PARENT TALKS
Decoding Dyslexia Minnesota will be hosting 'Parent Talks' every other month. Our first one is Thursday, May 30th from 11:30-1:30 in Minnetonka. We will alternate the time from lunch to evenings. The next one in July will be in the evening. Stay up to date on our Event page.
LEGISLATIVE UPDATE 5/13/19
The Education conference committee has 5 members from the House and 5 members from the Senate who will work together to make the language of both bills come together as one.
CONFEREES:
HOUSE - Davnie, Youakim, Sandstede, Pinto, Urdahl
SENATE: Nelson, Jasinski, Weber, Eichorn, Wiger
The HOUSE Education Policy Omnibus bill includes the following dyslexia provisions:
- students identified at not reading at grade level at the end of K, 1st or 2nd grade, and in 3 grade and higher must be screened for characteristics of dyslexia.
- The duties of the Dyslexia Specialist have been further defined to provide guidance to school districts on screening and professional development and provide guidance to the teacher licensing governing body to include dyslexia content.
The SENATE Education Policy Omnibus bill includes the following dyslexia provisions:
- Tier 3 and 4 teachers in Early childhood - Gr. 8 who are renewing their teacher's license must receive training on understanding and recognizing characteristics of dyslexia.
- Teacher preparation programs must include instruction of dyslexia.
Dyslexia bills this session: (See our slide show for more information)
- SF 651 / HF 1496 Dyslexia screening requirement. A school district must screen students for dyslexia.
- SF 116 / HF 1495 Dyslexia teacher professional development.
- SF 196 / HF 1494 Dyslexia teacher training requirement for teacher preparation programs. Board-approved teacher preparation programs for teachers of elementary education, early childhood education, special education, and reading intervention must include instruction on dyslexia. Instruction on dyslexia must be in conjunction with the knowledge and practice standards of the International Dyslexia Association.
Summer Training Opportunities for Students and Teachers
- The Reading Center provides summer training for teachers and summer classes for students.
- Orton Gillingham of Minnesota is providing both Summer training for teachers and reading camps for students.
- Orton Gillingham Reading Specialist is providing Summer training for teachers
Ongoing Dyslexia Awareness
The Reading Center offers an online 5 hour Dyslexia 101 informational course for educators designed to provide an increased understanding of dyslexia, what it looks like in the classroom, accommodations and more. It is a self-paced course with no start or end date. (5 CEUs clock hours)
Ongoing Dyslexia Awareness
The Dyslexia Centers for Children of Upper Wisconsin recently opened a campus location in Superior, Wisconsin. These campuses provide one-to-one structured language instruction to children who struggle to read, write, and spell. Services are provided at no cost to families, and are open to anyone committed to consistent and regular attendance, regardless of their state of residency. Accredited tutor training for adults is also provided at the Dyslexia Center campuses, at no cost to trainees. Dyslexia Centers for Children of Upper Wisconsin is currently accepting applications for new tutors and students. Apply today at www.wicdc.org
Parents Advocacy For Struggling Readers - What Does MN Law have to say?
"My school doesn’t say dyslexia."
In 2015, the definition of dyslexia was passed into MN Statute 125A.01, Subd 2. The Minnesota Department of Education (MDE) also says dyslexia.
"Our school doesn’t have any resources on dyslexia."
A comprehensive guide was developed by MDE and Decoding Dyslexia MN called “Navigating the School System when a Child is Struggling with Reading or Dyslexia”. and can be found under Parent Resources.
In 2017, funds were appropriated for MDE to hire a Dyslexia Specialist to provide technical assistance for dyslexia, to serve as the primary source of information, to support schools in addressing the needs of students with dyslexia, and to increase professional awareness and instructional competencies to meet the needs of these students (MN Statute 120B.122).
"How are schools identifying and serving students that have characteristics of dyslexia?"
MN Statute 120B.12, Subd 2, states that each school district must report to MDE their “efforts to screen and identify students with dyslexia to the commissioner by July 1st of each year.” A student identified must be provided with alternative instruction under MN Statute 125A.56 Subd 1, that is multisensory, systematic, sequential, cumulative, and explicit.
In 2017, MN Statute 120B.12, Subd 3b, was changed to state that a “school district is strongly encouraged to provide a Personal Learning Plan for a student who is unable to demonstrate grade-level proficiency, and should be developed in consultation with the student’s parent or guardian. The personal learning plan must address knowledge gaps and skill deficiencies”.
"My school wants to stop reading intervention since my child is past 3rd grade."
In 2017, an amendment was added to MN Statute 120B.12, Subd 3, stating that the district must continue to provide reading intervention past 3rd grade until the child is reading at grade level.
"How do I know what assessments our elementary school provides to track reading progress?"
Each school district is required to have a Local Literacy Plan posted on its website per MN Statute 120B.12, Subd 4a, that explains the school’s “plan to have every child reading at or above grade level no later than the end of grade 3”. If you can’t find it on your district’s website, ask for it.
For a printable version of the above statements, click here.
For a longer version including the statute language, click here.
DDMN Teacher Survey Results 2018
DDMN conducted a teacher survey to find out more about the learning opportunities for dyslexia in teacher preparation programs and professional development. Click here to see the results.
MDE's Dyslexia Screening Guide for school districts
MDE has put together a Dyslexia Screening Guide for MN School districts to help them be compliant with the new dyslexia screening law. The following question would be a great question to ask your school district, "What was the reporting results that our district provided to MDE last July about our districts efforts to screen and identify students with dyslexia per MN Statute 120B.12, Subd 2?"
Find the Dyslexia Screening Guide on the MDE website called Revising Local Literacy Plans to Include “Efforts to Identify Students with Dyslexia - 8/16/17" This guidance is provided to address district response to students with dyslexia under Minnesota's reading intervention law. Another document called Assessment Plan References was also created by MDE providing assessments that are used by districts across the state.
You can contact Decoding Dyslexia Minnesota at decoding.dyslexia.mn@gmail.com