New York Assembly Bill A00133 Latest Draft

   
  STATE OF NEW YORK ________________________________________________________________________ 133 2023-2024 Regular Sessions  IN ASSEMBLY (Prefiled) January 4, 2023 ___________ Introduced by M. of A. CARROLL, COLTON, SEAWRIGHT, SIMON, DINOWITZ, LUPARDO, WILLIAMS, DICKENS, EPSTEIN, SAYEGH, JONES, RA, TAYLOR, DAVI- LA, McMAHON, REYES, JEAN-PIERRE, FALL, ANDERSON, JACKSON, OTIS, WALSH, L. ROSENTHAL -- Multi-Sponsored by -- M. of A. COOK, HYNDMAN, SILLIT- TI, THIELE -- read once and referred to the Committee on Education AN ACT in relation to establishing a dyslexia and dysgraphia task force; and providing for the repeal of such provisions upon expiration there- of The People of the State of New York, represented in Senate and Assem- bly, do enact as follows: 1 Section 1. Dyslexia and dysgraphia task force. 1. The commissioner of 2 education shall establish a task force to examine appropriate and effec- 3 tive evidence-based dyslexia and dysgraphia screening methods, reading 4 interventions, and other educational supports for students in kindergar- 5 ten through grade five. The task force shall consist of at least ten 6 members, including the commissioner of education or their designee, who 7 shall serve as chair of the task force. The remaining members shall be 8 appointed by the commissioner of education in such a manner to ensure 9 that all regions of the state are represented, and shall include: (a) at 10 least two members who specialize in identifying, evaluating, and diag- 11 nosing individuals with dyslexia or dysgraphia; (b) at least one member 12 who specializes in educating individuals with dyslexia or dysgraphia; 13 (c) at least one member who is a parent of a student with dyslexia or 14 dysgraphia; (d) at least one member with dyslexia or dysgraphia; (e) at 15 least one member from an institute of higher education who is an expert 16 in dyslexia or dysgraphia; and (f) at least one member who is a public 17 school teacher who specializes in teaching literacy and evidence-based 18 reading instruction. All members shall have expertise in fields or 19 disciplines related to the identification of students with learning EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets [ ] is old law to be omitted. LBD00296-01-3 
 A. 133 2 1 disabilities including the unique educational needs of students with 2 dyslexia or dysgraphia. 3 2. The task force shall conduct at least two public hearings for the 4 purpose of obtaining information from stakeholders and other interested 5 parties including but not limited to speech pathologists, reading 6 specialists, teachers, school administrators, and parents. 7 3. The task force shall prepare and submit a report of its findings 8 and recommendations to the governor, temporary president of the senate 9 and speaker of the assembly eighteen months after the effective date of 10 this act. 11 4. For the purposes of this act, the term "screening methods" may 12 include examining the use and frequency of dyslexia or dysgraphia 13 screeners that are valid, reliable, low cost, and developmentally appro- 14 priate that measure deficits in areas including: (a) phonological aware- 15 ness; (b) phonological or language-based memory; (c) rapid automatic 16 naming; (d) receptive vocabulary; (e) phonics skills; (f) decoding and 17 encoding real and pseudo-words; (g) oral reading fluency; and (h) writ- 18 ing at the sentence and paragraph level. Such screeners shall be inclu- 19 sive of students with diverse racial, linguistic, and socio-economic 20 backgrounds, and factor familial history. 21 § 2. This act shall take effect January 1, 2024 and shall expire and 22 be deemed repealed August 1, 2025.