Arizona

State Education Agency (SEA) Dyslexia Legislation

Has Legislation?Yes

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

ARS 15-219, ARS 15-249, ARS 15-704, SB 1318

ARS 15-219 states that the “state board of education shall adopt rules to allow certificated teachers and administrators to count training regarding screening, intervention, accommodation, use of technology and advocacy for students with reading impairments, including dyslexia, as continuing education credits.” ARS 15-249 states that the “department of education may develop a dyslexia handbook.” ARS 15-704 describes screening, intervention, in-service requirements, and the oversight of instruction.

SB1318 amended Arizona law to establish a dyslexia specialist position at the Arizona Department of Education, additional training requirements and opportunities for educators, and additional requirements related to dyslexia screeners. 

Arizona Revised Statutes (A.R.S.) §15-249.03(K) and Arizona’s Dyslexia Handbook recognize IDA’s definition of dyslexia.

Screening

Required?Yes

Parents Must Be Notified of Results?
Yes
SEA Publishes List of Screeners?
Yes
Annual Reporting to the SEA?
No
Response to Intervention for Student Learning Disability Eligibility in 2010?
Permitted only by guidelines
Severe Discrepancy for Student Learning Disability Eligibility in 2010?
Permitted by guidelines
Student Learning Disability Eligibility (Zirkel & Thomas 2010 Classification)?
RTI and SD permitted only by guidelines

According to ARS 15-704, “Each school district or charter school that provides instruction in kindergarten programs and grades one through three shall select and administer screening, ongoing diagnostic and classroom based instructional reading assessments, including a motivational assessment, as defined by the state board of education, to monitor student progress. Each school shall use the diagnostic information to plan appropriate and effective intervention.”

SB1318 further specifies that on or before July 1, 2020, the Department of Education shall develop a dyslexia screening plan that meets all of the following requirements: 1. ensures that within forty-five calendar days after the beginning of each school year or within forty-five calendar days after a student enrollment occurs after the first day of school, every student who is enrolled in a kindergarten program or grade one in a public school in this state is screened for indicators of dyslexia. 2. provides guidance for notifications sent by public schools to parents of students who are identified as having indicators of dyslexia based on a screening for indicators. 3. is developed collaboratively with the dyslexia specialist for the department designated pursuant to section 15-211, and other experts on dyslexia, including representatives in this state of an international organization on dyslexia. 4. ensures that screening for indicators of dyslexia includes the following: (a) phonological and phonemic awareness. (b) rapid naming skills. (c) correspondence between sounds and letters. (d) nonsense word repetition. (e) sound symbol recognition. c. the screening for indicators of dyslexia may be integrated with reading proficiency screenings as prescribed in this section.

Pre-service

Required?No

Arizona does not have pre-service legislation related to dyslexia.

In-service

Required?Yes

According to ARS 15-704, “Each school district or charter school that provides instruction for pupils in kindergarten programs and grades one through three shall conduct a curriculum evaluation and adopt an evidence-based reading curriculum that includes the essential components of reading instruction.  All school districts and charter schools that offer instruction in kindergarten programs and grades one through three shall provide ongoing teacher training based on evidence-based reading research.”

Intervention

Required?Yes

Evidence-Based?
Required
Explicit/Direct?
Required

According to ARS 15-704, “A pupil in grade three who does not demonstrate proficiency on the reading standards measured by the statewide assessment administered pursuant to section 15-741 shall be provided core reading instruction and intensive, evidence-based reading instruction as defined by the state board of education until the pupil meets these standards.” 

“1. "Essential components of reading instruction" means explicit and systematic instruction in the following: (a) Phonemic awareness. (b) Phonics. (c) Vocabulary development. (d) Reading fluency. (e) Reading comprehension.

2. "Evidence-based reading research" means research that demonstrates either:

(a) A statistically significant effect on improving student outcomes or other relevant outcomes based on either: (i) Strong evidence from at least one well-designed and well-implemented experimental study. (ii) Moderate evidence from at least one well-designed and well-implemented quasi-experimental study. (iii) Promising evidence from at least one well-designed and well-implemented correlational study with statistical controls for selection bias. (b) A rationale based on high-quality research findings or positive evaluation that an activity, strategy or intervention is likely to improve student outcomes or other relevant outcomes and that includes ongoing efforts to examine the effects of these activities, strategies or interventions.

3. "Reading" means a complex system of deriving meaning from print that requires all of the following: (a) The skills and knowledge to understand how phonemes or speech sounds are connected to print. (b) The ability to decode unfamiliar words. (c) The ability to read fluently. (d) Sufficient background information and vocabulary to foster reading comprehension. (e) The development of appropriate active strategies to construct meaning from print. (f) The development and maintenance of a motivation to read.”

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

Has Literacy SIMR?Yes

Targeted sites will increase the performance of students with disabilities in grades 3-5 on the English/Language Arts (ELA) state assessment from 6.4% to 12.99% to meet the state proficiency average for students with disabilities in grades 3-5.

Resources

Arizona Department of Education Dyslexia Resources

Arizona Dyslexia Handbook

Decoding Dyslexia Arizona

International Dyslexia Association Arizona

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.

Disclaimer: We cannot guarantee the accuracy, completeness, or adequacy of the information contained on this page. If you see missing or incorrect information, let us know!

Last modified: 
10/04/2022 - 1:30pm