At present, the US is rapidly introducing new dyslexia legislation that will give more students access to support and ensure the right intervention is in place to help.
Below is a comprehensive list of all dyslexia laws currently in place in the United States and what they mean for you.
NO LAWS: Idaho, Michigan, Montana, North Dakota, Vermont.
Last updated: January 16th, 2019
|State||Bill Name||Brief Description|
|Alabama||2015||Dyslexia added to Alabama Administrative code, screening, intervention, access to assistive technology and accommodations in school.|
|Alaska||HB 64||Task force to be created to look at reading proficiency, instruction and dyslexia.|
|SB 1461: Dyslexia definition, PD dyslexia can count as continuing education credit, dyslexia exemption for 3rd Grade Retention Law
HB 2202: State Dyslexia Handbook & dyslexia definition now in law.
|Arkansas||Act 1294||Dyslexia intervention & services, screening and intervention, ADE approved programs, PD for educators, instructional approaches.|
|California||A.B. 1369||Identification & assessment, program to improve educational programs for those with dyslexia|
|Colorado||H.B.1223||Identification and PD for learning difficulties (not specifically dyslexia)|
|Connecticut||S.B. 1054,||SB 1054: DOE to be responsible for providing info and assistance to boards of ed, intervention & identification
HB 7254: Teachers applying for Special Ed endorsement have to study diagnosis, remediation & instruction in the detection and recognition of, and evidence-based structured literacy interventions for, students with dyslexia.
HB 5372: Create a Dyslexia Instruction and Accountability Council. Volunteer board to set standards and framework framework for course content, as well as serve as a guide for teacher preparation and certification.
|Delaware||S.B. 229||Severe dyslexic students can waive state assessments. Evidence-based interventions|
|Florida||Committee Substitute for House Bill No. 7029
|John McKay Scholarships for IEP for 504 students to attend a public school other than assigned or private school for students with learning disabilities.
This huge education bill has promised idenfitication through screening, training & intervention
|Georgia||H.R. 1017||Encouraging all schools, local education agencies and state educational agency to recognize dyslexia has a profound educational impact.|
|Hawaii||S.B. 2217||Make PD & intervention available, promotes awareness of assessment, and curriculum interventions|
|Illinois||H.B. 3700||HB 3700: Screening, intervention & PD for reading disabilities. Incorporation of IDA dyslexia definition into administrative rules
HB 4369: Dyslexia handbook to be established
|Indiana||H.B. 1108,||H.B. 1108: Defines dyslexia & offers PD
S.B 217: Requires each district and the Department of Education to hire a reading specialist, trained in identification and teaching of students with dyslexia.
Screening for K-2 with data reported to state.
|Iowa||SF 2319,||SF 2319: Assistance for those with dyslexia, PD strategies to support teacher effectiveness in literacy development
SF 2360: Dyslexia taskforce established, findings and recommendations report to be completed by Nov. 24., 2019. Includes representatives from the Iowa Reading Research Center, Iowa Association of School Boards, a college educator with expertise in dyslexia, a teacher, a reading specialist, a school principal, someone with dyslexia and a psychologist or speech pathologist.
|H.B. 5015 Screening, intervention & teacher prep courses
H.B. 2602 Legislative dyslexia task force to advise and make recommendations to the Governor, Legislature and the Kansas State Board of Education (KSBE) regarding matters concerning the use of evidence-based practices for students with dyslexia
|Kentucky||H.B. 69.,||H.B. 69: Define dyslexia in law, DOE to make technical assistance, training and web-based resource available
HB 187: Department of Education must make a dyslexia toolkit available to districts to help identification and instruction of student displaying characteristics of dyslexia.
|Louisiana||R.S. 17:7:11||Identification, assessment, intervention, accommodations.|
|Maine||LD 231||Definition of dyslexia in law, screening from kindergarten – grade 2 & dyslexia consultant|
|Maryland||H.B. 278||Dyslexia task force created (end date of task force extended to Dec 2016 in Feb 2016)|
|H.4406 Amended 6/16/16 to H4406, bill received favourably 6/16/16, no further action taken as of 1/3/17
S. 2607 Issue guidelines to assist districts in developing screening procedures or protocols for students that demonstrate 1 or more potential indicators of a neurological learning disability including, but not limited to, dyslexia
|Minnesota||HF2||A dyslexia specialist to be employed by Department of Education and serve as source of information and support to schools. They shall also act to increase professional awareness and instructional competencies to meet educational needs of students with dyslexia|
|Mississippi||H.B. 1031||HB 1031: Scholarship to provide dyslexic students with school choice. Parents can apply for a funding voucher for intervention
HB 1046: In law July 1st 2017. Expansion of previous bill to let students with dyslexia receive state money to attend private schools.
