Section 20-2-159.6 - Screening for dyslexia and related disorders; training and professional development; pilot program evaluating early intervention; data reporting(a) As used in this Code section, the term: (1) "Aphasia" means a condition characterized by either partial or total loss of the ability to communicate verbally or through written words. A person with aphasia may have difficulty speaking, reading, writing, recognizing the names of objects, or understanding what other people have said. The condition may be temporary or permanent and shall not include speech problems caused by loss of muscle control.(2) "Dyscalculia" means the inability to understand the meaning of numbers, the basic operations of addition and subtraction, or the complex operations of multiplication and division or to apply math principles to solve practical or abstract problems.(3) "Dysgraphia" means difficulty in automatically remembering and mastering the sequence of muscle motor movements needed to accurately write letters or numbers.(4) "Dyslexia" means a specific learning disability that is neurological in origin. Dyslexia is characterized by difficulties with accurate or fluent word recognition and by poor spelling and decoding abilities. These difficulties 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. Secondary consequences may include problems in reading comprehension and reduced reading experience that can impede the growth of vocabulary and background knowledge.(5) "Other disorders" means aphasia, dyscalculia, and dysgraphia.(6) "Parent" means a parent, legal agent, legal guardian, or kinship caregiver.(7) "Phonemic awareness" means the ability to recognize that a spoken word consists of a sequence of individual sounds and the ability to manipulate individual sounds when speaking.(8) "Qualified dyslexia screening tool" means an assessment that measures a student's ability to demonstrate phonological awareness skills, phonemic decoding efficiency skills, sight word reading efficiency skills, rapid automatic naming skills, and accuracy of word reading on grade-level text.(b) No later than July 1, 2020, the State Board of Education shall develop policies for referring students in kindergarten and grades one through three for screening who have been identified through the response-to-intervention process as having characteristics of dyslexia, other disorders, or both. Such policies shall include but are not limited to: (1) The definition and characteristics of dyslexia and related disorders;(2) A list of approved qualified dyslexia screening tools that address the following components: (A) Phonological awareness and phonemic awareness;(B) Sound symbol recognition;(3) The process for referring students in kindergarten and grades one through three for screening in collaboration with the local school system's response-to-intervention programs;(4) A process for parents to provide informed consent for use of a qualified dyslexia screening tool and notification of the results of the screening;(5) A process for parents to decline dyslexia screening for their child;(6) A process for providing the parents of students identified as having characteristics of dyslexia with information and resource material regarding dyslexia; and(7) A process for monitoring the student's progress after the positive identification of characteristics of dyslexia.(c) No later than December 1, 2019, the Department of Education shall make available a dyslexia informational handbook that includes guidance, technical assistance, and training to assist all local school systems in the implementation of evidence based practices for instructing students with characteristics of dyslexia. Such handbook shall include, but not be limited to, the following information for local school systems screening students in kindergarten and grades one through three who have been identified through the response-to-intervention process as having characteristics of dyslexia:(1) Evidence based practices designed specifically for students with characteristics of dyslexia;(2) Characteristics of targeted instruction for dyslexia;(3) Guidance on developing instructional plans for students with characteristics of dyslexia;(4) Best practices toward meaning-centered reading and writing;(5) Developmentally appropriate curricula and engaging instructional materials and practices;(6) Structured multisensory approaches to teach language and reading skills; and(7) Suggested training programs.(d) The Department of Education shall collaborate with the Professional Standards Commission to improve and update professional development opportunities for teachers specifically relating to dyslexia. The training shall focus on: (1) Development and ongoing implementation of training and coaching for teachers regarding dyslexia and other disorders;(2) Identifying high-quality trainers to provide support to local school systems utilizing a coaching model to develop school level dyslexia experts;(3) Developing awareness training modules for all instructional staff to include information about dyslexia;(4) Evidence based interventions, structured multisensory approaches to teach language and reading skills, and accommodations for students with characteristics of dyslexia and other disorders; and(5) School and school system policies and procedures related to the response-to-intervention framework addressing reading, writing, mathematics, and behavior. Teachers shall be notified annually of any changes in policy, procedures, and specific instructional methodologies.