The District’s Board of Trustees is responsible for ensuring that campuses are implementing procedures for identifying and providing appropriate, evidence-based instructional services to all students with dyslexia or related disorders. Evidence-based dyslexia programs are considered specially designed instruction (i.e., special education instruction) under the IDEA. The District’s procedures must be implemented according to the approved strategies for screening, individualized evaluation, and techniques for treating dyslexia and related services as described in The Dyslexia Handbook: Procedures Concerning Dyslexia and Related Services (“The Dyslexia Handbook”) and/or as otherwise required under the Texas Education Code. The District must report through PEIMS the number of students enrolled in the District who are identified as having dyslexia.
To comply with child find requirements, the District must screen or test all students for dyslexia and related disorders at appropriate times in accordance with The Dyslexia Handbook and state law. Specifically, the law requires that all kindergarten and first grade students be screened for dyslexia and related services. Kindergarten students must be screened at the end of the school year. Students in first grade must be screened as close to the middle of the year as possible, but not later than January 31 of each year. In addition, the law requires the District to administer to students in kindergarten, first grade, and second grade a reading instrument to assess student reading development and comprehension. This law also requires the District to administer a reading instrument at the beginning of seventh grade to students who did not demonstrate reading proficiency on the sixth-grade state reading STAAR.
Only District or Campus Personnel who are trained in valid, evidence-based assessments and can appropriately evaluate students for dyslexia and related disorders should conduct the screenings. This includes an individual who is certified/licensed in dyslexia or a classroom teacher who holds a valid certification and who is trained in instructional strategies that use individualized, intensive, multisensory, phonetic methods, as well as a variety of writing and spelling components.
The District is required to consider prior screenings and testing before rescreening or retesting a student determined to have dyslexia during a prior screening or testing.
The District may not use early intervention strategies, such as Response to Intervention systems or other multi-tiered systems of support, to delay or deny the special education evaluation of a student suspected to have a specific learning disability, including dyslexia or a related disorder.
The District must provide to all parents of students enrolled in the District on the following topics:
Characteristics of dyslexia and related disorders;
Evaluation and identification of dyslexia and related disorders;
Effective instructional strategies for teaching students with dyslexia and related disorders;
Qualifications of those delivering services to students with dyslexia and related disorders at each campus or school;
Instructional accommodations and modifications, including those for statewide assessments;
The steps in the special education process, as described in the Overview of Special Education for Parents form; and
How to request a copy and access the electronic version of the Dyslexia Handbook.
In addition, if the District suspects or has a reason to suspect that a student may have dyslexia (or any disability eligible under IDEA), including after a dyslexia screener or other reading assessment under the Texas Education Code, and that the student may require specially designed instruction (including an evidence-based dyslexia program), the District shall provide the parent or guardian a copy of the Overview of Special Education for Parents form developed by the Texas Education Agency, which explains the rights available to the parent and student under the IDEA that may be in addition to the rights available under Section 504. This form should be distributed when a referral for a full individual and initial evaluation (FIIE) has been made based on a suspicion of dyslexia (or any disability eligible under IDEA) and should be distributed along with the Notice of Procedural Safeguards and Parent’s Guide to the ARD Process.
Further, before conducting an FIIE to determine whether a student who is suspected of having dyslexia or a related disorder has a disability under the IDEA and needs specialized instruction, the Campus Special Education Personnel must comply with the special education procedures related to Prior Written Notice and Referral for Possible Special Education Services as well as provide the parent with all information indicated above. See [PRIOR WRITTEN NOTICE] and [REFERRAL FOR POSSIBLE SPECIAL EDUCATION SERVICES]. Campus Special Education Personnel shall also provide the parent a copy of the Notice of Procedural Safeguards and give the parent an opportunity to give written consent for an FIIE. See [CONSENT FOR INITIAL EVALUATION] and [CHILD FIND DUTY].
