Bill Text: NY A02185 | 2021-2022 | General Assembly | Amended

New York Assembly Bill 2185 (Prior Session Legislation)

Bill Title: Establishes a dyslexia and dysgraphia task force; implements the findings of such task force.

Spectrum: Strong Partisan Bill (Democrat 33-3)

Status: (Vetoed) 2022-11-23 - tabled [A02185 Detail]

Download: New_York-2021-A02185-Amended.html


                STATE OF NEW YORK
        ________________________________________________________________________

                                         2185--B

                               2021-2022 Regular Sessions

                   IN ASSEMBLY

                                    January 14, 2021
                                       ___________

        Introduced  by  M.  of  A.  CARROLL, COLTON, SEAWRIGHT, SIMON, DINOWITZ,
          LUPARDO, WILLIAMS, DICKENS, GRIFFIN, ABINANTI, EPSTEIN, SAYEGH, JONES,
          RA, TAYLOR, DAVILA, McMAHON, REYES, JEAN-PIERRE, ASHBY,  FALL,  ENGLE-
          BRIGHT, ANDERSON, JACKSON, McDONALD, OTIS, WALSH -- Multi-Sponsored by
          --  M. of A. COOK, FRONTUS, HYNDMAN, SILLITTI, THIELE -- read once and
          referred to the Committee on Education -- recommitted to the Committee
          on Education in accordance with Assembly Rule 3, sec. 2  --  committee
          discharged, bill amended, ordered reprinted as amended and recommitted
          to  said  committee  -- reported and referred to the Committee on Ways
          and Means -- committee discharged, bill amended, ordered reprinted  as
          amended and recommitted to said committee

        AN ACT in relation to establishing a dyslexia and dysgraphia task force;
          and providing for the repeal of such provisions upon expiration there-
          of

          The  People of the State of New York, represented in Senate and Assem-
        bly, do enact as follows:

     1    Section 1. Dyslexia and dysgraphia task force. 1. The commissioner  of
     2  education shall establish a task force to examine appropriate and effec-
     3  tive  evidence-based  dyslexia and dysgraphia screening methods, reading
     4  interventions, and other educational supports for students in kindergar-
     5  ten through grade five. The task force shall consist  of  at  least  ten
     6  members,  including the commissioner of education or their designee, who
     7  shall serve as chair of the task force. The remaining members  shall  be
     8  appointed  by  the  commissioner of education in such a manner to ensure
     9  that all regions of the state are represented, and shall include: (a) at
    10  least two members who specialize in identifying, evaluating,  and  diag-
    11  nosing  individuals with dyslexia or dysgraphia; (b) at least one member
    12  who specializes in educating individuals with  dyslexia  or  dysgraphia;
    13  (c)  at  least  one member who is a parent of a student with dyslexia or
    14  dysgraphia; (d) at least one member with dyslexia or dysgraphia; (e)  at
    15  least  one member from an institute of higher education who is an expert

         EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
                              [ ] is old law to be omitted.
                                                                   LBD02478-14-2

        A. 2185--B                          2

     1  in dyslexia or dysgraphia; and (f) at least one member who is  a  public
     2  school  teacher  who specializes in teaching literacy and evidence-based
     3  reading instruction. All members  shall  have  expertise  in  fields  or
     4  disciplines  related  to  the  identification  of students with learning
     5  disabilities including the unique educational  needs  of  students  with
     6  dyslexia or dysgraphia.
     7    2.  The  task force shall conduct at least two public hearings for the
     8  purpose of obtaining information from stakeholders and other  interested
     9  parties  including  but  not  limited  to  speech  pathologists, reading
    10  specialists, teachers, school administrators, and parents.
    11    3. The task force shall prepare and submit a report  of  its  findings
    12  and  recommendations  to the governor, temporary president of the senate
    13  and speaker of the assembly eighteen months after the effective date  of
    14  this act.
    15    4.  For  the  purposes  of  this act, the term "screening methods" may
    16  include examining the  use  and  frequency  of  dyslexia  or  dysgraphia
    17  screeners that are valid, reliable, low cost, and developmentally appro-
    18  priate that measure deficits in areas including: (a) phonological aware-
    19  ness;  (b)  phonological  or  language-based memory; (c) rapid automatic
    20  naming; (d) receptive vocabulary; (e) phonics skills; (f)  decoding  and
    21  encoding  real and pseudo-words; (g) oral reading fluency; and (h) writ-
    22  ing at the sentence and paragraph level. Such screeners shall be  inclu-
    23  sive  of  students  with  diverse racial, linguistic, and socio-economic
    24  backgrounds, and factor familial history.
    25    § 2. This act shall take effect January 1, 2023 and shall  expire  and
    26  be deemed repealed August 1, 2024.