102ND GENERAL ASSEMBLY
State of Illinois
2021 and 2022
HB4202

 

Introduced 1/5/2022, by Rep. Jonathan Carroll

 

SYNOPSIS AS INTRODUCED:
 
105 ILCS 5/2-3.161
105 ILCS 5/10-20.82 new
105 ILCS 5/34-18.77 new

    Amends the School Code. Provides for dyslexia screening guidelines and rules. Requires the State Board of Education to employ at least 5 dyslexia specialists or dyslexia therapists with a minimum of 5 years of field experience in screening, identifying, and treating dyslexia and related disorders to provide technical assistance and training. Provides that, beginning with the 2022-2023 school year, each school district must screen students in grades kindergarten through second (and in higher grades under certain circumstances) for the risk factors of dyslexia using a universal screener approved by the State Board. Sets forth what the screening must include. Provides for additional screening for a student who is determined to be at risk, or at some risk, for dyslexia to determine if a student has the characteristics of dyslexia. Requires the use of a multi-tiered system of support framework if screening indicates that a student has some risk factors for dyslexia or has the characteristics of dyslexia. Sets forth provisions concerning exceptions to screening, dyslexia intervention services, and reporting. Effective July 1, 2022.


LRB102 19897 CMG 28673 b

FISCAL NOTE ACT MAY APPLY
STATE MANDATES ACT MAY REQUIRE REIMBURSEMENT

 

 

A BILL FOR

 

HB4202LRB102 19897 CMG 28673 b

1    AN ACT concerning education.
 
2    Be it enacted by the People of the State of Illinois,
3represented in the General Assembly:
 
4    Section 5. The School Code is amended by changing Section
52-3.161 and by adding Sections 10-20.82 and 34-18.77 as
6follows:
 
7    (105 ILCS 5/2-3.161)
8    Sec. 2-3.161. Definition of dyslexia; reading instruction
9advisory group; handbook; screening rules; employment of
10specialists.
11    (a) The State Board of Education shall incorporate, in
12both general education and special education, the following
13definition of dyslexia:
14        Dyslexia is a specific learning disability that is
15    neurobiological in origin. Dyslexia is characterized by
16    difficulties with accurate and/or fluent word recognition
17    and by poor spelling and decoding abilities. These
18    difficulties typically result from a deficit in the
19    phonological component of language that is often
20    unexpected in relation to other cognitive abilities and
21    the provision of effective classroom instruction.
22    Secondary consequences may include problems in reading
23    comprehension and reduced reading experience that can

 

 

HB4202- 2 -LRB102 19897 CMG 28673 b

1    impede growth of vocabulary and background knowledge.
2    (b) (Blank).
3    (c) The State Board of Education shall develop and
4maintain a handbook to be made available on its Internet
5website that provides guidance for pupils, parents or
6guardians, and teachers on the subject of dyslexia. The
7handbook shall include, but is not limited to:
8        (1) guidelines for teachers and parents or guardians
9    on how to identify signs of dyslexia;
10        (2) a description of educational strategies that have
11    been shown to improve the academic performance of pupils
12    with dyslexia; and
13        (3) a description of resources and services available
14    to pupils with dyslexia, parents or guardians of pupils
15    with dyslexia, and teachers; and .
16        (4) guidelines on the administration of a universal
17    screener and Level I dyslexia screening, the
18    interpretation of data from these screeners, and the
19    resulting appropriate instruction within a multi-tiered
20    system of support (MTSS) framework.
21    The State Board shall review the handbook on or before
22January 1, 2023 and at least once every 4 years thereafter to
23update, if necessary, the guidelines, educational strategies,
24or resources and services made available in the handbook.
25    (d) The State Board of Education shall adopt any rules
26necessary to ensure that a student will be screened, as

 

 

HB4202- 3 -LRB102 19897 CMG 28673 b

1provided under Section 10-20.82 or 34-18.77, for the risk
2factors of dyslexia using a universal screener:
3        (1) if a student is in any of grades kindergarten
4    through second in the public schools;
5        (2) if a student in any of grades kindergarten through
6    second:
7            (A) transfers to a new public school; and
8            (B) has not been screened previously during the
9        school year;
10        (3) if a student in grade 3 or higher in the public
11    schools has difficulty, as determined by a classroom
12    teacher, in:
13            (A) phonological and phonemic awareness;
14            (B) sound symbol recognition;
15            (C) alphabet knowledge;
16            (D) decoding skills;
17            (E) rapid naming skills;
18            (F) encoding skills; or
19            (G) oral reading fluency; and
20        (4) if a student from another state enrolls for the
21    first time in any of grades kindergarten through second in
22    a school district in this State, unless the student
23    presents documentation that the student:
24            (A) had the dyslexia screening or a similar
25        screening during the school year; or
26            (B) is exempt from screening.

