SF 2319 (LSB 5570SV (7) 85)

SENATE FILE 2319

BY  COMMITTEE ON EDUCATION

(SUCCESSOR TO SF 2070)

(As Amended and Passed by the Senate 2014-02-27)

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 256.7, subsection 31, paragraph b, Code 2014, is amended to read as follows:
   b.  Adopt rules for the Iowa reading research resource center and for implementation of the intensive summer literacy program developed and administered pursuant to section 256.9, subsection 53.
    Sec. 2.  Section 256.9, subsection 53, paragraph c, unnumbered paragraph 1, Code 2014, is amended to read as follows:

   Establish, subject to an appropriation of funds by the general assembly, an Iowa reading research resource center.
    Sec. 3.  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. 4.  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 and significant impairment in the development of reading, including but not limited to phonemic awareness, phonics, fluency, vocabulary, and comprehension, that is not solely accounted for by intellectual disability, sensory disability or impairment, or lack of appropriate instruction.