Action Item for Senate Omnibus
We need help from everyone to express their interest to Madame Chair Nelson to include the dyslexia bill in the Educational Omnibus bill on how it will greatly impact students with dyslexia. We have created a template for you to use.
Template for Rochester constituents- District 26 only
Template for Non-Rochester constituents
Thank you for your support
at #DDMNRally19 and hearings, but there is still work to be done.
LEGISLATIVE UPDATE 3/21/19: The screening bill has been added to the HOUSE Education Policy Omnibus bill and is moving through committees as expected. Thank you to Rep. Edelson, chief author, for driving it through.
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. Thank you to Rep. Daniels, chief author, for pushing this forward.
It is far from over. The Senate still needs to put together its Education Policy Omnibus bill and any language differences will need to be worked out in Conference Committee.
How will change happen? By citizens speaking to their legislators
Take Action - how you can help
DDMN in Action - photos and videos
Have you been to the Capitol? Do you have photos with your legislators for the DDMN website? Email photos to decoding.dyslexia.mn(AT)gmail.com
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.
PETITION
Please share with MN family and friends. (For Minnesota residents only)
Sign the petition to urge Minnesota state legislators and Governor Walz to support the following dyslexia bills that are currently making their way through the state legislature:
SF 116 / HF 1495 Dyslexia teacher professional development for recertification
SF 196 / HF 1494 Dyslexia teacher training requirement for teacher preparation programs
SF 651 / HF 1496 Dyslexia screening requirement
We need the voices of all Minnesotans who share an interest in this important issue, including students, parents, and 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)
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