Dyslexia Screening and READ Act Requirements

Current law requires a local education provider that offers a kindergarten program to administer a school readiness assessment to kindergarten students within the first 60 days of the school year. The bill makes administration of a school readiness assessment optional and permits rather than requires a local education provider to create and implement an individualized readiness plan for its preschool and kindergarten students.

The bill clarifies that a teacher may conclude that an early elementary school student has a significant reading deficiency that requires remediation through a specialized approach to instruction (READ plan) based on a body of evidence that includes information in addition to the student's scores on a reading assessment.

Current law requires certain parental communications in connection with a student's READ plan. The bill adds specific information regarding characteristics of dyslexia, if applicable, to the parental communications.

Beginning no later than the 2025-26 school year, a local education provider must either develop its own process for identifying early elementary school students with characteristics of dyslexia or adopt a dyslexia screening tool that conforms to certain new requirements for interim reading assessments. To meet the bill's new requirements, interim reading assessments must accurately and reliably identify students at risk of reading difficulties, meet standards for validity and reliability, encourage data-driven instructional decision making, and promote efficient administration and effective follow-up.

(Note: This summary applies to this bill as introduced.)