A parent may also request an evaluation of a student for dyslexia under the IDEA at any time. Following a parent request, the District must review data regarding the student’s progress and determine whether there is a reason to suspect the student has a disability and needs specialized instruction. If a disability and need for specialized instruction is suspected, the District shall follow evaluation procedures under the IDEA and provide the parent an opportunity to provide consent. See [EVALUATION PROCEDURES]. If the District does not suspect the student has dyslexia or a related disorder and need for specialized instruction, Campus Special Education Personnel shall provide the Parent Prior Written Notice that includes a detailed description as to why an evaluation is not being conducted and a copy of the Notice of Procedural Safeguards. See [PRIOR WRITTEN NOTICE].
The District must ensure that every student residing within its boundaries who needs special education and related services due to dyslexia or a related disorder is located, identified, and evaluated. See [CHILD FIND DUTY]. When a student is suspected of having dyslexia or a related disorder and a need for specialized instruction, the District shall seek to conduct an FIIE under the IDEA.
While dyslexia screenings are important tools for identifying suspicions of dyslexia or related disorders and may provide valuable data during the evaluation process, they do not constitute formal evaluations under the IDEA. Rather, the evaluation must be conducted by a multidisciplinary team using a variety of tools to assess the student for a specific learning disability, as well as any other areas in which the District suspects the student may have a disability.
For students suspected of having dyslexia or related disorders, the multidisciplinary team conducting the evaluation under the IDEA must include at least one member with specific knowledge regarding the reading process, dyslexia and related disorders, and dyslexia instruction. This individual must either (1) hold a licensed dyslexia therapist license under Chapter 403 of the Texas Occupations Code or (2) hold the most advanced dyslexia-related certification issued by an association recognized by the State Board of Education, and identified in, or substantially similar to an association identified in, the program and rules adopted under Sections 7.102 and 38.003 of the Texas Education Code or (3) if an individual qualified under (1) or (2) is not available, the member must meet the applicable training requirements adopted by the State Board of Education pursuant to Sections 7.102 and 38.003 of the Texas Education Code. The District will prioritize individuals who meet criteria (1) or (2) above. Individuals currently enrolled and participating in a credentialing program (listed in The Dyslexia Handbook) that will enable the individual to become a licensed dyslexia therapist or attain the most advanced dyslexia-related certification will be considered as meeting the criteria for (1) or (2) above. An individual serving under (3) above, within one calendar year from the date of being designated for this role, must register and complete the TEA’s Texas Dyslexia Academies (TDAs); register and complete the TEA’s Guidance for the Comprehensive Evaluation of a Specific Learning Disability training; and document that the member has training in current research and evidence-based assessments that are used to identify the most common characteristics of dyslexia. The member must complete updates to TEA trainings within one calendar year of the release date of revised trainings.
Additionally, this individual shall participate in any subsequent ARD meeting convened to determine a student’s eligibility for special education and related services. This individual must either (1) hold a licensed dyslexia therapist license under Chapter 403 of the Texas Occupations Code or (2) hold the most advanced dyslexia-related certification issued by an associated recognized by the State Board of Education, and identified in, or substantially similar to an association identified in, the program and rules adopted under Sections 7.102 and 38.003 of the Texas Education Code. If an individual qualified under (1) or (2) is not available, the individual must meet the applicable training requirements adopted by the State Board of Education pursuant to Sections 7.102 and 38.003 of the Texas Education Code.
During the evaluation process and at any subsequent ARD Committee meeting convened to determine a student’s eligibility for special education and related services, this qualified member of the multidisciplinary team shall sign a document describing the member’s participation in the special education evaluation of the student and any resulting IEP developed for the student. Specifically, this member of the multidisciplinary team should sign the evaluation report and the IEP signature page of the ARD Committee meeting convened to determine the student’s eligibility for special education and related services.
The District must ensure that every student with a disability residing within its boundaries who needs Section 504 accommodations due to dyslexia or a related disorder is located, identified, and evaluated. When a student is suspected of having dyslexia or a related disorder and is found ineligible under the IDEA because the student is determined to not need for an evidenced-based dyslexia program or any other specialized instruction, the District shall refer the student to a Section 504 Committee for an evaluation. The Section 504 Committee will use the FIIE to determine eligibility for Section 504, as necessary.
