Arkansas

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

Arkansas Senate Bill 788 and Act 1294

In 2015, Arkansas passed SB 788. The bill (a) defines dyslexia (see also Ark. Code Ann. § 6-41-602), (b) establishes screening requirements, (c) establishes evidence-based screening requirements, (d) creates a dyslexia specialist position at the Arkansas Department of Education, (e) outlines professional development requirements, and (f) calls for a plan to collaborate with institutions of higher education for teacher training.


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 by law
Severe Discrepancy for Student Learning Disability Eligibility in 2010?
Permitted by guidelines
Student Learning Disability Eligibility (Zirkel & Thomas 2010 Classification)?
RTI permitted, SD and Other permitted as clarified by guidelines (other requirements may apply)

Screening is required for: 1)  Each student in kindergarten through grade two (K-2); 2)  Kindergarten through grade 2 (K-2) students who transfer to a new school and have not been screened; 3)  Kindergarten through grade 2 (K-2) students who transfer from another state and cannot present documentation that the student has had similar screening; 4)  A student in grade three or higher experiencing difficulty, as noted by a classroom teacher. Students with sensory impairments, extant dyslexia diagnoses, or severe cognitive impairments may be exempt.

If a student's performance on an initial screener, level I screening, or level II dyslexia screening under § 6-41-603 indicates a need for dyslexia intervention services, the student's parent or legal guardian shall be: Notified of the results of the dyslexia evaluation; and Provided with information and resource material, including without limitation: The characteristics of dyslexia; Appropriate classroom interventions and accommodations for students with dyslexia; and the right of the parent or legal guardian to have the student receive an independent comprehensive dyslexia evaluation by a: Licensed psychological examiner; School psychology specialist; Licensed speech-language pathologist; Certified dyslexia testing specialist; or Dyslexia therapist. If a parent or legal guardian chooses to have an independent comprehensive dyslexia evaluation for the student, the parent or legal guardian shall: Select an individual qualified under subdivision (a)(2)(C) of this section to perform the comprehensive dyslexia evaluation; and Cover the cost of the comprehensive dyslexia evaluation. A school district shall consider the diagnosis and provide the student with interventions determined to be appropriate by the school district from a dyslexia interventionist at the school district.

State Recognized Screeners

Screeners must measure: phonological and phonemic awareness, sound symbol recognition, alphabet knowledge, decoding skills, and rapid naming skills. Recognized screeners include: DIBELS, AIMSWeb, Istation ISIP, NWEA Skills Checklist, Lakeshore: Alphabet Letter Identification, Core Literacy Library: Phoneme Segmentation Test, Scholastic: CORE Phonics Survey, Decode: Consonant Blends and Digraphs, FCRR: Oral Reading Fluency Passages, Ultimate Phonics Reading Test, Arkansas Rapid Naming Screener (AR-RAN), Word Journeys, and Words their Way.  See the state handbook for specific grade-level and content correspondences.


Pre-service

Required?Yes

According to the state dyslexia resource guide, "No later than the 2015-2016 school year, the Department of Education shall collaborate with the Department of Higher Education to ensure that all teacher education programs offered at state-supported institutions of higher education provide professional awareness of the characteristics of dyslexia and evidence-based interventions and accommodations for dyslexia. Professional development providers interested in delivering this professional awareness piece should apply for ADE approval through the Arkansas Professional Development Submission and Management System (PDSAM).


In-service

Required?Yes

By fiscal year, 2015, at least one staff member at each education service cooperative is trained as a dyslexia specialist to provide necessary information and support to school districts; and each teacher must receive professional development on the characteristics of dyslexia and evidence-based interventions and accommodations for dyslexia.


Intervention

Required?Yes

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

State law indicates, “If the initial screener, level I, or level II screener indicates the characteristics of dyslexia, the Response to Intervention process shall be used. The law further indicates, “Dyslexia intervention for a student whose dyslexia Level I or Level II screening under Section 5.02 of these rules indicates the need for dyslexia intervention services may include the following instructional approaches, but shall include all services deemed appropriate by the district: 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; Individualized instruction to meet the specific needs of the student in a small group setting that uses intensive, highly concentrated instruction methods and materials that maximize student engagement; Meaning-based instruction directed at purposeful reading and writing, with an emphasis on comprehension and composition; and Multisensory instruction that incorporates the simultaneous use of two (2) or more sensory pathways during teacher presentations and student practice.

The state state handbook additionally promotes interventions that are multisensory.


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

Has Literacy SIMR?Yes


Resources


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: 
04/29/2022 - 4:07pm