Amendment ID: S2393-11-R1

Redraft Amendment 11

Dyslexia Screening

Mr. Tarr, Ms. Forry, Messrs. Eldridge, Keenan and Lewis, Ms. Lovely, Messrs. Moore, Ross and deMacedo, Ms. L'Italien, Messrs. OConnor, Humason and Fattman move to amend the bill by inserting after SECTION 8 the following:-

SECTION_. Chapter 71 of the General Laws is hereby amended by adding after section 57 the following section:-

SECTION 57A. (a) For the purposes of this section the following words will have the following meaning:

Neurological Learning Disability: “a specific learning disability, including but not limited to dyslexia as most recently defined by the National Institute of Health that is neurological in origin.”

(b) The Department of Elementary and Secondary Education shall issue guidelines for districts, subject to appropriation, to develop screening procedures or protocols for students who demonstrate one or more potential indicators of a neurological learning disability including but not limited to dyslexia.

SECTION __. Section 1 of Chapter 287 of the Acts of 2012 is hereby amended by inserting after the word “assessments”, in line 40, the following words:-- “, identification of neurological learning disabilities including but not limited to dyslexia”.

SECTION __. Said section 1 of said chapter 287 of the Acts of 2012 is hereby further amended by inserting after the word “education”, in line 8, the following:-- “The secretary shall appoint 1 member to the panel who represents and/or is a member of a dyslexia advocacy organization.”

SECTION __. Said section 1 of said chapter 287 of the Acts of 2012 is hereby further amended by inserting after the word “development”, in line 51, the following:-- “; and (7) action steps to implement the research-based recommendations including but not limited to student screening and teacher preparation methods contained in reports written by experts in early language and literacy development with respect to reading disabilities including but not limited to dyslexia.