The District must provide direct dyslexia instruction under the IDEA to a student who is identified with a specific learning disability due to dyslexia or a related disorder and who demonstrates a need for dyslexia instruction. The District shall provide an evidence-based dyslexia program in accordance with all dyslexia program requirements set forth in The Dyslexia Handbook. The ARD Committee may only modify the evidence-based dyslexia program when data collection and the student’s IEP demonstrate that it is not adequate to meet a student’s needs, with or without some additional supports, unless the modified plan can offer and monitor all required components of dyslexia instruction.
All Providers of Dyslexia Instruction must be trained in the District's adopted instructional strategies for students with dyslexia, including those that use individualized, multisensory, phonetic methods and a variety of writing and spelling components, as described in The Dyslexia Handbook. A Provider of Dyslexia Instruction does not meet this requirement solely by completing a literacy achievement academy under Texas Education Code § 21.4552. Furthermore, Providers of Dyslexia Instruction are not required to hold a special education certificate or permit unless they are employed in a special education position that requires certification. If, however, the Provider of Dyslexia Instruction is not a certified special education teacher, a certified special education teacher must be involved in the implementation of the student’s IEP through the provision of direct, indirect, and/or support services to the student. A paraprofessional may not provide instruction to students in an evidence-based dyslexia program because paraprofessionals must work under the supervision of a certified special education teacher.
Additional services can be offered at a centralized location if the parent or guardian agrees to the services, but centralized services must not prevent the student from receiving services at the student’s campus.
The District must provide the parent of a student receiving dyslexia instruction with information regarding the student’s progress as a result of the student receiving that instruction at least once per grading period or more often, if required by a student’s IEP.
Evidence-based dyslexia programs are specially designed instruction that must only be provided under the IDEA beginning with the 2025-2026 school year. While the District may not unilaterally decide to discontinue the provision of an evidence-based dyslexia program to a student who currently receives it through a Section 504 plan, Section 504 committees must begin discussing a student’s continued need for an evidence-based dyslexia program currently provided through an accommodation plan under Section 504 and submitting referrals for special education evaluations where appropriate.
If the Section 504 Committee determines that the student does not need an evidence-based dyslexia program, but only needs accommodations or other Section 504 services, the student can remain under a Section 504 plan, if determined appropriate by the Section 504 Committee.
“Dyslexia” is a disorder of constitutional origin manifested by a difficulty in learning to read, write, or spell, despite conventional instruction, adequate intelligence, and sociocultural opportunity. Dyslexia meets the definition of a specific learning disability under the IDEA.
“Evidence-based dyslexia programs and instruction” is one or more evidence-based reading programs or curriculums purchased or developed by the District that is/are aligned with all instructional methods and components for dyslexia instruction as described in The Dyslexia Handbook. Evidence-based dyslexia instruction provides evidence-based, multisensory structured literacy for students with dyslexia. Evidence-based dyslexia programs are considered specially designed instruction (i.e., a special education service) under the IDEA, and provisions of these services must follow IDEA requirements. This is also referred to as “Direct dyslexia instruction.”
“Related disorders” include disorders similar to or related to dyslexia, such as developmental auditory imperception, dysphasia, specific developmental dyslexia, developmental dysgraphia, and developmental spelling disability.
“Specially designed instruction” includes adapting, as appropriate to the needs of an eligible child with a disability, the content, methodology, or delivery of instruction to address the unique needs of the child that result from the child’s disability and to ensure access of the child to the general curriculum. In addition to the identification of a disability, the need for specially designed instruction is an area that an ARD committee considers when determining initial and continued eligibility for special education and related services under the IDEA.
“Universal screening” is defined as a universal measure administered to all students by qualified personnel to determine which students are at risk for dyslexia or reading difficulties and/or a related disorder. Screening is not a formal evaluation.
