GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF NORTH CAROLINA

SESSION 2017

SESSION LAW 2017-127

HOUSE BILL 149

AN ACT to require the state board of education and local boards of education to Develop tools to ensure identification of students with dyslexia and dyscalculia.

The General Assembly of North Carolina enacts:

SECTION 1.  It is the intent of the General Assembly that all students with specific learning disabilities, including dyslexia and dyscalculia, receive the necessary and appropriate screenings, assessments, and special education services to provide interventions for learning difficulties with language, reading, writing, and mathematics.

SECTION 2.  To provide a definition to enable for the identification of and intervention for students with dyslexia and students with dyscalculia, the State Board of Education shall, as part of its policies for specific learning disabilities, define dyslexia as follows: "Dyslexia is a specific learning disability that is neurobiological in origin. It is characterized by difficulties with accurate and/or fluent word recognition and by poor spelling and decoding abilities. These difficulties typically result 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. Secondary consequences may include problems in reading comprehension and reduced reading experience that can impede growth of vocabulary and background knowledge." The State Board of Education shall include the definition of dyslexia, as required by this section, in the policies for specific learning disabilities no later than June 30, 2017.

SECTION 3.  Prior to the start of the 2017‑2018 school year, the State Board of Education shall ensure that ongoing professional development opportunities are made available to teachers and other school personnel on the identification of and intervention strategies for students with dyslexia, dyscalculia, or other specific learning disabilities. Prior to the start of the 2017‑2018 school year, the State Board of Education shall also develop and make available information electronically to parents, educators, and other concerned groups that provides further data concerning characteristics of children with dyslexia, educational methodologies, screenings, and what is available to support the work with children with dyslexia in North Carolina.

SECTION 4.  Prior to the start of the 2017‑2018 school year, local boards of education shall review the diagnostic tools and screening instruments used for dyslexia, dyscalculia, or other specific learning disabilities to ensure that they are age‑appropriate and effective and shall determine if additional diagnostic and screening tools are needed.

SECTION 5.  This act is effective when it becomes law.

In the General Assembly read three times and ratified this the 27^th day of June, 2017.

                                                                    s/  Daniel J. Forest

                                                                         President of the Senate

                                                                    s/  Tim Moore

                                                                         Speaker of the House of Representatives

                                                                    s/  Roy Cooper

                                                                         Governor

Approved 4:03 p.m. this 20^th day of July, 2017