Washington

State Education Agency (SEA) Dyslexia Legislation

Has Legislation?Yes

Parent Opt-Out/Consent Procedures by Law?
No
SEA Recognizes IDA Definition?
No
SEA Recognizes State Definition?
No
SEA Has Dyslexia Specialist?
No

SB6162

This bill defines dyslexia, establishes screening and intervention requirements, and calls for supplementary actions by the superintendent of public instruction, including the convening of a dyslexia advisor panel.

Screening

Required?Yes

Parents Must Be Notified of Results?
Yes
SEA Publishes List of Screeners?
Yes
Annual Reporting to the SEA?
Yes
Response to Intervention for Student Learning Disability Eligibility in 2010?
Permitted by law
Severe Discrepancy for Student Learning Disability Eligibility in 2010?
Permitted by law
Student Learning Disability Eligibility (Zirkel & Thomas 2010 Classification)?
RTI and SD permitted, or can be used in combination

Beginning in 2021-2022, schools must “use screening tools and resources that exemplify best practices, as described under section 3 of this act. School districts may use the screening tools and resources identified by the superintendent of public instruction in accordance with section 3 of this act.” According to section 3, the superintendent of public instruction will identify screening tools that: “Satisfy developmental and academic criteria, including considerations of validity and reliability, that indicate typical literacy development or dyslexia, taking into account typical child neurological development; and (b) Identify indicators and areas of weakness that are highly predictive of future reading difficulty, including phonological awareness, phonemic awareness, rapid naming skills, letter sound knowledge, and family history of difficulty with reading and language acquisition. (2) Beginning September 1, 2019, the superintendent of public instruction must maintain on the agency's web site the list of screening tools and resources identified under this section and must include links to the tools and resources, when available. (3) The superintendent of public instruction must review and update the list of screening tools and resources identified under this section as appropriate.”

The law further states, “Whenever possible, a school district must begin by providing student supports in the general education classroom. If screening tools and resources indicate that, after receiving the initial tier of student support, a student requires interventions, the school district may provide the interventions in either the general education classroom or a learning assistance program setting. If after receiving interventions, further screening tools and resources indicate that a student continues to have indications of, or areas of weakness associated with, dyslexia, the school district must recommend to the student's parents and family that the student be evaluated for dyslexia or a specific learning disability.”

Pre-service

Required?No

Washington does not have pre-service legislation related to dyslexia.

In-service

Required?No

Washington does not have in-service legislation related to dyslexia.

However, a dyslexia pilot program was created, with a goal to develop an educator training program to enhance the reading, writing, and spelling skills of students with dyslexia. The training program must provide research-based, multisensory literacy intervention professional development in the areas of dyslexia and intervention implementation.

Intervention

Required?Yes

Multisensory?
Required
Evidence-Based?
Required
Explicit/Direct?
Promoted
MTSS/RTI?
Required

According to SB6162, “(1) Beginning in the 2021-22 school year, and as provided in this section, each school district must use multi-tiered systems of support to provide interventions to students in kindergarten through second grade who display indications of, or areas of weakness associated with, dyslexia. In order to provide school districts with the opportunity to intervene before a student's performance falls significantly below grade level, school districts must screen students in kindergarten through second grade for indications of, or areas associated with, dyslexia as provided in this section.” 

The bill further states, “(a) If a student shows indications of below grade level literacy development or indications of, or areas of weakness associated with, dyslexia, the school district must provide interventions using evidence-based multi-tiered systems of support, consistent with the recommendations of the dyslexia advisory council under section 4 of this act and as required under this subsection (3). (b) The interventions must be evidence-based multisensory structured literacy interventions and must be provided by an educator trained in instructional methods specifically targeting students' areas of weakness. (c) Whenever possible, a school district must begin by providing student support in the general education classroom. If screening tools and resources indicate that, after receiving the initial tier of student support, a student requires interventions, the school district may provide the interventions in either the general education classroom or a learning assistance program setting. If after receiving interventions, further screening tools and resources indicate that a student continues to have indications of, or areas of weakness associated with, dyslexia, the school district must recommend to the student's parents and family that the student be evaluated for dyslexia or a specific learning disability.” The bill also includes several reporting/notification requirements.

The state dyslexia guide also promotes the use of instruction that is explicit.

Literacy State-identified Measurable Result (SIMR) - Part B

Has Literacy SIMR?Yes

Washington's SIMR is to reduce the early literacy performance gap between kindergartners with disabilities and their typically developing peers.

Resources

Washington Dyslexia Resource Guide

Decoding Dyslexia Washington

International Dyslexia Association Washington State

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.

Disclaimer: We cannot guarantee the accuracy, completeness, or adequacy of the information contained on this page. If you see missing or incorrect information, let us know!

Last modified: 
10/15/2023 - 10:31pm