Campus Personnel are responsible for ensuring that all students in kindergarten and first grade are screened for dyslexia in an appropriate and timely manner. Before screening may take place, District or Campus Administration will select a screening instrument from the Commissioner’s List of Reading Instruments list for Campus Personnel to use that address the following skills:
Kindergarten – Letter Sound Knowledge or Letter Naming Fluency; Phonological Awareness
First Grade – Word Reading Accuracy or Fluency: Phonological Awareness
Screenings for all kindergarten students should take place near the end of the year in the later part of the spring semester. Considerations for scheduling the kindergarten screener may include the following factors: (1) has adequate time for instruction been provided during the school year; (2) has adequate time been provided to compile data prior to the end of the school year; (3) how will the timing of the screener fit in with the timing of other required assessments; (4) has sufficient time been provided to inform parents in writing of the results of the reading instrument and whether the student is at risk for dyslexia or other reading difficulties; (5) has adequate time been provided for educators to offer appropriate interventions to the student and (6) has sufficient time been provided for decision making regarding next steps in the screening process.
Screenings for all first-grade students should take place as close as possible to the middle of the school year, but not later than January 31 of each year. Results of the dyslexia and related disorder screenings for students in Kindergarten and Grade 1 shall be reported through the Texas Student Data System Public Education Information Management System (TSDS PEIMS).
All Campus Personnel conducting screenings must understand and be able to identify primary characteristics of dyslexia, including challenges with reading words in isolation, decoding, reading orally, and spelling. In addition, the individuals who administer the screening instrument must also document student behaviors observed during the administration of the instrument, including lack of automaticity, difficulty sounding out words left to right, guessing, self-correcting, inability to focus on reading, and avoidance behavior.
Campus Administration will verify that all Campus Personnel conducting screenings have undergone the required trainings and are properly certified to fill this role. Specifically, an individual who administers and interprets the screening instrument must, at a minimum, be an individual who is certified/licensed in dyslexia or a classroom teacher who holds a valid certification for kindergarten and Grade 1. Where possible, the student’s current classroom teacher will administer the screening instrument for dyslexia and reading difficulties. Then, the teacher (or other Campus Personnel) conducting screenings will report the results of dyslexia and related disorder screenings required for each student in kindergarten and first grade through PEIMS. The results must also be provided to the parent of the student with an explanation of the scores.
Campus Personnel will continue to monitor students for common risk factors for dyslexia in second grade and beyond.
Based on the universal screener for reading and dyslexia, if a student is at low risk for reading difficulties, the campus will continue evidence-based core reading instruction and continue to monitor the student for reading difficulties in the future.
If the student is at risk for reading difficulties, Campus Personnel will gather both quantitative and qualitative information about the student. Quantitative information may include current dyslexia screening instruments, previous dyslexia screening instruments, formal and informal classroom reading assessments and/or other skill assessments, vision and hearing screening, state assessment reports, curriculum-based assessments, and attendance records. Qualitative information may include observations of student during screening, other observations of student progress, teacher observations and reports, parent/guardian input (e.g., family history, early language skills), current student work samples, academic progress reports, work samples from earlier grades, and/or accommodations and intervention history and data.
Both quantitative and qualitative information will be reviewed by a Student Support Team which should include individuals who have knowledge of the student, are appropriately trained in the administration of the screening tool, are trained to interpret the results, and recognize characteristics of dyslexia. The Student Support Team may consist of the student’s classroom teacher, the counselor, the campus or district dyslexia specialist, the individual who administered the screener, a representative of LPAC, assessment personnel, the parent, and/or an administrator. The Student Support Team is not the ARD Committee or a Section 504 Committee, although many of these individuals may be on a future committee if the student is referred for an evaluation and qualifies for services and/or accommodations. The Student Support Team shall analyze the data and make a decision as to whether the student’s reading difficulties are or are not consistent with characteristics of dyslexia and related disorders.
If the Student Support Team determines that the data does not give the members reason to suspect that a student has dyslexia, a related disorder or other disability, the Student Support Team may decide to provide the student with additional supports in the classroom or through the Response to Intervention process or other Campus-based intervention system. However, the student is not referred for an evaluation at this time.
If the Student Support Team suspects that the student has dyslexia or a related disorder and needs special education and related services, the Student Support Team should refer the student for an FIIE under the IDEA, as there is a reason to suspect that special education services are necessary for the student. See [REFERRAL FOR POSSIBLE SPECIAL EDUCATION SERVICES].
