Oregon

State Education Agency (SEA) Dyslexia Legislation

SB612 (the original legislation that passed in 2015)

Requires that the Department:

• designate a dyslexia specialist;
• develop a list of training opportunities related to dyslexia; 
• develop a plan to ensure every student first enrolled at a public school for kindergarten or 1st grade receives a screening for risk factors of dyslexia and include guidance for notifications sent by school districts to parents of students who show risk based on the screening. (This section sunsets on Dec 31, 2016.)

Requires that school districts:

• ensure that at least one K-5 teacher in each K-5 school has received training related to dyslexia.
• allows school districts to receive funding for training through The Network of Quality Teaching and Learning. 

Declares emergency, effective on passage.

SB 1003 (updated SB 612 - passed in 2017)

• Carries forward requirement for department to designate a dyslexia specialist
• Carries forward teacher training requirement of SB 612, extends deadline to July, 2018

Requires that school districts:

• ensure every student in kindergarten is screened for risk factors of dyslexia using a screening test identified by the Department (and any first grader who first enrolls in public school in Oregon as a first grader).

Requires that the Department:

• identify screening tests that are cost effective and include phonological awareness, rapid naming, and letter/sound correspondences - and family history of reading difficulties if a student shows risk factors for dyslexia
• provide guidance for notifications sent by school districts to parents of students who show risk factors of dyslexia based on the screening
• develop guidance regarding best practice for assisting students who are identified through screening or parental input as showing risk factors for dyslexia.
• submit a report to the legislature regarding best practices for dyslexia screening and instructional support due Sept. 15, 2018.

HB 2412 (passed in 2015)

Standards for approval of an educator preparation program for early childhood education, elementary education, special education or reading must require that the program provide instruction on dyslexia and that the instruction be consistent with the knowledge and practice standards of an international organization on dyslexia.

SB 221 (updated HB 2412 - passed in 2017)

Modified wording to indicate that the programs must provide instruction on dyslexia and other reading difficulties; and that the instruction on dyslexia must be consistent with the knowledge and practice standards of an international organization on dyslexia. It also requires that the Teacher Standards and Practices Commission give institutes of higher education three years to include dyslexia content in educator prep programs provided that the institute of higher education submits a plan.

OAR 581-002-1800 recognizes IDA’s definition of dyslexia.

Parent Opt-Out/Consent Procedures by Law? No (OAR 581-021-0009 exemptions apply to dyslexia screening, but this rule is broader than just dyslexia screening.)

Response to Intervention for Student Learning Disability Eligibility in 2010?

Permitted by law

Severe Discrepancy for Student Learning Disability Eligibility in 2010?

Permitted by guidelines

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

RTI and Patterns of Strength and Weaknesses permitted.

SB612 requires that the Oregon Department of Education develop a plan for universal screening. SB1003 specifically requires that public school students are screened in kindergarten and that any student new to Oregon public school in first grade is screened. Screeners must be cost-effective and account for phonological awareness, rapid naming skills, the correspondence between sound and letter, and family history of reading difficulty.

State Recognized Screeners

AIMSweb Plus, DIBELS 6th Edition, DIBELS Next, easyCBM, Fastbridge, and DIBELS 8th Edition

ORS 342.147 requires adoption of standards for instruction on dyslexia that are aligned with the International Dyslexia Association. The requirement applies to endorsement areas that include a significant focus on reading instruction: Elementary Education-Multiple Subjects, English to Speakers of Other Languages, Reading Intervention and Special Education: Generalist endorsements. The purpose of the dyslexia instruction standards is to provide educators with the knowledge and pedagogy skills that best serve students with dyslexia and other learning disabilities.

SB612 states, "Each school district shall ensure that at least one kindergarten  through grade five teacher in each kindergarten through grade five school has received training related to dyslexia. The training must comply with the requirements described in subsection (3) of this section. (5)(a) A school district that does not comply with the requirements of this section and that does not secure a waiver from the department within the time required by the State Board of Education by rule is considered nonstandard under ORS 327.103.” SB 612 further requires the Department of Education to annually develop a list of dyslexia training opportunities.

State Suggested Professional Development

See this list of approved dyslexia related training opportunities.

Resources

Oregon Department of Education Dyslexia Resources

Decoding Dyslexia Oregon

International Dyslexia Association Oregon

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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