The Early Literacy and Dyslexia Practices - Guidance and Assistance Bills, HB 237 & SB 126 failed to receive a vote in the Education, Health, and Environmental Affairs Committee (EHEA) during the 2021 session even though it unanimously passed the House of Delegates in February.  The legislation aimed to assure that school district personnel and parents could access best practices, resources and guidance to address reading and dyslexia.

The bill content and history is summarized in prior blog posts. If you are interested in developing legislative policy for Decoding Dyslexia Maryland in the 2022 session, please reach out to DecodingDyslexiaMD@gmail.com.

On January 31, 2020, Delegate Eric Luedtke and Senator Katie Fry Hester introduced HB 718 and SB 575, the Reading and Dyslexia Handbook bills. The bill passed unanimously in the House Ways & Means Committee, but due to the pandemic and the shortened legislative session the bill did not advance to the Senate. 

The Reading & Dyslexia Handbook legislation was reintroduced for the 2021 legislative session by Delegate Eric Ebersole  under HB0237 and it is scheduled to be discussed in front of the House Ways & Means Committee on January 20th at 1:00 PM. The companion bill was sponsored by Senator Katie Fry-Hester and cross-filed under SB126; it is scheduled to be heard by the Senate Environmental, Health and Education (EHE) Committee on January 27th at 11:00 AM. 

We are asking parents, educators, administrators and community partners to write their representatives in the Maryland General Assembly in support of this legislation. The DDMD Advocacy Tool-Kit provides a Step-by-Step guide to navigating the legislative process and how to engage with representatives.

If you are interested in submitting written / oral testimony and/or meeting with our Senators on the EHE Committee, please fill out our Interest Form so the DDMD Legislative Committee can coordinate with you. 

In collaboration with 10 partners, Decoding Dyslexia announces the release of eight principles that lay the groundwork for future best practice documents that focus specifically on best practices to address Specific Learning Disabilities (SLD dyslexia, dysgraphia and dyscalculia). The Principles are formally called: Eligibility for Special Education Under a Specific Learning Disability Classification. 

The principles cover topics such as instruction and intervention, collaboration among team members, parent and family engagement, the use of screening, response to intervention, data based decision making and other important factors involved in pre-referral prevention and referral/evaluation and eligibility decisions for special education services for SLDs like dyslexia.

Click here to read “Eligibility for Special Education Under a Specific Learning Disability Classification.”

It is important to note that this is a consensus document.  The Principles are not 100% aligned to DDMD's views on "saying dyslexia", the specific value of cognitive evaluations, and robust parent engagement. Continued participation in the SLD Working Group will allow dyslexia advocates the opportunity to further develop Best Practice documents as well as work alongside national groups who, until recently, did not "say dyslexia".  Working group members hope to continue to build relationships and understanding around the needs of the dyslexia community.

The next steps include development and release of several Best Practice documents. In the coming months, the Working Group organizations will recommend best practices for SLD eligibility, cognitive evaluations, response to intervention/MTSS (done well and including dyslexia), parent engagement & a dyslexia guidance following the federal Dept. of Education OSERS 2016 Guidance.

More information: www.ncld.org/SLDeligibility. 
General advocacy information for learning disability  can be found  here: https://www.ncld.org/action-center

The Maryland General Assembly recently approved a reading screening and early intervention bill that would screen all Kindergarten students for risks of reading difficulty.  The bill will take effect in school year 2020-2021.  Learn More about SB 734.

SB 734, The Maryland Ready to Read Act, was unanimously approved by the Maryland legislature and awaits signature by Governor Larry Hogan. Please thank Senate sponsor Craig Zucker (D-Montgomery) and House sponsor Eric Luedtke (D-Montgomery) who championed the Ready to Read Screening and Interventions bill to victory this session!

About the bill: Beginning in the 2020-2021 school year, SB 734 will enable Maryland’s twenty-four school districts to provide reading screening to ALL Kindergarten students to determine if they are at risk for reading difficulties. If screening data indicates that a student may be at risk, a prevention framework is set in motion and students at risk for reading difficulties will receive supplemental reading instruction in their areas of need. 
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SB 734 also requires parent engagement, reporting, and funding through the Blueprint for Maryland’s Future (SB 1030).

On Wednesday, March 27, 2019, SB 734 moved closer to becoming law when it received an unanimous vote on the House floor.  The Senate is expected to concur with the three technical amendments added by House Ways & Means Committee, and no further changes to the legislation are expected.  Once the Senate concurs, the bill is expected to be signed by the Governor.

The Ready to Read bill requires screening & interventions for students at risk for reading difficulties and was heard by the House Ways & Means Committee on Thursday, March 21.  Senator Craig Zucker testified in support of the bill in a "sponsor only" hearing.  Later in the afternoon, the House Ways & Means Education Subcommittee, Chaired by Del. Eric Luedtke, brought the bill up for discussion -- three technical amendments were added to the bill and the subcommittee passed the bill unanimously where it then received unanimous support from the full Ways & Means committee.  

For amended language, please visit the General Assembly website and see the DDMD State Legislative summary.

(A)(7): WHO IS SCREENED: Student is amended and defined as: 

1. All students in Kindergarten;
2. First grade is screened only if the student was not screened in K or demonstrated difficulty mastering grade level reading in K.
3. Students who enter or transfer to an elementary school from an elementary school, are screened unless a county board determines the student has already been screened and does not demonstrate difficulty mastering grade-level reading.

(B)(1): EFFECTIVE DATE

1. Beginning in 2020-2021 school year, each county board shall ensure that a student is screened to identify if the student is at risk for reading difficulties.​

Annapolis, Maryland. March 18. The Ready to Read Screening & Interventions bill, SB 734, unanimously passed the Maryland Senate on March 18 after a moving floor speech by Senate sponsor Craig Zucker, D-Montgomery.  Senator Zucker noted that he would have benefited from reading screening because he struggled to learn for many years.  By the time he was tested, he had significant gaps in his learning. Senator Zucker described overhearing someone say that he "would never amount to anything" and he made a promise to himself to someday run for office -- and now here he is in the Maryland Senate.

The bill was referred to the House Ways & Means Committee and a sponsor-only hearing is scheduled for Thursday March 21, 2019 at 1:00pm.  The companion house bill 690 is no longer viable and is laid aside in favor of Senate bill 734 as amended. If the House amends SB 734, it could be referred to a House-Senate conference committee fi the Senate does not concur with any House amendments.  A conference committee would work out any differences between the House and Senate versions (should there be amendments).  Each chamber must then pass the conference version of the bill before April 8 when the legislature adjourns.  There also is the option that no House amendments are made to SB 734 and House agrees to the amended Senate version.  In this case, the bill would need a signature by Governor Hogan to become law.