STATE OF NEW YORK ________________________________________________________________________ 8089 IN SENATE January 5, 2024 ___________ Introduced by Sen. HOYLMAN-SIGAL -- read twice and ordered printed, and when printed to be committed to the Committee on Rules AN ACT to amend a chapter of the laws of 2023 relating to establishing a dyslexia and dysgraphia task force, as proposed in legislative bills numbers S. 2599 and A. 133, in relation to establishing a dyslexia and dysgraphia task force and in relation to the effectiveness thereof The People of the State of New York, represented in Senate and Assem- bly, do enact as follows: 1 Section 1. Section 1 of a chapter of the laws of 2023 relating to 2 establishing a dyslexia and dysgraphia task force, as proposed in legis- 3 lative bills numbers S. 2599 and A. 133, is amended to read as follows: 4 Section 1. Dyslexia and dysgraphia task force. 1. The commissioner of 5 education shall establish a task force to examine appropriate and effec- 6 tive evidence-based dyslexia and dysgraphia screening methods, reading 7 interventions, and other educational supports for students in kindergar- 8 ten through grade five. The task force shall consist of at least ten 9 members, including the commissioner of education or their designee, who 10 shall serve as chair of the task force. The remaining members shall be 11 appointed by the commissioner of education in such a manner to ensure 12 that all regions of the state are represented, and shall include: (a) at 13 least two members who specialize in identifying, evaluating, and diag- 14 nosing individuals with dyslexia or dysgraphia; (b) at least one member 15 who specializes in educating individuals with dyslexia or dysgraphia; 16 (c) at least one member who is a parent of a student with dyslexia or 17 dysgraphia; (d) at least one member with dyslexia or dysgraphia; (e) at 18 least one member from an institute of higher education who is an expert 19 in dyslexia or dysgraphia; and (f) at least one member who is a public 20 school teacher who specializes in teaching literacy and evidence-based 21 reading instruction. All members shall have expertise in fields or 22 disciplines related to the identification of students with learning 23 disabilities including the unique educational needs of students with 24 dyslexia or dysgraphia. The task force shall be dissolved upon 25 submission of its report pursuant to subdivision three of this section. EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets [ ] is old law to be omitted. LBD00296-02-4
S. 8089 2 1 2. The task force shall conduct at least two public hearings for the 2 purpose of obtaining information from stakeholders and other interested 3 parties including but not limited to speech pathologists, reading 4 specialists, teachers, school administrators, and parents. 5 3. The task force shall prepare and submit a report of its findings 6 and recommendations to the commissioner of education, the governor, 7 temporary president of the senate and speaker of the assembly [eighteen 8 months after the effective date of this act] on or before twelve months 9 after the effective date of this act. The report shall include but not 10 be limited to the following recommendations: (a) peer-reviewed, 11 evidence-based screening methods for dyslexia and dysgraphia for use by 12 school districts; (b) peer-reviewed, evidence-based dyslexia and 13 dysgraphia interventions and other educational supports for use by 14 school districts; and (c) best practices that may be used by school 15 districts to ensure effective screening methods, interventions, and 16 other educational supports for dyslexia and dysgraphia. 17 4. The commissioner of education shall make publicly available on the 18 state education department's website information regarding the recom- 19 mended evidence-based screening methods, interventions, and educational 20 supports for dyslexia and dysgraphia submitted in the report pursuant to 21 subdivision three of this section. 22 5. For the purposes of this act, the term "screening methods" may 23 include examining the use and frequency of dyslexia or dysgraphia 24 screeners that are valid, reliable, low cost, and developmentally appro- 25 priate that measure deficits in areas including: (a) phonological aware- 26 ness; (b) phonological or language-based memory; (c) rapid automatic 27 naming; (d) receptive vocabulary; (e) phonics skills; (f) decoding and 28 encoding real and pseudo-words; (g) oral reading fluency; and (h) writ- 29 ing at the sentence and paragraph level. Such screeners shall be inclu- 30 sive of students with diverse racial, linguistic, and socio-economic 31 backgrounds, and factor familial history. 32 § 2. Section 2 of a chapter of the laws of 2023 relating to establish- 33 ing a dyslexia and dysgraphia task force, as proposed in legislative 34 bills numbers S. 2599 and A. 133, is amended to read as follows: 35 § 2. This act shall take effect [January 1, 2024 and shall expire and 36 be deemed repealed August 1, 2025] immediately. 37 § 3. This act shall take effect immediately; provided however the 38 provisions of section one of this act shall take effect on the same date 39 and in the same manner as a chapter of the laws of 2023 relating to 40 establishing a dyslexia and dysgraphia task force, as proposed in legis- 41 lative bills numbers S. 2599 and A. 133, takes effect.