Indiana

State Education Agency (SEA) Dyslexia Legislation

Has Legislation?Yes

Parent Opt-Out/Consent Procedures by Law?
Yes
SEA Recognizes IDA Definition?
Yes
SEA Recognizes State Definition?
No
SEA Has Dyslexia Specialist?
Yes

Indiana Code 20-18-2-3.5 et. seq. (See also HB1108SB217, PL105)

HB1108 defines dyslexia, states that education service centers may offer training programs on screening for dyslexia and intervention, and that teacher education programs shall include content that prepares candidates to recognize dyslexia.

According to Indiana Code 20-18-2-3.5 et. seq.: (1) A school multidisciplinary team must include information about dyslexia in a student's educational evaluation if the multidisciplinary team determines that the student is eligible to receive special education and related services and has or has characteristics of dyslexia. (2) Information about dyslexia must be: (A) discussed by the student's case conference committee if information about dyslexia is included in the student's educational evaluation; and (B) included in the student's individualized education program if the case conference committee determines that the information should be included. Provides that a school corporation and charter school's reading plan shall include indicators to screen for risk factors of dyslexia, using a screening tool approved by the department of education (department). Requires school corporations and charter schools to: (1) use the response to intervention process to address the areas of need of students who are determined to be “at risk” or “at some risk” for the characteristics of dyslexia; and (2) obtain parental consent before administering a level I dyslexia screening or a level II dyslexia screening. Provides that dyslexia interventions may include certain types of instruction. Requires school corporations and charter schools to report annually to the department regarding the number of students who were: (1) administered the initial dyslexia screening during the school year; and (2) determined to be at risk, or at some risk, for dyslexia. Requires a school corporation and charter school to report on the school corporation's or charter school's Internet web site certain information regarding dyslexia, including the intervention programs used for “at risk” and “at some risk” students. Requires, not later than July 1, 2019, the department to employ at least one reading specialist trained in dyslexia. Requires, not later than the 2019-2020 school year, each school corporation and charter school to employ at least one individual to serve as an authorized reading specialist trained in dyslexia for the school corporation or charter school. Provides that a school corporation or charter school may receive a waiver from hiring an authorized reading specialist trained in dyslexia in certain circumstances. Requires, not later than the 2019-2020 school year, the department to ensure that each teacher receives professional awareness information on dyslexia. Requires the department to develop and update an Indiana dyslexia resource guide.”


Screening

Required?Yes

Parents Must Be Notified of Results?
No
SEA Publishes List of Screeners?
Yes
Annual Reporting to the SEA?
Yes
Response to Intervention for Student Learning Disability Eligibility in 2010?
Permitted by law
Student Learning Disability Eligibility (Zirkel & Thomas 2010 Classification)?
RTI permitted, SD prohibited, Other permitted via –pattern”

According to SB217, mandatory universal screening of students in kindergarten, first, and second grade shall include, as developmentally appropriate, phonological and phonemic awareness, alphabet knowledge, decoding, rapid naming, and encoding skills. If a student is determined to be at risk, or at some risk for dyslexia, the student shall receive a level I dyslexia screening. If the school determines that a level II screener is administered, it may administer one. Level I dyslexia screening "means a process, as determined by the school corporation or charter school, for gathering additional information to determine if characteristics of dyslexia are present. Level II dyslexia screening "means a detailed process, as determined by the school corporation or charter school,for identifying a pattern of strengths and weaknesses documenting the characteristics of dyslexia and includes the administration of diagnostic tools designed to measure the underlying cause, characteristics,and outcomes to identify the characteristics of dyslexia.”

 The bill additionally states that, the “state board shall adopt rules to ensure that students will be screened as provided under this article for risk factors of dyslexia using a screening tool described in section 1 of this chapter: (1) in kindergarten, grade 1, and grade 2; (2) when a student in kindergarten through grade 2: (A) transfers to a new school; and (B) has not been screened previously during the school year; (3) when a student in grade 3 or higher has difficulty, as noted by a classroom teacher, in: (A) phonological and phonemic awareness; (B) sound symbol recognition; (C) alphabet knowledge; (D) decoding skills; (E) rapid naming skills; and (F) encoding skills; and (4) when a student from another state enrolls for the first time in kindergarten through grade 2 in Indiana unless the student presents documentation that the student: (A) had the dyslexia screening or a similar screening during the school year; or (B) is exempt from screening.” 

State Recognized Screeners

See this list of approved screeners for all levels.


Pre-service

Required?Yes

Indiana Code 20-28-3-5 states that "A teacher preparation program shall include content within the curriculum that prepares teacher candidates to recognize that a student who is not progressing at a normal rate related to reading may need to be referred to the school's multidisciplinary team to determine the student's special learning needs, including learning needs related to dyslexia."


In-service

Required?Yes

Chapter 7 of SB217 states that, “Not later than the 2019-2020 school year, the department shall ensure that each teacher receives professional awareness information on the following: (1) The characteristics of dyslexia. (2) The evidence based interventions and accommodations for dyslexia. (b) The department may provide the information described in subsection (a) in a presentation online or in person. Sec. 2. The department shall: (1) develop and update an Indiana dyslexia resource guide; and (2) post the guide on the department's Internet web site. Sec. 3. The state board shall, in collaboration with the department, adopt rules under IC 4-22-2 to implement this article.”

State Suggested Professional Development


Intervention

Required?Yes

Multisensory?
Promoted
Evidence-Based?
Promoted
Explicit/Direct?
Promoted
MTSS/RTI?
Required

Chapter 4 states that,  “If a student's level I dyslexia screening or level II dyslexia screening indicates the need for dyslexia intervention services for the student, the dyslexia intervention may include: (1) explicit, direct instruction that is systematic, sequential, and cumulative and follows a logical plan of presenting the alphabetic principle that targets the specific needs of the student without presuming prior skills or knowledge of the student; (2) individualized instruction to meet the specific needs of the student in a setting that uses intensive, highly concentrated instruction methods and materials that maximize student engagement; (3) meaning based instruction directed at purposeful reading and writing with an emphasis on comprehension and composition; (4) instruction that incorporates the simultaneous use of two (2) or more sensory pathways during teacher presentations and student practice; and (5) other instructional approaches as determined appropriate by the school corporation or charter school.”

Section 7 states, “If a universal screener, level I dyslexia screening, or level II dyslexia screening indicates that a student has characteristics of dyslexia, the school corporation or charter school shall use the response to intervention process to address the needs of the student.

The state dyslexia toolkit promotes interventions that are multisensory and evidence-based and that include explicit instruction.


Literacy State-identified Measurable Result (SIMR) - Part B

Has Literacy SIMR?Yes


Resources

Indiana Department of Education’s Dyslexia Page

Decoding Dyslexia Indiana

International Dyslexia Association Indiana


Citations

Zirkel, P. A., & Thomas, L. B. (2010). State laws for RTI: An updated snapshot. Teaching Exceptional Children, 42(3), 56-63.

Gearin, B., Turtura, J., Kame’enui, E. J., Nelson, N. J., & Fien, H. (2018). A Multiple Streams Analysis of Recent Changes to State-Level Dyslexia Education Law. Educational Policy, 0895904818807328.

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Last modified: 
07/19/2023 - 6:45pm