|Missouri||H.B. 2379, & S.B. 638
|HB 2379 & SB 638: By Dec 31st 2017 the Dep. Of Elementary and Secondary Ed must develop screening guidelines for dyslexia and related disorders & develop necessary classroom support. By2018-19 school year each public school (charter included) needs to conduct screenings and provide reasonable classroom support consistent with Dec 31st guidelines. All students must do 2 hours of PD on dyslexia. Legislative Task Force on Dyslexia created (20 members) to make recommendations for a statewide identification, intervention and delivery of supports system.|
|Nebraska||LB 1052||State Dept. of Education to develop and distribute a technical assistance document to guide school districts and teachers on the provision of evidence-based intervention. Students exhibiting dyslexia characteristics to receive structure literacy instruction using a multi-sensory approach. Teacher education programs to include instruction in dyslexia|
|Nevada||AB 341 and S.B. 391||Screening, intervention & PD|
|New Hampshire||H.B. 1644-FN||Screening, intervention, reading specialist|
|New Jersey||PL2013 c 131, 105, 210.||Definition of dyslexia in law, PD, screening|
|New Mexico||H.B. 2010.||Definition of dyslexia in law, provide phonics-based tutoring as part of RTI|
|New York||A08262||State DOE to develop a guidance memorandum for schools, who can also now refer to dyslexia, dysgraphia or dyscalculia in IEP’s|
|North Carolina||HB 149||Requires State Board of Education and local boards of education to develop tools to ensure identification of students with dyslexia and dyscalculia. To provide a definition to enable for the identification of and intervention for students with dyslexia and students with dyscalculia|
|Ohio||H.B. 96, HB 157||Definition of dyslexia in law, 3-year pilot program for identification & remediation (completed 2015, no change to law)|
|Oklahoma||§70-7001, H.B. 3090
|Pilot Program (began 2012, no change to law). Scholarships for students with learning disabilities
H.B. 2008: Legislative task force on dyslexia to create a handbook and provide guidance etc. Finished Dec 31st 2018
|Oregon||S.B. 612, HB 2412||PD for one teacher in every K5 public school, screening, designate dyslexia specialist|
|Pennsylvania||A.B.69||Screening & Early Literacy Intervention Pilot Program|
|Rhode Island||H 5136||Definition of dyslexia in law, screening, intervention|
|South Carolina||Act 103,||Act 103: Task force on dyslexia created 2011 (completed 2013, no change to law)
H.3414: Universal screening tool for K-2, provision of requirements concerning the administration of the screening tool and use of data yielded. School districts to convene problem-solving teams to analyze data and progress monitoring with teachers to then provide evidence-based interventions. PD resources will be available for educators and a dyslexia advisory council to be appointed.
|South Dakota||H.B 1133
|| H.B 1133: Requires each school district to adopt a policy to provide for students with specific learning disabilities
|Tennessee||S.B. 2635||SB 2635 (update to previous bill): Screening, intervention & PD. 9 person Dyslexia Advisory Council created
SB 2002: Dyslexia recognised in law, training to address dyslexia, brain-based multisensory intervention
|Texas||2009 Amendment||Screening, intervention, licensed therapists & dyslexia handbook.
All using the title ‘Licensed Dyslexia Therapist’ or ‘Licensed Dyslexia Practitioner’ must be certified through ALTA
|Utah||H.B. 117||Pilot program for PD and KS5 intervention|
|Virginia||H.B. 842.||Dyslexia PD (1st July 2017). If a local board employs reading specialists at least one must have expertise in identification and teaching of students with dyslexia or a related disorder. They then become a resource for teachers in the district.|
|Washington||S.B. 6016||SB 6016: Handbook, PD & intervention
SB 6162: Definition of dyslexia as a specific learning disability. By 21-22 school year each school district must have a multitiered system of support and provision of intervention. Screening tools to be used and intervention based on below grade level literacy development.
|West Virginia||H.B. 4608||Definition of dyslexia and dyscalculia in law, screening, ongoing information provided to parents on dyslexia and the support available
|Wisconsin||Study Guide||Reading guide, teacher tests for new licences|
|Wyoming||SF0052||Screening & intervention to grade 3. Annual reports aiming for 85% of students to be reading to level by grade 3. The program shall be multi-tiered and shall include various interventions to facilitate remediation of any reading difficulty as early as possible.|