Oregon Revised Statutes Chapter 326 § 326.726 — Dyslexia specialist; training requirements; screening requirements; rules

Dyslexia specialist; training requirements; screening requirements; rules. (1) The Department of Education shall designate a dyslexia specialist for the department to provide school districts with support and resources that are necessary to: (a) Assist students with dyslexia and their families; and (b) Comply with the requirements of this section. (2) 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. (3) For the purpose of subsection (2) of this section, a training opportunity related to dyslexia must: (a) Comply with the knowledge and practice standards of an international organization on dyslexia; (b) Enable the teacher to understand and recognize dyslexia; and (c) Enable the teacher to implement instruction that is systematic, explicit and evidence-based to meet the educational needs of students with dyslexia. (4) The department shall annually develop a list of training opportunities related to dyslexia that satisfy the requirements described in subsection (3) of this section. The list must: (a) Be developed in collaboration with the Teacher Standards and Practices Commission to ensure that the training opportunities also satisfy professional development requirements; and (b) Include at least one opportunity that is provided entirely online. (5) Each school district shall ensure that every student is screened for risk factors of dyslexia using a screening test identified by the department when the student is in: (a) Kindergarten, if the student first enrolls at a public school in this state for kindergarten; or (b) First grade, if the student first enrolls in a public school in this state for first grade. (6) For the purpose of subsection (5) of this section, the department shall: (a) Identify screening tests that are cost effective. The tests administered to students in kindergarten must take into account the following factors: (A) Phonological awareness; (B) Rapid naming skills; (C) The correspondence between sounds and letters; and (D) Family history of difficulty in learning to read, if the student shows risk factors for reading difficulties, including dyslexia. (b) Provide guidance for notifications to be sent by school districts to parents of students who are identified as having risk factors for reading difficulties, including dyslexia. (7) The department shall develop guidance regarding best practices for assisting students who are identified through screening or through parental input as showing risk factors or being at risk for reading difficulties, including dyslexia. The department shall make the guidance available to school districts. (8)(a) A school district that does not comply with the requirements of subsection (2) 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 327.158. (b) The board shall adopt by rule the criteria for a waiver from the requirements of subsection (2) of this section to address instances when noncompliance is outside the control of the school district. [2015 c.790 §1; 2015 c.790 §4; 2017 c.473 §1]