CHAPTER 262
HB 1644-FN - FINAL VERSION
23Mar2016... 1092h
04/21/2016 1472s
05/05/2016 1614s
1June2016... 2130EBA
2016 SESSION
16-2888
04/03
HOUSE BILL 1644-FN
AN ACT relative to screening and intervention for dyslexia and related disorders, establishing a reading specialist position in the department of education, and making a technical correction.
SPONSORS: Rep. Balcom, Hills. 21; Rep. Ebel, Merr. 5; Rep. Kidder, Merr. 5; Rep. Cordelli, Carr. 4; Rep. Rollo, Straf. 18; Rep. Grenier, Sull. 7; Rep. Ford, Graf. 3; Rep. Buco, Carr. 2; Rep. Verschueren, Straf. 13; Rep. Myler, Merr. 10; Sen. Stiles, Dist 24; Sen. Feltes, Dist 15; Sen. Watters, Dist 4; Sen. D'Allesandro, Dist 20
COMMITTEE: Education
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AMENDED ANALYSIS
This bill requires the commissioner of the department of education to designate a reading specialist to provide support and resources to school districts for identifying and assisting students with dyslexia and related disorders and their families.
This bill is a request of the committee to study policies which it determines are necessary for dyslexic students (2015, 172).
This bill also makes a technical correction to HB 536 of the 2016 regular legislative session to reflect current law.
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Explanation: Matter added to current law appears in bold italics.
Matter removed from current law appears [in brackets and struckthrough.]
Matter which is either (a) all new or (b) repealed and reenacted appears in regular type.
23Mar2016... 1092h
04/21/2016 1472s
05/05/2016 1614s
1June2016... 2130EBA
16-2888 04/03
STATE OF NEW HAMPSHIRE
In the Year of Our Lord Two Thousand Sixteen
AN ACT relative to screening and intervention for dyslexia and related disorders, establishing a reading specialist position in the department of education, and making a technical correction.
Be it Enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives in General Court convened:
262:1 New Subdivision; Screening and Intervention for Dyslexia and Related Disorders. Amend RSA 200 by inserting after section 57 the following new subdivision:
Screening and Intervention for Dyslexia and Related Disorders
200:58 Definitions. In this subdivision:
I. "Dyslexia" means a specific learning disability that is:
(a) Neurobiological in origin;
(b) Characterized by difficulties with accurate or fluent word recognition and by poor spelling and decoding abilities that typically result from a deficit in the phonological component of language; and
(c) Often unexpected in relation to other cognitive abilities and the provision of effective classroom instruction, and may include secondary consequences such as reading comprehension problems and reduced reading experience that can impede growth of vocabulary and background knowledge.
II. "Potential indicators or risk factors of dyslexia and related disorders" means indicators that include, but shall not be limited to, difficulty in acquiring language skills, inability to comprehend oral or written language, difficulty in rhyming words, difficulty in naming letters, recognizing letters, matching letters to sounds, and blending sounds when speaking and reading words, difficulty recognizing and remembering sight words, consistent transposition of number sequences, letter reversals, inversions, and substitutions, and trouble in replication of content.
III. "Related disorders" include disorders similar to or related to dyslexia, such as a phonological processing disorder, reading fluency disorder, and dysphasia.
200:59 Screening and Intervention for Dyslexia and Related Disorders.
I. School districts shall screen all public school students, including English learners, using the Dynamic Indicators of Basic Early Literacy Skills (DIBELS) or an equivalent cost effective screener for the identification of potential indicators or risk factors of dyslexia and related disorders upon enrollment in public school kindergarten or first grade, and at appropriate times thereafter, to monitor progress. Beginning in 2017, such screening shall be completed no later than November 30 of each school year.
II. The student's school district shall provide age-appropriate, evidence-based, intervention strategies for any student who is identified as having characteristics that are associated with potential indicators or risk factors of dyslexia and related disorders beginning no later than January 1, 2018.
III. The parent or legal guardian of any student who is identified by the public school as having characteristics that are associated with potential indicators or risk factors of dyslexia and related disorders shall be notified and provided with all screening information and findings, in addition to periodic formal screening results based on individual written intervention and support plans developed with the student's parents or legal guardian.
IV. A parent or legal guardian of any student who is identified as having characteristics that are associated with potential indicators or risk factors of dyslexia and related disorders has the right to submit the results of an independent evaluation from a licensed reading or intervention specialist highly trained in dyslexia and related disorders for consideration by the student's school district. A parent or legal guardian who submits an independent evaluation shall assume all fiscal responsibility for that independent evaluation.
