Laws and guidelines
Many states have enacted laws and guidelines spelling out how schools can help students with dyslexia.
Such laws vary by state.
According to understood.org, a website on learning and attention issues founded by 15 nonprofit organizations, they generally address issues such as:
Link to main story: How schools are disrupting dyslexia
The definition of dyslexia
Early screening and identification in K3
Procedures for screening and intervention
Training in teacher preparation programs
Accommodations and support for students who are dyslexic or at risk; and
Funding, according to understood.org, a website on learning and attention issues founded by 15 nonprofit organizations.
One of the earliest laws, adopted by Texas in 1985, required schools to screen and treat dyslexia. As a result of additional legislation passed over the years, Texas issued a 152-page dyslexia handbook in 2014, spelling out laws, procedures and research.
This year, the California State Department of Education issued the California Dyslexia Guidelines. The 118-page handbook, which is not binding, covers a wide range of topics, from neuroscience to effective instructional techniques.
Eleanor Chute is a freelance writer based in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.