102ND GENERAL ASSEMBLY
State of Illinois
2021 and 2022
SB2936

 

Introduced 10/19/2021, by Sen. Julie A. Morrison

 

SYNOPSIS AS INTRODUCED:
 
105 ILCS 5/2-3.161
105 ILCS 5/10-20.76 new
105 ILCS 5/34-18.70 new

    Amends the School Code. Provides for dyslexia screening guidelines and rules. Requires the State Board of Education to provide technical assistance for specific learning disabilities to school districts. Provides that, beginning with the 2022-2023 school year, each school district must screen students in grades kindergarten through second for the risk factors of dyslexia using a universal screener. 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 the 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.


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FISCAL NOTE ACT MAY APPLY
STATE MANDATES ACT MAY REQUIRE REIMBURSEMENT

 

 

A BILL FOR

 

SB2936LRB102 20856 CMG 29737 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 10-20.76 and 34-18.70 as
6follows:
 
7    (105 ILCS 5/2-3.161)
8    Sec. 2-3.161. Definition of dyslexia; reading instruction
9advisory group; handbook; screening rules.
10    (a) The State Board of Education shall incorporate, in
11both general education and special education, the following
12definition of dyslexia:
13        Dyslexia is a specific learning disability that is
14    neurobiological in origin. Dyslexia is characterized by
15    difficulties with accurate and/or fluent word recognition
16    and by poor spelling and decoding abilities. These
17    difficulties typically result from a deficit in the
18    phonological component of language that is often
19    unexpected in relation to other cognitive abilities and
20    the provision of effective classroom instruction.
21    Secondary consequences may include problems in reading
22    comprehension and reduced reading experience that can
23    impede growth of vocabulary and background knowledge.

 

 

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1    (b) Subject to specific State appropriation or the
2availability of private donations, the State Board of
3Education shall establish an advisory group to develop a
4training module or training modules to provide education and
5professional development to teachers, school administrators,
6and other education professionals regarding multi-sensory,
7systematic, and sequential instruction in reading. This
8advisory group shall complete its work before December 15,
92015 and is abolished on December 15, 2015. The State Board of
10Education shall reestablish the advisory group abolished on
11December 15, 2015 to complete the abolished group's work. The
12reestablished advisory group shall complete its work before
13December 31, 2016 and is abolished on December 31, 2016. The
14provisions of this subsection (b), other than this sentence,
15are inoperative after December 31, 2016.
16    (c) The State Board of Education shall develop and
17maintain a handbook to be made available on its Internet
18website that provides guidance for pupils, parents or
19guardians, and teachers on the subject of dyslexia. The
20handbook shall include, but is not limited to:
21        (1) guidelines for teachers and parents or guardians
22    on how to identify signs of dyslexia;
23        (2) a description of educational strategies that have
24    been shown to improve the academic performance of pupils
25    with dyslexia; and
26        (3) a description of resources and services available

 

 

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1    to pupils with dyslexia, parents or guardians of pupils
2    with dyslexia, and teachers; and .
3        (4) guidelines on the administration of a universal
4    screener and Level I dyslexia screening, the
5    interpretation of data from the screener or screening, and
6    the resulting appropriate instruction within a
7    multi-tiered system of support (MTSS) framework.
8    The State Board shall review the handbook once every 4
9years to update, if necessary, the guidelines, educational
10strategies, or resources and services made available in the
11handbook.
12    (d) The State Board of Education shall adopt any rules
13necessary to ensure that a student is screened, as provided
14under Section 10-20.76 or 34-18.70, for the risk factors of
15dyslexia using a universal screener:
16        (1) if a student is in any of grades kindergarten
17    through second in the public schools;
18        (2) if a student in any of grades kindergarten through
19    second:
20            (A) transfers to a new public school; and
21            (B) has not been screened previously during the
22        school year; and
23        (3) if a student from another state enrolls for the
24    first time in any of grades kindergarten through second in
25    a school district in this State, unless the student
26    presents documentation that the student:

 

 

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1            (A) had the dyslexia screening or a similar
2        screening during the school year; or
3            (B) is exempt from screening.
4    (e) The State Board of Education shall adopt any rules
5necessary to ensure that (i) a student is screened, as
6provided under Section 10-20.76 or 34-18.70, for the
7characteristics of dyslexia using a Level I dyslexia screening
8and (ii) a student receives dyslexia intervention services
9under Section 10-20.76 or 34-18.70.
10    (f) The State Board of Education shall provide technical
11assistance for specific learning disabilities to school
12districts, including assistance with universal screeners and
13Level I dyslexia screenings.
14(Source: P.A. 99-65, eff. 7-16-15; 99-78, eff. 7-20-15;
1599-602, eff. 7-22-16; 99-603, eff. 7-22-16; 100-201, eff.
168-18-17; 100-617, eff. 7-20-18.)
 
