available funds,] include instruction on: 4
(1) The definition and characteristics of dyslexia; 5
(2) Processes for identifying dyslexia; 6
(3) Evidence-based interventions and accommodations for dyslexia and other disorders 7
defined in KRS 158.305 and related literacy and learning challenges; and 8
(4) Core elements of a response-to-intervention framework addressing reading, writing, 9
mathematics, and behavior, including; 10
(a) Universal screening; 11
(b) Evidence-based research interventions; 12
(c) Progress monitoring of the effectiveness of interventions on student 13
performance; 14
(d) Data-based decision-making procedures related to: 15
1. Determining intervention effectiveness on student performance; and 16
2. Determining the need to continue, alter, or discontinue interventions or 17
conduct further evaluation of student needs; and 18
(e) Application and implementation of response-to-intervention and dyslexia 19
instructional practices in the classroom setting. 20