200:60 Reading Specialist.
I. There is hereby established in the department of education the position of reading specialist, a temporary classified position until June 30, 2017, which shall be funded by existing sources available to the department.
II. No later than January 1, 2017, the commissioner of the department of education shall designate a reading specialist to enable the department to provide school districts with the support and resources necessary to assist students with dyslexia and related disorders and their families. The reading specialist shall provide technical assistance for dyslexia and related disorders to school districts.
III. The reading specialist shall:
(a) Be trained and certified in best practice interventions and treatment models for dyslexia, with expertise in related disorders, and dysgraphia.
(b) Have a minimum of 3 years of field experience in screening, identifying, and treating dyslexia and related disorders.
(c) Be responsible for the implementation of professional awareness.
(d) Serve as the primary source of information and support for school districts to address the needs of students with dyslexia and related disorders, and dysgraphia.
200:61 Teacher Professional Development and Training.
I. No later than June 30, 2017, the reading specialist shall develop and make available a program to ensure all New Hampshire teachers and school administrators have access to materials to support professional awareness of best practices on:
(a) Recognition of the characteristics of dyslexia and related disorders, and dysgraphia.
(b) Evidence-based interventions and accommodations for dyslexia and related disorders, and dysgraphia.
II. The reading specialist and the council for teacher education established in RSA 190 shall collaborate to ensure that all teacher education programs offered at New Hampshire's public institutions of higher education provide explicit professional awareness of best practices on:
(a) Recognition of characteristics of dyslexia and related disorders, and dysgraphia.
(b) Evidence-based interventions and accommodations for dyslexia and related disorders, and dysgraphia.
200:62 Dyslexia Resource Guide. No later than June 30, 2017, the reading specialist shall develop and publish on the department of education's Internet website, a reading support resource guide to be used by school districts as a resource. The reading specialist shall solicit the advice of experts in the fields of dyslexia and related disorders, and dysgraphia in the development of the guide. The reading specialist shall update the guide as necessary.
262:2 Chartered Public Schools; Funding. RSA 194-B:11, I(b)(1) is repealed and reenacted to read as follows:
(b)(1) Except as provided in subparagraph (2), for a chartered public school authorized by the state board of education pursuant to RSA 194-B:3-a, the state shall pay tuition pursuant to RSA 198:40-a, I, II, and II-a plus an additional grant of $2,036 directly to the chartered public school for each pupil who is a resident of this state in attendance at such chartered public school. The state shall pay amounts required pursuant to RSA 198:40-a, III directly to the resident district.
262:3 Contingency. If HB 536 of the 2016 regular legislative session becomes law, section 2 of this act shall take effect at 12:01 a.m. on the effective date of HB 536. If HB 536 does not become law, section 2 of this act shall not take effect.
262:4 Chartered Public Schools; Funding. Amend RSA 194-B:11, I(b)(1) to read as follows:
(b)(1) Except as provided in subparagraph (2), for a chartered public school authorized by the state board of education pursuant to RSA 194-B:3-a, the state shall pay tuition pursuant to RSA 198:40-a, I, II, and II-a plus an additional grant of $2,036 for the Virtual Learning Academy Charter School and $3,036 for all other chartered public schools directly to the chartered public school for each pupil who is a resident of this state in attendance at such chartered public school. Beginning July 1, 2017 and every biennium thereafter, the department of education shall adjust the per pupil amount of the additional grant based on the average change in the Consumer Price Index for All Urban Consumers, Northeast Region, using the "services less medical care services'' special aggregate index, as published by the Bureau of Labor Statistics, United States Department of Labor. The state shall pay amounts required pursuant to RSA 198:40-a, III directly to the resident district.
I. Section 2 of this act shall take effect as provided in section 3 of this act.
II. Section 3 of this act shall take effect upon its passage.
III. Section 4 of this act shall take effect July 1, 2016 at 12:01 a.m.
IV. The remainder of this act shall take effect 60 days after its passage.
Approved: June 15, 2016
Effective Date: I. Section 2 shall take effect as provided in section 3
II. Section 3 shall take effect June 15, 2016
III. Section 4 shall take effect July 1, 2016 at 12:01 a.m.
IV. Remainder shall take effect August 14, 2016