Please pardon our dust! We're migrating to new web servers and improving our site. We know it’s taking a while but sit tight and we’ll be back better than ever very soon.

New Jersey

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?
No

New Jersey Chapter 105, New Jersey Chapter 131, and New Jersey Chapter 210

New Jersey Law Chapter 210 supplements Chapter 40 of Title 18A by tasking the Commissioner of Education with providing technical assistance to each board of education regarding the screening and treatment of dyslexia. It also tasks each board of education with screening all students for dyslexia by the end of the first semester of second grade. Related requirements are discussed. N.J.A.C. 6A:14-1 recognizes IDA’s definition of dyslexia.

Screening

Required?Yes

Parents Must Be Notified of Results?
No
SEA Publishes List of Screeners?
No
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 law
Student Learning Disability Eligibility (Zirkel & Thomas 2010 Classification)?
RTI and SD permitted

According to New Jersey statute, "A board of education shall ensure that each student enrolled in the school district who has exhibited one or more potential indicators of dyslexia or other reading disabilities is screened for dyslexia and other reading  disabilities using a screening instrument selected pursuant to section 2 of this act no later than the student’s completion of the first semester of the second grade."

It states further, “In the event that a student is determined through the screening conducted pursuant to section 3 of this act to possess one or more potential indicators of dyslexia or other reading disabilities, the board of education shall ensure that the student receives a comprehensive assessment for the learning disorder.  In the event that a diagnosis of dyslexia or other reading disability is confirmed by the comprehensive assessment, the board of education shall provide appropriate evidence-based intervention strategies to the student, including intense instruction on phonemic awareness, phonics and fluency, vocabulary, and reading comprehension.”

State Recognized Screeners

Please refer to the state resource guide for guidance on selecting screeners.

Pre-service

Required?No

New Jersey does not have pre-service legislation related to dyslexia.

In-service

Required?Yes

PL2013, c. 105 requires a minimum of two hours of professional development each year for general education; kindergarten- grade 3; special education; learning disabilities teacher consultants; and speech-language specialists. The professional development must be on screening, intervention, accomodation, and use of technology for students with disabilities, including dyslexia.

State Suggested Professional Development

These webinars are provided by NJDOE as an option to meet the 2-hour professional development requirement as specified in PL 2013 c.105:

Intervention

Required?Yes

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

In the event that a diagnosis of dyslexia or other reading disability is confirmed by the comprehensive assessment, the board of education shall provide appropriate evidence-based intervention strategies to the student, including intense instruction on phonemic awareness, phonics and fluency, vocabulary, and reading comprehension.

Please refer to the state resource guide for guidance on evaluating and selecting intervention programs. State guidance promotes the use of instruction that is explicit and multisensory. It also promotes the use of MTSS.

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

Has Literacy SIMR?No

The SIMR is to improve graduation rates.

Resources

Decoding Dyslexia New Jersey

International Dyslexia Association New Jersey

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: 
10/27/2022 - 4:22pm