Relating to the education of students with characteristics of dyslexia and to the preparation and licensure of practitioners who provide such instruction, and establishing an Iowa dyslexia board

The bill prohibits the department of education from approving programs that prepare practitioners for such an endorsement if the programs are not affiliated with the Iowa reading research center. DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION —— DYSLEXIA CONSULTANT. The director of the department must, by July 1, 2024, maintain a dyslexia consultant to provide technical guidance and assistance, including but not limited to professional development, strategies, and materials, to the department, area education agencies, school districts, and accredited nonpublic schools relating to the identification of and instruction for students with characteristics of dyslexia. IOWA DYSLEXIA BOARD. An Iowa dyslexia board is established to guide, facilitate, and oversee implementation of dyslexia instruction in Iowa and make recommendations for continued improvement of such instruction. The bill lists the recommendations the board is required to make to the department and area education agencies. Membership on the board consists of persons representing the department, the Iowa reading research center, area education agencies, practitioners, decoding dyslexia, a structured literacy reading program, dyslexia diagnosticians, and higher education. Members serve staggered three-year terms. The board shall submit its findings and recommendations in a report to the general assembly by November annually. BOARD OF EDUCATIONAL EXAMINERS —— ENDORSEMENT. By July 1, 2021, the board of educational examiners must adopt rules, developed in collaboration with the Iowa reading research center, establishing an advanced dyslexia specialist endorsement. The bill identifies the skill, knowledge, and experience requirements that must be met before the endorsement may be issued to an applicant. AREA EDUCATION AGENCIES —— PERSONNEL REQUIREMENTS. Subject to an appropriation by the general assembly for such purpose, each area education agency must, by July 1, 2024, maintain a dyslexia specialist. The specialists may be hired or an existing employee may be provided the appropriate training to qualify as a dyslexia specialist. The specialist must provide technical guidance and assistance to school districts and accredited nonpublic schools relating to identification of and instruction for students with characteristics of dyslexia. In the absence of an appropriation, each area education agency is encouraged to employ a highly qualified dyslexia specialist. By July 1, 2024, any person employed by an area education agency who holds a license, certificate, authorization other than a coaching authorization, or statement of recognition issued by the board of educational examiners must complete the Iowa reading research center dyslexia overview module. Such persons employed after July 1, 2024, must complete the module within one year of the employee’s initial date of hire. SCHOOL DISTRICTS —— K-3 STUDENT READING PROGRESSION AND TRAINING. The bill modifies the definition of “dyslexia” used for purposes of the assistance school districts must provide to students who are persistently at risk in reading to develop the skills to read at grade level. Under the bill, “dyslexia” means a specific learning disability that is neurobiological in origin, is characterized by difficulties with accurate or fluent word recognition and by poor spelling and decoding abilities, and may include difficulties that typically result from a deficit in the phonological component of language that is often unexpected in relation to other cognitive abilities and the provision of effective classroom instruction, as well as secondary consequences such as problems in reading comprehension and reduced reading experience that can impede growth of vocabulary and background knowledge. By July 1, 2024, all persons employed by a school district who hold a teaching license or endorsement for special education or prekindergarten through grade three levels must complete the Iowa reading research center dyslexia overview module. Such persons employed by the school district after July 1, 2024, shall complete the module within one year of the employee’s initial date of hire.3.16.2. The inclusion of this specification is intended to reinstate the requirement of political subdivisions to comply with any state mandates included in the bill.