Connecticut

State Education Agency (SEA) Dyslexia Legislation

Public Act 14-39, Public Act 15-97, Public Act 16-92, Public Act 17-3, Special Act 19-8

PA 14-39 Section 1 required the Department of Education to add “SLD/Dyslexia” under “Specific Learning Disabilities (SLD)” in the “Primary Disability” section of the individualized education program form used by planning and placement teams for the provision of special education and related services to children requiring special education and related services.  PA 14-39 Section 2 amended Connecticut General Statute (CGS) Section 10-145a requiring any program of teacher preparation leading to professional certification to include, as part of the curriculum, instruction in the detection and recognition of, and evidenced-based interventions for, students with dyslexia.

PA 15-97 Section 1 established CGS Section 10-3d, which required the Commissioner of Education to designate an employee of the Department of Education to be responsible for providing information and assistance to local and regional boards of education and the parents or guardians of students relating to the detection and recognition of, and evidence-based structured literacy interventions for, students with dyslexia.  Additionally, it defined “dyslexia” as set forth in the in the Department of Education IEP Manual and Forms.  PA 15-97 Section 2 further amended CGS Section 10-145a requiring pre-service programs to include, as part of the curriculum, not fewer than twelve clock hours of instruction in the detection and recognition of, and evidenced based structured-literacy interventions for, students with dyslexia.  PA 15-97 Section 3 amended CGS Section 10-220a(a) requiring local and regional boards of education to provide an in-service training program which includes information on the detection and recognition of, and evidence-based structured literacy interventions for, students with dyslexia.  PA 15-97 Section 4 amended CGS Section 10-14t requiring the Department of Education to develop or approve reading assessments for use by local or regional boards of education to identify students in kindergarten to grade 3, inclusive, who are below proficiency in reading. Such reading assessments shall assist in identifying, in whole or in part, students at risk for dyslexia, or other reading-related learning disabilities.

PA 16-92 amends CGS Section 10-145d(i) requiring that any (A) certified employee applying for a remedial reading, remedial language arts, or reading consultant endorsement or (B) applicant for an initial, provisional, or professional educator certificate and a remedial reading, remedial language arts or reading consultant endorsement shall have completed a program of study in the diagnosis and remediation of reading and language arts that includes supervised practicum hours and instruction in the detection and recognition of, and evidence-based structured literacy interventions for, students with dyslexia.

PA 17-3 further amends CGS Section 10-145d(i) requiring that any (A) certified employee applying for a comprehensive special education or integrated early childhood and special education endorsement, or (B) applicant for initial, provisional or professional educator certificate and a comprehensive special education or integrated early childhood and special education endorsement shall have completed a program of study in the diagnosis and remediation of reading and language arts that includes supervised practicum hours and instruction in the detection and recognition of, and evidence-based structured literacy interventions for, students with dyslexia.

SA 19-8 establishes a task force to analyze and make recommendations on issues relating to the implementation of the laws governing dyslexia instruction and training.

Response to Intervention for Student Learning Disability Eligibility in 2010?

Required by guidelines

Student Learning Disability Eligibility (Zirkel & Thomas 2010 Classification)?

RTI required only by guidelines, SD prohibited only by guidelines

PA 15-97 (SB 1054) requires the State Department of Education (SDE) to develop or approve kindergarten through grade three reading assessments that boards of education must use to identify students reading below proficiency. The assessment must, among other things: (1) measure phonics, phonemic awareness, fluency, vocabulary, and comprehension and (2) be compatible with best practices in reading instruction and research. The act requires that the assessments assist in identifying, in whole or in part, students at risk for dyslexia or other reading-related learning disabilities.

CGS Section 10-14t requires that, “On or before January 1, 2016, the Department of Education shall develop or approve reading assessments for use by local or regional boards of education for the school year commencing July 1, 2016, and each school year thereafter, to identify students in kindergarten to grade three, inclusive, who are below proficiency in reading, provided any reading assessments developed or approved by the department include frequent screening and progress monitoring of students. Such reading assessments shall (1) measure phonics, phonemic awareness, fluency, vocabulary, and comprehension, (2) provide opportunities for periodic formative assessment during the school year, (3) produce data that is useful for informing individual and classroom instruction, including the grouping of students based on such data and the selection of instructional activities based on data of individual student response patterns during such progress monitoring, (4) be compatible with best practices in reading instruction and research, and (5) assist in identifying, in whole or in part, students at risk for dyslexia, as defined in section 10-3d, or other reading-related learning disabilities.”

Priority School Districts, pursuant to CGS Section 10-14u(e)(2), established by PA 12-116 Section 89, “…shall submit reports to the Department of Education, at such time and in such manner as prescribed by the department, on (A) student reading progress for each student reading below proficiency based on the data collected from the screening and progress monitoring of such student using the reading assessments described in section 10-14t, and (B) the specific reading interventions and supports implemented.”

State Recognized Screeners

Please visit the Connecticut State Department of Education (CSDE) Literacy/English Language Arts webpage for information about CSDE’s Approved Menu of Research-based Grades K-3 Universal Screening Reading Assessments.

CGS Section 10-145a(e) requires that, "On and after July 1, 2006, any program of teacher preparation leading to professional certification shall include, as part of the curriculum, instruction in literacy skills and processes that reflects current research and best practices in the field of literacy training. Such instruction shall (1) be incorporated into requirements of student major and concentration, and (2) on and after July 1, 2015, include not fewer than twelve clock hours of instruction in the detection and recognition of, and evidence-based structured literacy interventions for, students with dyslexia, as defined in section 10-3d."

CGS Section 10-220a(a) requires that “Each local or regional board of education shall provide an in-service training program for its teachers, administrators and pupil personnel who hold the initial educator, provisional educator or professional educator certificate. Such program shall provide such teachers, administrators and pupil personnel with information on … (6) the detection and recognition of, and evidence-based structured literacy interventions for, students with dyslexia, as defined in section 10-3d.

Resources

Connecticut SLD/Dyslexia Assessment Resource Guide

Connecticut Department of Education Dyslexia Resources

Citations

Zirkel, P. A., & Thomas, L. B. (2010). State laws for RTI: An updated snapshot. Teaching Exceptional Children, 42(3), 56-63.

Gearin, B., Turtura, J., Kame’enui, E. J., Nelson, N. J., & Fien, H. (2018). A Multiple Streams Analysis of Recent Changes to State-Level Dyslexia Education Law. Educational Policy, 0895904818807328.

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