 

 

HB4202- 4 -LRB102 19897 CMG 28673 b

1    (e) The State Board of Education shall adopt any rules
2necessary to ensure that a student receives dyslexia
3intervention services under Section 10-20.82 or 34-18.77.
4    (f) No later than January 1, 2023, the State Board of
5Education shall employ at least 5 dyslexia specialists or
6dyslexia therapists with a minimum of 5 years of field
7experience in screening, identifying, and treating dyslexia
8and related disorders to provide both of the following:
9        (1) Technical assistance for dyslexia and related
10    disorders to the State Board and school districts.
11        (2) Training to school district employees in:
12            (A) administering a universal screener and Level I
13        dyslexia screening;
14            (B) analyzing and interpreting screening data; and
15            (C) determining, within the MTSS framework,
16        appropriate dyslexia intervention services under
17        Section 10-20.82 or 34-18.77.
18(Source: P.A. 102-539, eff. 8-20-21.)
 
19    (105 ILCS 5/10-20.82 new)
20    Sec. 10-20.82. Dyslexia screening and support required.
21    (a) In this Section:
22    "Level I dyslexia screening" means a process, as
23determined by the school district, for gathering additional
24information to determine if the characteristics of dyslexia
25are present.

 

 

HB4202- 5 -LRB102 19897 CMG 28673 b

1    "Universal screener" means an assessment used to aid
2educators in understanding the causes for student performance,
3learning strengths, and the needs that underlie student
4performance. The assessment is conducted to identify or
5predict students who may be at risk for poor learning outcomes
6and is typically brief and conducted with all students at a
7particular grade level.
8    (b) Beginning with the 2022-2023 school year, each school
9district must screen students in grades kindergarten through
10second for the risk factors of dyslexia using a universal
11screener approved by the State Board of Education. The
12screening of students must include, as developmentally
13appropriate, all of the following:
14        (1) Phonological and phonemic awareness.
15        (2) Sound symbol recognition.
16        (3) Alphabet knowledge.
17        (4) Decoding skills.
18        (5) Rapid naming skills.
19        (6) Encoding skills.
20        (7) Oral reading fluency.
21    (c) If a student is determined to be at risk, or at some
22risk, for dyslexia after the universal screener has been
23administered under subsection (b), the school district must
24administer a Level I dyslexia screening of the student.
25Through the Level I dyslexia screening, the school district
26must gather additional information to determine if the student

 

 

HB4202- 6 -LRB102 19897 CMG 28673 b

1has the characteristics of dyslexia. The additional
2information may include, but is not limited to, information
3from progress monitoring data, work samples, additional age
4and grade-appropriate assessments related to dyslexia, teacher
5questionnaires, parent interviews, information regarding the
6student's family history related to dyslexia, and speech and
7language assessments.
8    (d) If the universal screener or the Level I dyslexia
9screening indicates that a student has some risk factors for
10dyslexia or the characteristics of dyslexia, the school must
11use a multi-tiered system of support (MTSS) framework to
12address the needs of the student.
13    (e) Before a school district administers a Level I
14dyslexia screening to a student, the parent or guardian of the
15student must consent to the screening. A school district is
16not required to administer a Level I dyslexia screening to a
17student if:
18        (1) the parent or guardian of the student objects to
19    the screening; or
20        (2) the student is receiving dyslexia intervention
21    services.
22    (f) If a student's performance on a Level I dyslexia
23screening indicates a need for dyslexia intervention services,
24the school district must do both of the following:
25        (1) Notify the student's parent or guardian of the
26    results of all screenings.

