SF 2319 (LSB 5570SV (6) 85)

SENATE FILE 2319

BY  COMMITTEE ON EDUCATION

(SUCCESSOR TO SF 2070)

A BILL FOR

An Act relating to improving student literacy skills, including addressing dyslexia, and providing teacher assistance.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF IOWA:

    Section 1.  Section 256.9, subsection 53, paragraph c, subparagraph (1), subparagraph division (e), Code 2014, is amended to read as follows:
   (e)  Professional development strategies and materials to support teacher effectiveness in student literacy development.  The center shall collaborate and coordinate with the area education agencies to develop and offer to school districts at no cost professional development services to enhance the skills of elementary teachers in the use of evidence-based strategies to improve the literacy skills of all students.
    Sec. 2.  Section 279.68, subsection 2, paragraph d, subparagraph (3), subparagraph division (a), Code 2014, is amended to read as follows:
   (a)  Assists students assessed as exhibiting a substantial deficiency in reading to develop the skills to read at grade level.  Assistance shall include but not be limited to strategies that formally address dyslexia, when appropriate. For purposes of this subparagraph division (a), “dyslexia” means a specific learning disability that is neurological in origin and 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. Secondary consequences may include problems in reading comprehension and reduced reading experience that can impede growth of vocabulary and background knowledge.
EXPLANATION
The inclusion of this explanation does not constitute agreement with

the explanation’s substance by the members of the general assembly.
   This bill relates to improving student literacy skills, including addressing dyslexia, and providing teacher assistance.
   Currently, the Iowa reading research center is required to provide for development and dissemination of professional development strategies and materials to support teacher effectiveness in student literacy development. The bill requires the center to collaborate and coordinate with the area education agencies to develop and offer to school districts at no cost professional development services to enhance the skills of elementary teachers in the use of evidence-based strategies to improve the literacy skills of all students.
   School districts are currently required to establish a reading enhancement and acceleration development initiative that assists students assessed as exhibiting a substantial deficiency in reading to develop the skills to read at grade level. The bill requires such assistance to include but not be limited to strategies that formally address dyslexia, when appropriate. The bill defines “dyslexia”.