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Regular Session, 2010
HOUSE RESOLUTION NO. 185
BY REPRESENTATIVE DOVE
A RESOLUTION
To urge and request the State Board of Elementary and Secondary Education to study issues
relative to dyslexia and related disorders, including but not limited to current
methods for the identification of students with dyslexia or related disorders, the
adequacy of educational programs and services provided to such students, the
adequacy of funding provided for such programs and services, appropriate training
for teachers and other school employees in providing instruction to students
identified with dyslexia or related disorders, and the extent to which local school
systems in the state are in compliance with current state laws and policies of the
State Board of Elementary and Secondary Education relative to these issues, and to
report the study findings and recommendations, in writing, to the House Committee
on Education by not later than October 1, 2010.
WHEREAS, the Constitution of Louisiana provides that it is the goal of the state's
public educational system to afford every individual an equal opportunity to develop to his
full potential; and
WHEREAS, the legislature acknowledges that identification of and adjustment to the
individual characteristics that determine a child's academic needs will improve a child's
opportunity to succeed in school and to develop to his full potential; and
WHEREAS, many of the characteristics that children may bring to school with them
are products of learning disorders and social or environmental risk factors that if identified
and addressed can be mitigated or alleviated; and
WHEREAS, students with dyslexia are often characterized as having difficulties with
processing expressive or receptive, oral or written language despite adequate intelligence,
educational exposure, and cultural opportunities, and specific manifestations may occur in ENROLLEDHR NO. 185
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one or more areas, including difficulty with the alphabet, reading comprehension, writing,
and spelling; and
WHEREAS, related disorders include disorders similar to or related to dyslexia, such
as developmental auditory imperception, dysphasia, specific developmental dyslexia,
developmental dysgraphia, and developmental spelling disability; and
WHEREAS, current law (R.S. 17:392.1) requires that every child in public school
in kindergarten through grade three be screened for the existence of impediments to a
successful school experience including dyslexia and related disorders; and
WHEREAS, in addition, current law (R.S. 17:7(11)) requires the State Board of
Elementary and Secondary Education to adopt and provide for the implementation of a
program for students enrolling in public schools to be tested for dyslexia and related
disorders as may be necessary; and
WHEREAS, current law (R.S. 17:2112) provides that upon the request of a parent,
student, school nurse, classroom teacher, or other school employee who has reason to believe
that a student needs to be tested for dyslexia, such student shall be referred to the school
building level committee for additional testing; and
WHEREAS, current law requires that a priority shall be placed on screenings
conducted for students referred for screening pursuant to the provisions of R.S. 17:7(11); and
WHEREAS, state law also requires that children in need of services and assistance
shall be provided such services and assistance and that services for disorders shall be
provided in accordance with the provisions of R.S. 17:7(11); and
WHEREAS, in addition to these statutory provisions, the Legislature enacted R.S.
17:24.11 in 2007 that requires the State Board of Elementary and Secondary Education to
develop and implement a pilot program to provide for universal screening of students in
kindergarten through grade three for characteristics of dyslexia and related disorders and
specifies that the program shall include the screening for every such student at least twice
a year, periodic progress monitoring of every student identified with characteristics of
dyslexia or a related disorder, implementation of appropriate remediation or intervention
strategies to meet student needs, and training and professional development to provide
teachers with the knowledge and skills necessary to implement specialized instructional
intervention strategies; and ENROLLEDHR NO. 185
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WHEREAS, regulations as adopted by the State Board of Elementary and Secondary
Education (Bulletin 1903: Regulations for the Implementation of Louisiana Law for the
Education of Dyslexic Students) state that the Multisensory Structured Language programs
provided by local school systems shall consist of specific content components and a delivery
system as described in the bulletin; and
WHEREAS, despite the requirements of these laws and regulations, there are many
students in this state who have not been properly identified and many who have been
identified as either demonstrating characteristics of dyslexia or related disorders or having
dyslexia or related disorders who have not received educational programs or services to
address their learning needs; and
WHEREAS, by the enactment over the past two decades of these laws, the legislature
has clearly expressed its intent regarding the importance of the early identification of
students with dyslexia and related disorders and the need for intervention and the delivery
of appropriate educational programs and services to these students, including the use of all
resources and funding available to address any difficulty or impediment a student may have
in order for each student to have a successful school experience, receive a quality education,
and develop to his full potential.
THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that the House of Representatives of the
Legislature of Louisiana does hereby urge and request the State Board of Elementary and
Secondary Education to study issues relative to dyslexia and related disorders, including but
not limited to current methods for the identification of students with dyslexia or related
disorders, the adequacy of educational programs and services provided to such students, the
adequacy of funding provided for such programs and services, appropriate training for
teachers and other school employees in providing instruction to students identified with
dyslexia or related disorders, and the extent to which local school systems in the state are in
compliance with current state laws and policies of the State Board of Elementary and
Secondary Education relative to these issues, and to report the study findings and
recommendations, in writing, to the House Committee on Education by not later than
October 1, 2010.
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that in addition to the issues that the board
determines are relevant and necessary to the study, the board is also requested to address all ENROLLEDHR NO. 185
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of the same issues as contained in House Concurrent Resolution No. 202 of the 2001 Regular
Session of the Legislature especially as it relates to the following:
(1) The identification of any successful programs as implemented by public school
systems pursuant to the provisions of R.S. 17:7(11) and the aspects and components of such
programs.
(2) The total number of teachers in each public school system who are trained in a
Multisensory Structured Language program or programs at each grade level and the total
number of days or hours of such training that each teacher has received.
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that in conducting such study, the State Board of
Elementary and Secondary Education shall include participation by educators and others
with expertise in dyslexia and related disorders including but not limited to classroom and
structured language teachers, speech/language pathologists, psychologists, educational
diagnosticians, reading specialists, and faculty members from the colleges of education at
the state's postsecondary education institutions.
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that copies of this Resolution shall be transmitted
to the president of the State Board of Elementary and Secondary Education and the state
superintendent of education.
SPEAKER OF THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATI VES