 

 

HB4202- 7 -LRB102 19897 CMG 28673 b

1        (2) Provide the student's parent or guardian with
2    information and resource material that includes all of the
3    following:
4            (A) The characteristics of dyslexia.
5            (B) The appropriate classroom interventions and
6        accommodations for students with dyslexia.
7            (C) A statement that the parent or guardian may
8        elect to have the student receive an educational
9        evaluation by the school.
10    (g) If the student's Level I dyslexia screening indicates
11that the student has characteristics of dyslexia and needs
12dyslexia intervention services, the dyslexia intervention
13services provided to the student must be implemented using
14diagnostic teaching guidelines outlined in the Knowledge and
15Practice Standards for Teachers of Reading created by the
16International Dyslexia Association. The dyslexia intervention
17services must:
18        (1) provide explicit, direct, systematic, sequential,
19    and cumulative instruction that adheres to a logical plan
20    about the alphabetic principle and is designed to
21    accommodate the needs of each individual student without
22    presuming prior skills or knowledge; each teaching plan
23    must be flexible, must be based on the individualized
24    instructional needs of the student through continuous
25    assessment, and must include a periodic evaluation of the
26    student's progress;

 

 

HB4202- 8 -LRB102 19897 CMG 28673 b

1        (2) implement evidence-based practices that have been
2    proven effective in the treatment of dyslexia;
3        (3) engage the student in multi-sensory and hands-on
4    activities;
5        (4) include phonemic awareness activities to enable
6    the student to detect, segment, blend, and manipulate
7    sounds in the spoken language;
8        (5) provide graphophonemic knowledge for teaching the
9    letter sound plan of the English language;
10        (6) teach the structure and patterns of the English
11    language, including linguistic instruction in morphology,
12    semantics, syntax, and pragmatics, that is directed toward
13    proficiency and fluency with the patterns of language so
14    that words and sentences are the carriers of meaning;
15        (7) develop strategies that advance the student's
16    ability in decoding, encoding, word recognition, fluency,
17    and comprehension; and
18        (8) provide meaning-based instruction directed at
19    purposeful reading and writing, with an emphasis on
20    comprehension and composition.
21    (h) On or before July 1, 2023 and on or before each July 1
22thereafter, each school district must report to the State
23Board of Education the number of students who were:
24        (1) administered a universal screener during the
25    school year; and
26        (2) determined to be at risk, or at some risk, for

 

 

HB4202- 9 -LRB102 19897 CMG 28673 b

1    dyslexia.
2    (i) On or before July 1, 2023 and on or before each July 1
3thereafter, each school district must report on its Internet
4website all of the following information:
5        (1) The dyslexia intervention services that were used
6    during the previous school year to assist students with
7    dyslexia.
8        (2) The number of students during the previous school
9    year who received dyslexia intervention services under
10    this Section.
11        (3) The total number of students identified with the
12    characteristics of dyslexia during the school year.
 
13    (105 ILCS 5/34-18.77 new)
14    Sec. 34-18.77. Dyslexia screening and support required.
15    (a) In this Section:
16    "Level I dyslexia screening" means a process, as
17determined by the school district, for gathering additional
18information to determine if the characteristics of dyslexia
19are present.
20    "Universal screener" means an assessment used to aid
21educators in understanding the causes for student performance,
22learning strengths, and the needs that underlie student
23performance. The assessment is conducted to identify or
24predict students who may be at risk for poor learning outcomes
25and is typically brief and conducted with all students at a

 

 

HB4202- 10 -LRB102 19897 CMG 28673 b

1particular grade level.
2    (b) Beginning with the 2022-2023 school year, the school
3district must screen students in grades kindergarten through
4second for the risk factors of dyslexia using a universal
5screener approved by the State Board of Education. The
6screening of students must include, as developmentally
7appropriate, all of the following:
8        (1) Phonological and phonemic awareness.
9        (2) Sound symbol recognition.
10        (3) Alphabet knowledge.
11        (4) Decoding skills.
12        (5) Rapid naming skills.
13        (6) Encoding skills.
14        (7) Oral reading fluency.
15    (c) If a student is determined to be at risk, or at some
16risk, for dyslexia after the universal screener has been
17administered under subsection (b), the school district must
18administer a Level I dyslexia screening of the student.
19Through the Level I dyslexia screening, the school district
20must gather additional information to determine if the student
21has the characteristics of dyslexia. The additional
22information may include, but is not limited to, information
23from progress monitoring data, work samples, additional age
24and grade-appropriate assessments related to dyslexia, teacher
25questionnaires, parent interviews, information regarding the
26student's family history related to dyslexia, and speech and

