Dyslexia Information

In the spring of 2018, a new law (IC 20-35.5) was established by SEA 217 to help Indiana schools support students who may show signs of dyslexia. This law requires that all public and charter schools in Indiana create a plan to screen and assist students at risk for dyslexia.

Starting in the 2019-2020 school year, and continuing each year, every kindergarten, first-grade, and second-grade student must take a universal screening test. If a student shows signs of being at risk for dyslexia, they will need to take an additional screening test, called a level 1 screener, which requires parental permission. The results from these tests help the school develop a targeted intervention plan to support the student’s reading skills.

It is important to understand that students identified through these screeners do not automatically qualify for special education services, nor are they subjected to special education testing based solely on these results. The goal of these interventions is to strengthen the key reading skills every student needs to succeed.

 Dyslexia as defined by IC 20-18-2-3.5 is a specific learning disability that:

(1) is neurological in origin and characterized by:

(A) difficulties with accurate or fluent word recognition; and

(B) poor spelling and decoding abilities;

(2) typically results from a deficit in the phonological component of language that is often unexpected in relation to other cognitive abilities and the provision of effective classroom instruction;

(3) may include problems in reading comprehension and reduced reading experience that can impede the growth of vocabulary and background knowledge; and

(4) may require the provision of special education services after an eligibility determination is made in accordance with 511 IAC 7-40.

All RCS students in kindergarten, first, and second grade receive 90 minutes of evidence-based grade-level instruction based on Indiana academic standards. Additionally, 106 students who were identified with risk factors of dyslexia received additional instruction, by licensed teachers and interventionists, each week to address gaps in reading skills. The programs utilized were Orton Gillingham, CurriculumAssociates personalized learning “My Path”, Amira, Roxie Reading, UFLI, Hegerty, and Leveled Literacy Intervention. 

Although 106 students were identified with risk factors of Dyslexia, 0 were formally identified with the disability by a medical professional.

Click here to visit the ​IDOE website for more information on the Indiana dyslexia law.