21st Century Dyslexia Act

Bill: 117-s-3302
Sponsor: full_name: Sen. Cassidy, Bill [R-LA]
Introduced: 2021-12-02
Policy area: Education
Latest action: action_date: 2021-12-02
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions.

Summaries:
action_date: 2021-12-02
action_desc: Introduced in Senate
text: <p><strong>21st Century Dyslexia Act</strong></p> <p>This bill addresses the education of children with disabilities, with a particular focus on children with dyslexia.</p> <p>Currently, dyslexia is listed as one of the disabilities under the definition of <em>specific learning disability</em> in the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA). This bill instead removes dyslexia from the definition of <em>specific learning disability</em> and establishes a stand-alone definition for <em>dyslexia</em> within IDEA.</p> <p>Specifically, the bill defines <em>dyslexia</em> for purposes of IDEA as an unexpected difficulty in reading for an individual who has the intelligence to be a much better reader, most commonly caused by a difficulty in the phonological processing (the appreciation of the individual sounds of spoken language), which affects the ability of an individual to speak, read, and spell.</p> <p> Additionally, the bill requires a local educational agency or other agency, in determining eligibility for or providing an accommodation or service under IDEA, to provide equal access to (1) children from low-income families or from families with low socioeconomic status, and (2) other children.</p>

tv_txt: II 117th CONGRESS 1st Session S. 3302 IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES December 2, 2021 Mr. Cassidy (for himself, Mr. Kennedy , Mr. Scott of South Carolina , Mr. Graham , and Mr. Braun ) introduced the following bill; which was read twice and referred to the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions A BILL To amend the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act to improve provisions relating to dyslexia, and for other purposes.

1. Short title This Act may be cited as the 21st Century Dyslexia Act . 2. Dyslexia (a) Definitions Section 602 of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act ( 20 U.S.C. 1401 ) is amended— (1) in paragraph (3)(A), by striking or specific learning disabilities and inserting dyslexia, or specific learning disabilities ; (2) by inserting after paragraph (3) the following: (4) Dyslexia The term dyslexia means an unexpected difficulty in reading for an individual who has the intelligence to be a much better reader, most commonly caused by a difficulty in the phonological processing (the appreciation of the individual sounds of spoken language), which affects the ability of an individual to speak, read, and spell. ; and (3) in paragraph (30)— (A) in subparagraph (B), by striking dyslexia, ; and (B) in subparagraph (C)— (i) by striking or of and inserting of ; and (ii) by inserting before the period the following: , or of dyslexia . (b) Provision of accommodations and services The Individuals with Disabilities Education Act is amended by inserting after section 608 ( 20 U.S.C. 1407 ) the following: 608A. Provision of accommodations and services In determining eligibility for, or providing, an accommodation or service under this title, a local educational agency or other agency shall provide equal access, to the accommodation or service, to— (1) children from low-income families or from families with low socioeconomic status; and (2) other children. .