Legislation

SB 612

  • TEACHER TRAINING

Requires school districts to ensure that at least one teacher in every K-5 public school receives training related to dyslexia. Training must 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. School districts have approximately three years to train a teacher. Allows school districts to receive funding for training through Network of Quality Teaching and Learning. 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. The board shall adopt by rule the criteria for a waiver from the requirements of this section to address instances when noncompliance is outside the control of the school district. We will keep you updated on the progress of rulemaking for this section.

  • DYSLEXIA SCREENING

Directs Oregon Department of Education to develop plan to ensure that every student who is first enrolled at a public school in this state for kindergarten or first grade receives a screening for risk factors of dyslexia and guidance for parental notification. The plan must be developed collaboratively with experts on dyslexia, including representatives of nonprofit entities with expertise in issues related to dyslexia and the ODE dyslexia specialist.  The department shall submit a report on the plan and any proposed legislation, to the interim legislative committees on education no later than September 15, 2016. The plan must look at cost effective ways to screening for (a) Phonological awareness;  (b) Rapid naming skills; (c) The correspondence between sounds and letters; and (d) Family history of difficulty in learning to read.

  • ODE TO DESIGNATE A DYSLEXIA SPECIALIST

Directs Oregon Department of Education to designate dyslexia specialist to support school districts and develop a list of training opportunities related to dyslexia. Training opportunities must be developed in collaboration with the Teacher Standards and Practices Commission (TSPC) to ensure that the training opportunities also satisfy professional development requirements; and include at least one opportunity that is provided entirely online. Training opportunities 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.

HB 2412

  • EDUCATOR PREPARATION

Educator preparation programs for early childhood, elementary, special education, and reading must provide instruction on dyslexia and the instruction must be consistent with an international dyslexia association knowledge and practice standards. Specific language relating to dyslexia are found in the Oregon Revised Statues below:

HISTORY

The passing of these bill was in part by due to our huge community support.  SB 612 was heard by the Senate Education Committee on March 17th. Click here to listen to the recording of this hearing.

Slideshow of the Senate Education Committee Hearing [slideshow_deploy id=’2460′]

Since this hearing a portion of SB 612 that requires education institutions and teacher education programs to provide coursework on dyslexia was amended and moved to House Bill 2412. This bill was signed by the Governor Kate Brown on June 4th, 2015!

The remaining portion of SB 612 was amended as well. The amendment passed unanimously by the Senate Education Committee, Joint Ways and Means Committee and the House and Senate floors.  This bill was signed by the Governor on July 27, 2015!

THANK YOU!

We are grateful to have leaders in Oregon like Rep Val Hoyle. Check out her moving testimony as she carries SB 612 to the House floor. Click on the “SB 612 B-Eng Taylor, Hoyle”.

Also, a huge shout-out to the remarkable legislative team that worked on these important bills. Thank you Senator Hass for being the first to believe in the importance of addressing dyslexia in public schools. Thank you Senator Roblan for being our champion that truly understands and gets it. Thank you Rep Taylor for your unwavering support. And thank you to all our other sponsors, Senators Knopp, Bates, Sara Gelser, Rosenbaum, Steiner Hayward, and Representatives Huffman, Keny-Guyer, Nosse, and Read for your support!

PicMonkey Collage

Thank you to all those who descended upon the Capitol in March and to those who testified, sent letters and submitted testimony.  Our community is amazing!

We could not have done this without YOU!

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