It is important to remember that at any point in the process, a referral for a dyslexia evaluation may be made under IDEA if a disability and a corresponding need for special education services are suspected. Progression through the intervention process is not required to begin the identification of dyslexia and should not delay the evaluation process if a suspicion of a disability exists. For example, Campus Personnel should refer a student for a dyslexia evaluation if regular progress monitoring reflects a difficulty with reading, decoding, and/or reading comprehension or when a student is not reaching grade-level benchmarks due to reading difficulty. In addition, parents or guardians have a right to request a referral for a dyslexia evaluation under the IDEA or Section 504 at any time. While the use of tiered intervention may be part of the identification and data collection process for dyslexia, Campus Personnel must ensure that evaluations of students suspected of having a disability are not delayed or denied because of implementation of tiered interventions, especially when parent or teacher observations reveal the common characteristics of dyslexia. District and/or Campus Special Education Personnel shall emphasize this requirement to all relevant Campus Personnel at least once per school year.
For each student in the District currently receiving an evidence-based dyslexia program through a Section 504 plan, the Section 504 Committee will meet as soon as possible but no later than by the end of the 2024-2025 school year to determine whether the student continues to require an evidence-based dyslexia program and should therefore be referred for a special education evaluation. The District will continue to provide an evidence-based dyslexia program to a student who currently receives it through a Section 504 plan during this process.
If the parent of a student receiving dyslexia instruction under Section 504 refuses to consent to an evaluation under the IDEA, the District may use due process and/or mediation procedures to seek consent to evaluate the student. If the parent refuses to consent to a special education evaluation or to the provision of special education and related services following the evaluation, the student will no longer be eligible to receive instruction in an evidence-based dyslexia program through a Section 504 plan. A parent’s refusal to consent to an evidence-based dyslexia program through IDEA means that the parent is refusing the child’s special education and related services. If this happens, District Assessment Personnel will inform the parent of the following:
The provision of an evidence-based dyslexia program is considered specially designed instruction, as that term is defined under IDEA. This means that an evidence-based dyslexia program is only available to students who have been identified with dyslexia and who are served under IDEA, which prescribes the legal requirements for special education and related services.
Evidence-based dyslexia programs are not considered to be “regular” education aids and services. Regular aids and services are things like accommodations provided to a student to assist in classroom instruction and access to instruction, such as giving extra time for assignments and allowing speech-to-text capabilities when given a written assignment. While a Section 504 plan could be appropriate for those needs, the need for an evidence-based dyslexia program crosses over into a special education need.
The student may, however, continue to receive tutorials, interventions, and other academic or behavioral support services available to all students, including a multi-tiered system of supports.
If the Student Support Team determines that dyslexia or a similar disability is suspected and there is a suspected corresponding need for an evidence-based dyslexia program, the Student Support Team must refer a student for an initial evaluation under the IDEA. The Student Support Team will make decisions regarding referrals on a case-by-case basis, carefully considering all data obtained from screenings and other sources. In addition, parents or guardians may also request a referral for an initial evaluation under the IDEA.
District Assessment Personnel must seek parental consent for an FIIE and follow all procedural safeguards required under the IDEA, including the provision of proper Prior Written Notice and a copy of the Notice of Procedural Safeguards to the parent. See [CHILD FIND DUTY] and [REFERRAL FOR POSIBLE SPECIAL EDUCATION SERVICES] and [CONSENT FOR INITIAL EVALUATION] Along with the Notice of Procedural Safeguards, District Assessment Personnel will also provide the parent a copy of the Overview of Special Education for Parents form developed by the Texas Education Agency that emphasizes the additional protections provided to the parent under the IDEA. In seeking consent, District Assessment Personnel shall explain to the parent that the District will also evaluate the student in any other areas in which the District suspects the student may have a disability.
