Establishing the language equality and acquisition for deaf kids task force

This bill requires the director of the department of education to convene a language equality and acquisition for deaf kids task force, establishes the purposes and identifies the membership for such task force, and requires that the task force submit its report to the general assembly by January 15, 2021. The task force is charged with developing a resource for parents and guardians to monitor and track deaf or hard-of-hearing children’s expressive and receptive language acquisition using American sign language or English, or both, and developmental stages toward English literacy, and for developing a framework for assessing children who are deaf or hard of hearing to determine the children’s competencies in language and literacy skills for the purpose of ensuring they have the opportunity to achieve kindergarten readiness in an equitable manner. The framework must consider children with congenital or acquired hearing loss, unilateral and bilateral hearing loss, all degrees of hearing loss from minimal to profound, and all types of hearing loss. The task force must be impartial with regard to the language and modalities used to teach children who are deaf or hard of hearing and must review and make recommendations relative to existing tools or assessments for educators to use to assess the language and literacy development of such children; determine how often the tools or assessments should be used for children from birth to age five; identify language development milestones for children who are deaf or hard of hearing; identify procedures and methods for reporting language acquisition, assessment results, milestones, assessment tools used, and progress of such children to parents and guardians and to professionals involved in such children’s early intervention and education; identify any changes to current state law or administrative rule deemed necessary to implement the recommendations of the task force; and make any recommendations on any other related issues the task force deems appropriate. The task force shall consist of voting members appointed by the director of the department of education in consultation with the state school for the deaf, the area education agencies, and the director of the department of public health, and four nonvoting ex officio legislative members. When making appointments of voting members, preference must be given, if applicable, to persons with deaf education certification or with early childhood education certification and experience working with children with hearing loss. Public members serve without compensation, but are entitled to receive reimbursement for actual expenses incurred while engaged in the performance of official duties.10. The department of education shall provide staff support for the task force.