 

 

HB4202- 11 -LRB102 19897 CMG 28673 b

1language assessments.
2    (d) If the universal screener or the Level I dyslexia
3screening indicates that a student has some risk factors for
4dyslexia or the characteristics of dyslexia, the school must
5use a multi-tiered system of support (MTSS) framework to
6address the needs of the student.
7    (e) Before a school district administers a Level I
8dyslexia screening to a student, the parent or guardian of the
9student must consent to the screening. The school district is
10not required to administer a Level I dyslexia screening to a
11student if:
12        (1) the parent or guardian of the student objects to
13    the screening; or
14        (2) the student is receiving dyslexia intervention
15    services.
16    (f) If a student's performance on a Level I dyslexia
17screening indicates a need for dyslexia intervention services,
18the school district must do both of the following:
19        (1) Notify the student's parent or guardian of the
20    results of all screenings.
21        (2) Provide the student's parent or guardian with
22    information and resource material that includes all of the
23    following:
24            (A) The characteristics of dyslexia.
25            (B) The appropriate classroom interventions and
26        accommodations for students with dyslexia.

 

 

HB4202- 12 -LRB102 19897 CMG 28673 b

1            (C) A statement that the parent or guardian may
2        elect to have the student receive an educational
3        evaluation by the school.
4    (g) If the student's Level I dyslexia screening indicates
5that the student has characteristics of dyslexia and needs
6dyslexia intervention services, the dyslexia intervention
7services provided to the student must be implemented using
8diagnostic teaching guidelines outlined in the Knowledge and
9Practice Standards for Teachers of Reading created by the
10International Dyslexia Association. The dyslexia intervention
11services must:
12        (1) provide explicit, direct, systematic, sequential,
13    and cumulative instruction that adheres to a logical plan
14    about the alphabetic principle and is designed to
15    accommodate the needs of each individual student without
16    presuming prior skills or knowledge; each teaching plan
17    must be flexible, must be based on the individualized
18    instructional needs of the student through continuous
19    assessment, and must include a periodic evaluation of the
20    student's progress;
21        (2) implement evidence-based practices that have been
22    proven effective in the treatment of dyslexia;
23        (3) engage the student in multi-sensory and hands-on
24    activities;
25        (4) include phonemic awareness activities to enable
26    the student to detect, segment, blend, and manipulate

 

 

HB4202- 13 -LRB102 19897 CMG 28673 b

1    sounds in the spoken language;
2        (5) provide graphophonemic knowledge for teaching the
3    letter sound plan of the English language;
4        (6) teach the structure and patterns of the English
5    language, including linguistic instruction in morphology,
6    semantics, syntax, and pragmatics, that is directed toward
7    proficiency and fluency with the patterns of language so
8    that words and sentences are the carriers of meaning;
9        (7) develop strategies that advance the student's
10    ability in decoding, encoding, word recognition, fluency,
11    and comprehension; and
12        (8) provide meaning-based instruction directed at
13    purposeful reading and writing, with an emphasis on
14    comprehension and composition.
15    (h) On or before July 1, 2023 and on or before each July 1
16thereafter, the school district must report to the State Board
17of Education the number of students who were:
18        (1) administered a universal screener during the
19    school year; and
20        (2) determined to be at risk, or at some risk, for
21    dyslexia.
22    (i) On or before July 1, 2023 and on or before each July 1
23thereafter, the school district must report on its Internet
24website all of the following information:
25        (1) The dyslexia intervention services that were used
26    during the previous school year to assist students with

 

 

HB4202- 14 -LRB102 19897 CMG 28673 b

1    dyslexia.
2        (2) The number of students during the previous school
3    year who received dyslexia intervention services under
4    this Section.
5        (3) The total number of students identified with the
6    characteristics of dyslexia during the school year.
 
7    Section 99. Effective date. This Act takes effect July 1,
82022.