District Assessment Personnel will ensure that at least one individual with specific knowledge regarding the reading process, dyslexia and related disorders, and dyslexia instruction participates in the evaluation and any subsequent ARD meeting where the student’s eligibility will be considered. This individual must meet the qualification requirements set forth above for a Provider of Dyslexia Instruction and must complete updates to TEA trainings within one calendar year of the release date of revised trainings. This individual will sign the evaluation report conducted by the multidisciplinary team, indicating their participation and role during the evaluation process.
During the evaluation process, District Assessment Personnel will use a variety of instruments, scores, and formulas to assess the student for a specific learning disability due to dyslexia or a related disorder. A student does not need to demonstrate a specific cognitive weakness on standardized assessments by achieving below a certain threshold to display a pattern of strengths and weaknesses to demonstrate the presence of dyslexia. Rather, District Assessment Personnel will base dyslexia identification on the preponderance of evidence considered during the evaluation process.
District Assessment Personnel should first determine whether a pattern of evidence reflects the primary characteristics of dyslexia, including reading words in isolation, decoding unfamiliar words accurately and automatically, reading fluency for connected text, and spelling (although difficulty in spelling along is not sufficient to identify dyslexia). District Assessment Personnel will consider the student’s educational history, linguistic background, environmental or socioeconomic factors, attendance, lack of appropriate instruction, and any other pertinent information, including a sensory impairment, that may impact the student’s learning.
The District Assessment Personnel with dyslexia and related knowledge will also attend any subsequent ARD meeting where the ARD Committee will determine a student’s eligibility for special education and related services, as well as any subsequent ARD meeting where eligibility is considered, and sign the IEP signature page indicating their participation. The ARD Committee will also clearly indicate on the IEP signature page or in the deliberations that the person is fulfilling the role of this required member. Should the student’s Provider of Dyslexia Instruction be different than the District Assessment Personnel with dyslexia and related knowledge, the student’s Provider of Dyslexia Instruction must also be involved in the development and implementation of the student’s IEP and attend the student’s ARD Committee meetings.
Should the ARD Committee determine that the student does not require an evidence-based dyslexia program or other specialized instruction and is therefore not eligible for special education, the ARD Committee will refer the student to the Section 504 Committee.
If a student is evaluated under IDEA and the results of the evaluation show that the student has dyslexia or a related disorder, the student may be eligible for dyslexia services. The ARD Committee must determine (1) whether a student has a qualifying disability (i.e., dyslexia or a related disorder) under the IDEA, and (2) whether the student with dyslexia or a related disorder requires an evidence-based dyslexia program or any other specially designed instruction to make progress.
If the student is determined to be eligible under the IDEA, and the ARD Committee determines the student requires dyslexia instruction to address disability-related needs, the student qualifies for special education and related services under the IDEA and will receive special education and related services, supplementary aids and services, accommodations, or program modifications, as determined by his/her ARD Committee. The ARD Committee will address the required components of dyslexia instruction; the required instructional delivery methods; the setting, duration, and frequency of services; and the training and skill level of the Provider of Dyslexia Instruction .
If the student is determined to be eligible for dyslexia or a related disorder but does not require specialized instruction, including dyslexia instruction, as determined by the ARD Committee, the student may be eligible for accommodations and/or related aids under Section 504 and/or general education interventions to address related needs. The District will refer the student for a Section 504 Committee. Beginning with the 2025-2026 school year, all evidence-based dyslexia programs within the District, however, are specially designed instruction (i.e., a special education services) provided under the IDEA.
The ARD Committee will ensure that specially designed instruction for dyslexia or related disorders contained all elements of an evidence-based dyslexia program as outlined in The Dyslexia Handbook. At a minimum, the District’s dyslexia services will address the following critical, evidence-based components, as defined in The Dyslexia Handbook:
Phonological awareness
Sound-symbol association
Syllabication
Orthography
Morphology
Syntax
Reading comprehension
Reading fluency
In addition to the above content, it is also critical that the way the content is delivered is consistent with research-based principles. Campus Administration and the Provider of Dyslexia Instruction will ensure that all of the following principles of effective intervention for students with dyslexia are utilized, as detailed in The Dyslexia Handbook:
Simultaneous, multisensory
Systematic and cumulative
Explicit instruction
Diagnostic teaching to automaticity
Synthetic instruction
Analytic instruction
District Administration will decide whether to purchase a reading program or develop its own evidence-based reading program for students with dyslexia and related disorders. If the District decides to develop its own reading program, District Administration must ensure that the program is aligned with the procedures in The Dyslexia Handbook, including the required components and principles above.
