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Indiana law IC 20.35.5, et seq., as created by SEA 217 (2018) in April 2018, states that Indiana school corporations and charter school's reading plans must now include screening for dyslexia risk factors and indicators. If a student is determined to be at-risk for dyslexia, the school will administer an additional dyslexia screener, which will identify whether or not the student needs to be referred for further testing. It also requires schools to use specific response to intervention processes if screeners indicate certain characteristics of dyslexia are present.
DEFINITION OF DYSLEXIA
House enrolled Act 1108 defines dyslexia as a specific learning disability that:
- Is neurological in origin and characterized by: difficulties with accurate or fluent word recognition and poor spelling and decoding abilities;
- Typically results from a deficit in the phonological component of language that is often unexpected in relation to other cognitive abilities and the provision of effective classroom instruction;
- May include problems in reading comprehension and reduced reading experience that can impede the growth of vocabulary and background knowledge; and
- May require the provision of special education services after an eligibility determination is made in accordance with Article 7.
SCREENING
Beginning in the 2019-2020 school year, Senate Enrolled Act 217 requires schools to universally screen:- All kindergarten, first, and second grade students annually to identify and predict students who may be "at some risk" or "at risk" for dyslexia;
- A kindergarten through second grade student who transfers to a new school, and has not previously been screened during the school year;
- A student in third grade or higher who has difficulty as noted by the classroom teacher in:
- Phonological and phonemic awareness;
- Sound symbol recognition;
- Alphabet knowledge;
- Decoding skills'
- Rapid naming skills; and
- Encoding skills
- A student in kindergarten through second grade from another state who enrolls in an Indiana school for the first time unless the student has documentation that he/she has had dyslexia or similar screen during the school year or is exempt from screening;
- A school corporation is not required to administer a universal screening if the parent objects to the screening.
CORE CURRICULUM
School City of Mishawaka uses HMH Into Reading and Literature. Click here to learn more about the remediation plans for students who are not successful. Administrative contact is Dr. Stockstell.
REPORTING
Before July 15 of each school year, each school shall report the following information:
(NOTE: This information shall not be provided if fewer than 10 students are identified.)