17    (105 ILCS 5/10-20.76 new)
18    Sec. 10-20.76. Dyslexia screening and support required.
19    (a) In this Section:
20    "Level I dyslexia screening" means a process, as
21determined by the school district, for gathering additional
22information to determine if the characteristics of dyslexia
23are present.
24    "Universal screener" means an assessment used to aid
25educators in understanding the causes for student performance,

 

 

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1learning strengths, and the needs that underlie student
2performance. The assessment is conducted to identify or
3predict students who may be at risk for poor learning outcomes
4and is typically brief and conducted with all students at a
5particular grade level.
6    (b) Beginning with the 2022-2023 school year, each school
7district must screen students in grades kindergarten through
8second for the risk factors of dyslexia using a universal
9screener. The screening of students must include, as
10developmentally appropriate, all of the following:
11        (1) Phonological and phonemic awareness.
12        (2) Sound symbol recognition.
13        (3) Alphabet knowledge.
14        (4) Decoding skills.
15        (5) Rapid naming skills.
16        (6) Encoding skills.
17        (7) Oral reading fluency.
18    (c) If a student is determined to be at risk, or at some
19risk, for dyslexia after the universal screener has been
20administered under subsection (b), the school district must
21administer a Level I dyslexia screening of the student.
22Through the Level I dyslexia screening, the school district
23must gather additional information to determine if the student
24has the characteristics of dyslexia. The additional
25information may include, but is not limited to, information
26from progress monitoring data, work samples, additional age

 

 

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

 

 

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1    (g) If the student's Level I dyslexia screening indicates
2that the student has characteristics of dyslexia, the dyslexia
3intervention services provided to the student must be
4implemented using diagnostic teaching guidelines described in
5the handbook developed under Section 2-3.161.
6    (h) On or before July 1, 2023 and on or before each July 1
7thereafter, each school district must report all of the
8following information to the State Board of Education:
9        (1) The number of students who were administered a
10    universal screener during the school year.
11        (2) The number of students who were determined to be
12    at risk, or at some risk, for dyslexia.
13        (3) The number of students during the previous school
14    year who received dyslexia intervention services under
15    this Section.
16        (4) The total number of students identified with the
17    characteristics of dyslexia during the school year.
18The State Board of Education shall publish the information
19collected from the reports submitted by school districts on
20its Internet website.
 
21    (105 ILCS 5/34-18.70 new)
22    Sec. 34-18.70. Dyslexia screening and support required.
23    (a) In this Section:
24    "Level I dyslexia screening" means a process, as
25determined by the school district, for gathering additional

 

 

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

 

 

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

 

 

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1        accommodations for students with dyslexia.
2            (C) A statement that the parent or guardian may
3        elect to have the student receive an educational
4        evaluation by the school.
5    (g) If the student's Level I dyslexia screening indicates
6that the student has characteristics of dyslexia, the dyslexia
7intervention services provided to the student must be
8implemented using diagnostic teaching guidelines described in
9the handbook developed under Section 2-3.161.
10    (h) On or before July 1, 2023 and on or before each July 1
11thereafter, the school district must report all of the
12following information to the State Board of Education:
13        (1) The number of students who were administered a
14    universal screener during the school year.
15        (2) The number of students who were determined to be
16    at risk, or at some risk, for dyslexia.
17        (3) The number of students during the previous school
18    year who received dyslexia intervention services under
19    this Section.
20        (4) The total number of students identified with the
21    characteristics of dyslexia during the school year.
22The State Board of Education shall publish the information
23collected from the report on its Internet website.
 
24    Section 99. Effective date. This Act takes effect July 1,
252022.