(e)(1) Beginning with the 2020-2021 school year, the State School Superintendent shall establish a three-year pilot program to demonstrate and evaluate the effectiveness of early reading assistance programs for students with risk factors for dyslexia. The State School Superintendent shall select at least three local school systems, preferably at least one of which is located in an urban setting, one of which is located in a suburban setting, and one of which is located in a rural setting. The State School Superintendent shall consult with recognized organizations that specialize in structured literacy programs for the instruction of students with characteristics of dyslexia in establishing and operating the pilot program.(2) To be considered by the State School Superintendent to be in the pilot program, a local school system shall submit a proposal to the Department of Education that: (A) Identifies a method of screening students for low phonemic awareness, rapid automatic naming skills, and characteristics of dyslexia;(B) Provides for the enrollment of students with characteristics of dyslexia in an International Dyslexia Association (IDA) approved reading program staffed by teachers trained in structured literacy programs as outlined in IDA's Knowledge and Practice Standards; and(C) Includes a methodology for evaluating the effects of the reading program on the student's identified characteristics.(3) Local school systems selected to participate in the pilot program shall screen all kindergarten students for characteristics of dyslexia and may screen kindergarten students for other disorders. Further, such participating local school systems shall screen students in grades one through three for characteristics of dyslexia, and may screen such students for other disorders, who have been identified through the response-to-intervention process. Participating local school systems shall also provide appropriate reading intervention services for such students and administer assessments to ascertain whether the intervention services improve such students' language processing and reading skills.(4) Each local school system chosen to participate in the pilot program shall comply with all applicable state and federal laws and require the parent of students suspected of having characteristics of dyslexia to indicate in writing that the parent voluntarily and knowingly consents to the student's participation in the pilot program for the provision of reading intervention services. Each participating local school system shall provide to the parents of students suspected of having characteristics of dyslexia information about dyslexia and recommended interventions.(5) Each participating local school system shall report to the Department of Education data about the operation and results of the pilot program, as required by the department's guidelines and procedures.(6) Not later than December 1 of the third school year in which the pilot program is operating, the State School Superintendent shall submit a report to the House Education Committee and the Senate Committee on Education and Youth that contains the superintendent's evaluation of the results of the pilot program and any legislative recommendations regarding the identification of and interventions for students with characteristics of dyslexia, including recommendations regarding screening of all kindergarten students.(7) This subsection shall be subject to appropriations by the General Assembly.(f)(1) Beginning with the 2024-2025 school year, local school systems shall screen all kindergarten students for characteristics of dyslexia and may screen kindergarten students for other disorders. Further, local school systems shall screen students in grades one through three for characteristics of dyslexia, and may screen such students for other disorders, who have been identified through the response-to-intervention process. Screening shall be conducted in accordance with the policies developed by the State Board of Education pursuant to subsection (b) of this Code section and the dyslexia informational handbook produced by the Department of Education pursuant to subsection (c) of this Code section, including policies and information developed relating to universal screening of kindergarten students for characteristics of dyslexia.(2) By June 30 of each year, local school systems shall provide the following data to the Department of Education: (A) The number of students in kindergarten through grade three who were identified as having characteristics of dyslexia through screening;(B) The number of students in kindergarten through grade three who were screened for characteristics of dyslexia in a school year;(C) The number of students in kindergarten through grade three who were newly identified as having characteristics of dyslexia in a school year;(D) The process or tool used to evaluate student progress;(E) The number of students in kindergarten through grade three who were participating in interventions within the school setting and the number participating in interventions outside the school setting; and(F) The number of trained school system personnel or licensed professionals used to administer the qualified dyslexia screening tool.(3) This subsection shall be subject to appropriations by the General Assembly.Added by 2019 Ga. Laws 134,§ 1, eff. 7/1/2019.