Requires school districts to conduct mandatory early screening for dyslexia for all children commencing in pre-kindergarten or kindergarten and continuing thereafter on an annual basis until each child successfully completes second grade; requires school districts to designate an individual to maintain complete and accurate records containing early screening reports for each child, and to provide resources and materials to the parent and/or guardian of any child who displays indications of dyslexia.
NEW YORK STATE ASSEMBLY MEMORANDUM IN SUPPORT OF LEGISLATION submitted in accordance with Assembly Rule III, Sec 1(f)
BILL NUMBER: A5259A REVISED 10/08/2019
SPONSOR: Simon TITLE OF BILL: An act to amend the education law, in relation to
mandatory early screening for dyslexia
PURPOSE OR GENERAL IDEA OF BILL:
This act will establish early screening and intervention services for
children with risk factors for dyslexia.
SUMMARY OF SPECIFIC PROVISIONS:
Section one amends education law section 319 to establish early screen-
ing and intervention services to identify children with risk factors for
dyslexia.
Section one also requires participating school districts to annually
report to the commissioner about the program, and provides a definition
for dyslexia as a specific learning disorder that is neurological in
origin and that is characterized by unexpected difficulties with accu-
rate or fluent word recognition.
Section two requires school districts to use digital screening assess-
ments, facilitating and coordinating data collection. Section two also
provides for screening to commence upon a child's entry into Pre-K or
K-through 2nd grade.
Section three instructs schools to provide a report of each screening to
the parent and/or guardian and applicable educators.
Section four instructs each school district to designate an individual
to receive and maintain complete and accurate records and provide
resources and materials to the parent and/or guardian of any child whose
screening indicates they are at risk for dyslexia.
JUSTIFICATION:
In every class of 30 children first entering our schools, 5 out of 6 of
them are likely to have dyslexia, which far too often goes undetected
because teachers and parents do not recognize the early signs of dysle-
xia at the precise time when early interventions can be the most effica-
cious. This law will reverse this cycle, saving children and families
suffering and our state and local school districts substantial sums.
PRIOR LEGISLATIVE HISTORY:
None
FISCAL IMPLICATIONS:
To be determined. Early screening tools are inexpensive and would save
the State substantial sums currently expended on ineffective inter-
ventions too often provided well after a child is failing to learn to
read on pace with their peers, thus costing more money in the long run.
EFFECTIVE DATE:
This act shall take effect immediately.
