SLS 18RS-618 ORIGINAL
2018 Regular Session
SENATE BILL NO. 254
BY SENATOR APPEL
BESE. Require BESE to establish criteria whereby a teacher may be issued a dyslexia
practitioner or dyslexia therapist ancillary certificate. (gov sig)
1 AN ACT
2 To enact R.S. 17:392.2, relative to dyslexia screening and intervention; to require the State
3 Board of Elementary and Secondary Education to develop criteria for
4 dyslexia-related ancillary certificates; and to provide for related matters.
5 Be it enacted by the Legislature of Louisiana:
6 Section 1. R.S. 17:392.2 is hereby enacted to read as follows:
7 ยง392.2. Dyslexia practitioner; dyslexia therapist; ancillary certificates
8 A. The State Board of Elementary and Secondary Education shall
9 develop the criteria whereby a teacher may be issued a dyslexia practitioner
10 ancillary certificate or a dyslexia therapist ancillary certificate.
11 B. In addition to any other criteria established by the board, in order to
12 be issued an ancillary certificate pursuant to this Section, a teacher shall:
13 (1) Hold a valid Louisiana teaching certificate.
14 (2) Demonstrate completion of a multisensory structured language
15 training program accredited by a nationally recognized accrediting
16 organization, which shall include:
17 (a) For the dyslexia practitioner ancillary certificate, forty-five hours of
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Coding: Words which are struck through are deletions from existing law;
words in boldface type and underscored are additions. SB NO. 254
SLS 18RS-618 ORIGINAL
1 coursework and sixty hours of clinical work that is observed and monitored by
2 a qualified professional.
3 (b) For the dyslexia therapist ancillary certificate, two hundred hours of
4 coursework and seven hundred hours of clinical work that is observed and
5 monitored by a qualified professional.
6 (3) Pass a multisensory structured language education-related
7 competency examination that is administered by a nationally recognized
8 professional organization that issues national certifications.
9 C. The board shall promulgate rules to implement the provisions of this
10 Section in accordance with the Administrative Procedure Act not later than
11 July 1, 2019.
12 Section 2. This Act shall become effective upon signature by the governor or, if not
13 signed by the governor, upon expiration of the time for bills to become law without signature
14 by the governor, as provided by Article III, Section 18 of the Constitution of Louisiana. If
15 vetoed by the governor and subsequently approved by the legislature, this Act shall become
16 effective on the day following such approval.
The original instrument and the following digest, which constitutes no part
of the legislative instrument, were prepared by Cheryl Serrett.
DIGEST
SB 254 Original 2018 Regular Session Appel
Present law provides for every child in public school in grades kindergarten to third to be
screened at least once for existence of impediments to a successful school experience. Such
impediments include dyslexia and related disorders, attention deficit disorder, and social and
environmental factors.
Present law provides that the screening shall be done by personnel who have been
appropriately trained.
Proposed law retains present law and requires the State Board of Elementary and Secondary
Education (BESE) to develop criteria whereby a teacher may be issued a dyslexia
practitioner or dyslexia therapist ancillary certificate.
Proposed law provides that in order to be issued an ancillary certificate, a teacher shall:
(1)Hold a valid Louisiana teaching certificate.
(2)Demonstrate completion of a multisensory structured language training program
accredited by a nationally recognized accrediting organization.
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Coding: Words which are struck through are deletions from existing law;
words in boldface type and underscored are additions. SB NO. 254
SLS 18RS-618 ORIGINAL
(3)Pass a multisensory structured language education-related competency examination
that is administered by a nationally recognized professional organization that issues
national certifications.
Proposed law provides that BESE shall promulgate rules to implement proposed law in
accordance with the Administrative Procedure Act by July 1, 2019.
Effective upon signature of the governor or lapse of time for gubernatorial action.
(Adds R.S. 17:392.2)
Page 3 of 3
Coding: Words which are struck through are deletions from existing law;
words in boldface type and underscored are additions.