Working group for identification of and educational support for students with dyslexia - convened - duties - report - repeal

(1) The commissioner of education shall convene a working group for identification of and educational support for students with dyslexia to review data concerning the identification of and educational support for students with dyslexia and efforts in Colorado and other states to improve educational outcomes for students with dyslexia. In convening the working group, the commissioner shall appoint the following members: (a) A parent of a child who is identified as having dyslexia; (b) A parent of a child who is identified as having dyslexia and a disability; (c) A school district literacy specialist; (d) A school district director of special education; (e) A state or national literacy expert; (f) A state or national dyslexia expert; (g) Two elementary grade teachers, one of whom teaches in a rural school district or a small rural school district; (h) A principal who is employed at an elementary school in a rural school district or an employee of a board of cooperative services, created pursuant to article 5 of this title 22, who has expertise as a literacy specialist; (i) A faculty member of an institution of higher education who teaches in an approved educator preparation program for elementary grade teachers; and (j) A member of the local chapter of an international dyslexia association. (2) The working group shall: (a) Analyze current national and statewide data related to students identified as having dyslexia, including but not limited to identification rates and achievement rates; (b) Analyze the implementation and demonstrated effectiveness in other states of statewide legislation for dyslexia screening, educator training, and other dyslexia-related laws; (c) Identify and recommend appropriate dyslexia screening tools and processes as well as comprehensive assessments that address the recognized challenges of dyslexia, including phonological processing, phonemic awareness, and decoding and encoding skills; (d) Identify and recommend a statewide plan for supporting students who are identified as having dyslexia, including specific intervention structures and their components, which must include evidence-based interventions, progress-monitoring systems, and data-collection systems. The recommendations for a statewide plan must consider legal requirements included in the "Colorado READ Act", part 12 of article 7 of this title 22, and its implementing rules; the "Exceptional Children's Educational Act", article 20 of this title 22, and its implementing rules; the federal "Individuals with Disabilities Education Act", 20 U.S.C. sec. 1400 et seq., as amended, and its implementing regulations; and section 504 of the federal "Rehabilitation Act of 1973", 29 U.S.C. sec. 701 et seq., as amended, and its implementing regulations. (e) Identify and recommend components of dyslexia awareness training for Colorado educators, including the content, target audience, time frame for training, and projected cost; (f) Identify and recommend educator training for in-state approved programs of preparation for teachers and alternative teacher programs and recommended training for current educators, based on effective practices in other states, as well as recommendations from state and national organizations focusing on literacy. The recommendations concerning educator training may include the content, target audience, time frame for training, and projected cost. (g) Repealed. (3) In completing the duties described in subsections (2)(c) to (2)(f) of this section, the working group shall analyze and integrate, as appropriate, the work and recommendations of other previous and ongoing state initiatives related to improving the identification and support of students who have dyslexia. (4) The working group shall submit a progress report to the commissioner by December 31, 2019, which must include a summary of the progress the working group is making regarding the items described in subsection (2) of this section and may include preliminary policy recommendations. By July 1, 2020, and by July 1 each year thereafter, the working group shall submit to the commissioner a report of its policy recommendations with regard to the items described in subsection (2) of this section. On or before February 1, 2021, and on or before February 1 each year thereafter, the commissioner shall submit the report, with any recommendations for legislation, to the state board of education and the education committees of the house of representatives and the senate, or any successor committees. Notwithstanding the requirement in section 24-1-136 (11)(a)(I), the requirement to submit the report specified in this subsection (4) continues indefinitely. (5) This section is repealed, effective September 1, 2029. Before the repeal, the working group is scheduled for review in accordance with section 2-3-1203.