House Bill 1256

AN ACT TO REQUIRE THE STATE DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION TO ASSIGN A QUALIFIED LICENSED DYSLEXIA THERAPY TEACHER SUPERVISOR TO EACH COUNTY; TO PRESCRIBE THE RESPONSIBILITIES OF SUCH DYSLEXIA THERAPY TEACHER SUPERVISORS; TO REQUIRE THE DEPARTMENT TO CONDUCT A PROGRAM WITH WILLING SCHOOL DISTRICTS AND/OR SCHOOLS WHICH FOCUSES ON THE USE OF DYSLEXIA DATA COACHES TO IMPROVE READING AND LITERACY AMONG STUDENTS DIAGNOSED WITH DYSLEXIA; TO PROVIDE THAT THE PROGRAM SHALL BE SUBJECT TO APPROPRIATION; TO PROVIDE THAT INDIVIDUALS ASSIGNED BY THE DEPARTMENT SERVE IN THE CAPACITY AS A COUNTY DYSLEXIA THERAPY TEACHER SUPERVISOR OR DYSLEXIA DATA COACH, SHALL BE EMPLOYEES OF THE DEPARTMENT, AND SHALL RESIDE IN THE COUNTY WHEREIN HE OR SHE HAS BEEN ASSIGNED TO SERVE IN SAID CAPACITY; AND FOR RELATED PURPOSES.

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

SECTION 1. The State Department of Education shall:

(a) Select schools in each county most in need for dyslexia therapy intervention and create criteria for selection for participation based on number and percentages of students scoring in the lowest two (2) achievement levels on state-adopted yearly reading assessments, screening that results in a diagnosis of dyslexia, and other relevant data;

(b) Assign a qualified licensed dyslexia therapy teacher in a supervisory position within each county to be responsible for the implementation of:

(i) The development of interventions and strategies to address the needs of those students diagnosed with dyslexia which provide the necessary accommodations to enable the student to achieve appropriate educational progress;

(ii) Emphasized instruction in dyslexia intervention;

(iii) Intervention and strategies that include, but are not limited to, the use of the 3-Tier Instructional Model and the utilization of provisions of the IDEA and 504 Plan to address the needs of students diagnosed with dyslexia; and

(iv) Training in dyslexia and related disorder awareness using, at a minimum, Standard 1 and Standard 2 of the International Dyslexia Association's "Knowledge and Practice Standards for Teachers of Reading" 2018 Edition, as well as, indicators and characteristics, screening processes, evidence-based interventions and accommodations for students with dyslexia and other related disorders; and

(c) Subject to legislative appropriation, the State Department of Education shall conduct a program with willing school districts and/or schools which focuses on the use of dyslexia data coaches to improve reading and literacy among students diagnosed with dyslexia in order to better provide expert support in dyslexia therapy instruction. Dyslexia data coaches should be experts in the pedagogy of phonemic awareness, graphophonemic knowledge (phonics), structure of the English language, linguistic instruction and data analysis, who facilitate professional learning community meetings, and provide observation and feedback, to help teachers and district leaders build skills in using data to inform instruction. The department is authorized to include preschool programs it deems appropriate. The department is authorized to contract with a private sector provider to implement the program and work in partnership with four-year institutions of higher learning to develop and implement the program.

(2) The individual assigned by the State Department under the authority of subsections (1)(b) or (c) to serve in the capacity as a county dyslexia therapy teacher supervisor or dyslexia data coach, shall be an employee of the department, and shall reside in the county wherein he or she has been assigned to serve as a dyslexia therapy teacher supervisor or dyslexia data coach.

SECTION 2. This act shall take effect and be in force from and after July 1, 2025.