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S02599 Summary:

S02599 Actions:

S02599 Committee Votes:

S02599 Floor Votes:

S02599 Text:

 
                STATE OF NEW YORK
        ________________________________________________________________________
 
                                          2599
 
                               2023-2024 Regular Sessions
 
                    IN SENATE
 
                                    January 23, 2023
                                       ___________
 
        Introduced  by  Sens.  HOYLMAN-SIGAL,  CLEARE,  HINCHEY, JACKSON, MAYER,
          MYRIE, SKOUFIS -- read twice and ordered printed, and when printed  to
          be committed to the Committee on Education
 
        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
    16  in dyslexia or dysgraphia; and (f) at least one member who is  a  public
    17  school  teacher  who specializes in teaching literacy and evidence-based
    18  reading instruction. All members  shall  have  expertise  in  fields  or
    19  disciplines  related  to  the  identification  of students with learning
    20  disabilities including the unique educational  needs  of  students  with
    21  dyslexia or dysgraphia.
    22    2.  The  task force shall conduct at least two public hearings for the
    23  purpose of obtaining information from stakeholders and other  interested
 
         EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
                              [ ] is old law to be omitted.
                                                                   LBD00296-01-3
        S. 2599                             2
 
     1  parties  including  but  not  limited  to  speech  pathologists, reading
     2  specialists, teachers, school administrators, and parents.
     3    3.  The  task  force shall prepare and submit a report of its findings
     4  and recommendations to the governor, temporary president of  the  senate
     5  and  speaker of the assembly eighteen months after the effective date of
     6  this act.
     7    4. For the purposes of this act,  the  term  "screening  methods"  may
     8  include  examining  the  use  and  frequency  of  dyslexia or dysgraphia
     9  screeners that are valid, reliable, low cost, and developmentally appro-
    10  priate that measure deficits in areas including: (a) phonological aware-
    11  ness; (b) phonological or language-based  memory;  (c)  rapid  automatic
    12  naming;  (d)  receptive vocabulary; (e) phonics skills; (f) decoding and
    13  encoding real and pseudo-words; (g) oral reading fluency; and (h)  writ-
    14  ing  at the sentence and paragraph level. Such screeners shall be inclu-
    15  sive of students with diverse  racial,  linguistic,  and  socio-economic
    16  backgrounds, and factor familial history.
    17    §  2.  This act shall take effect January 1, 2024 and shall expire and
    18  be deemed repealed August 1, 2025.