MISSISSIPPI LEGISLATURE

1999 Regular Session

To: Education

By: Representative Martinson

AN ACT TO REENACT SECTION 37-23-15, MISSISSIPPI CODE OF 1972, WHICH REQUIRES THE STATE DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION TO ADOPT PILOT PROGRAMS FOR THE TESTING OF DYSLEXIA IN THE PUBLIC SCHOOLS; TO AMEND REENACTED SECTION 37-23-15, MISSISSIPPI CODE OF 1972, TO REQUIRE ALL SCHOOL DISTRICTS TO PROVIDE DYSLEXIA TESTING AND REMEDIAL SERVICES TO STUDENTS IN NEED AND TO DELETE THE REPEALER ON THE DYSLEXIA TESTING PROGRAM; AND FOR RELATED PURPOSES.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MISSISSIPPI:

SECTION 1. Section 37-23-15, Mississippi Code of 1972, is reenacted and amended as follows:

37-23-15. (1) The State Department of Education * * * shall * * * adopt a program under which certain students enrolled or enrolling in public schools in this state shall be tested for dyslexia and related disorders as may be necessary. The * * * program shall provide that beginning in the 1999-2000 school year, upon the request of a parent, student, school nurse, classroom teacher or other school personnel who has reason to believe that a student has a need to be tested for dyslexia, the school district shall test such student * * * for appropriate services. However, a student shall not be tested for dyslexia whose parent or guardian objects thereto on grounds that such testing conflicts with his conscientiously held religious beliefs.

(2) In accordance with the program adopted by the State Department of Education, such school boards shall provide remediation in an appropriate multi-sensory, systematic language-based regular education program or programs, as determined by the school district, such as the Texas Scottish Rite Hospital Dyslexia Training Program, pertinent to the child's physical and educational disorders or the sensory area in need of remediation for those students who do not qualify for special education services.

(3) The State Department of Education * * * shall make recommendations to the school boards of all school districts for the delivery of services to students who are identified as dyslexic.

(4) For the purposes of this section:

(a) "Dyslexia" means a language processing disorder which may be manifested by difficulty processing expressive or receptive, oral or written language despite adequate intelligence, educational exposure and cultural opportunity. Specific manifestations may occur in one or more areas, including difficulty with the alphabet, reading comprehension, writing and spelling.

(b) "Related disorders" shall include disorders similar to or related to dyslexia such as developmental auditory imperception, dysphasia, specific developmental dyslexia, developmental dysgraphia and developmental spelling disability.

SECTION 2. This act shall take effect and be in force from and after July 1, 1999.