The ARD Committee will only consider deviations from the approved dyslexia program if required based on data collection, a student’s present levels of academic achievement and functional performance (“PLAAFP”), and other areas of the student’s IEP. For example, a student with dyslexia and a Visual Impairment may require modifications to access the program, or a student with an Other Health Impairment may require an altered group size or slower pace. However, the core content itself will align as closely as possible with the required components in The Dyslexia Handbook. Additionally, the student’s PLAAFP and goals must target the student’s specific reading goals determined by the ARD Committee.
The District Administration will ensure that dyslexia instruction is provided by individuals trained to deliver such instruction. Individuals who provide dyslexia intervention for students are not required to hold a specific license or certification unless the District also employs the provider in a special education position that requires a special education certification, as determined by the District. However, these educators must at a minimum have additional documented dyslexia training aligned to the requirements of The Dyslexia Handbook and must deliver the instruction with fidelity. In addition, educators who teach students with dyslexia should be trained in new research and practices related to dyslexia as part of their continuing profession education (CPE) hours. Whenever possible, the District will make efforts to employee individuals with specific licenses and certifications that focus on dyslexia identification and instruction, such as licensed dyslexia therapists, licenses dyslexia practitioners, certified academic language therapists, certified academic language practitioners, and those with structured literacy certifications.
Although the Provider of Dyslexia Instruction does not need to be a certified special education teacher, Campus Special Education Personnel will work closely with the Provider of Dyslexia Instruction regarding the implementation of the student’s IEP. Campus Special Education Personnel may either provide direct, indirect, and/or support services to the student in the general education classroom or collaborate with the student’s general education classroom teacher and Provider of Dyslexia Instruction regarding the student’s services and progress. Campus Special Education Personnel will collaborate with the Provider of Dyslexia Instruction and the ARD Committee regarding the development of the student’s PLAAFP and IEP goals, among other things. If the Provider of Dyslexia Instruction is not certified in special education, Campus Special Education Personnel who are certified in special education will still be required to serve as a required ARD Committee member.
The Provider of Dyslexia Instruction will complete a progress report outlining the student’s progress as a result of receiving dyslexia instruction at least once per grading period, or more as required by a student’s IEP. Campus Special Education Personnel will ensure that this progress report is included with other special education IEP progress reports provided to parents at least once per grading period or as required by a student’s IEP. The District will also provide a progress report at least once per grading period for students receiving dyslexia instruction under Section 504 until the student transitions to receiving dyslexia instruction under an IEP.
The District will maintain documentation requirements of compliance associated with Texas Student Data System (TSDS), Public Education Information Management System (PEIMS), and State Performance Plan (SPP). District staff will provide training, with follow up, to ensure the documentation required is in place and compliant.
Cumulative Student Data
Instructional Strategies Provided and Student Response
Notice and Consent for FIIE
Prior Written Notice
Section 504 Evaluation
FIIE
Evidence of Trainings for Campus Personnel Administering Screenings
Certifications of Campus Personnel Administering Screenings
Certifications or Licenses of Special Education Evaluators
Evidence of Trainings for Special Education Evaluators
Documentation Evidencing Participation of Special Education Evaluator
Overview of Special Education for Parents form
Evidence of Training for Dyslexia Service Providers
Certifications of Dyslexia Service Providers
ARD/IEP
Section 504 Plan
Information Provided to Parent
Receipt From Parent of The Dyslexia Handbook
Receipt From Parent of Procedural Safeguards Under IDEA and/or Section 504
Approved Dyslexia Program
Documentation of Dyslexia Services Provided to Student
Documentation of Student Support Team Meetings
Special Education Progress Reports
Dyslexia Progress Reports
Documentation for the state in TSDS, PEIMS, and SPP
The Legal Framework for the Child-Centered Special Education Process: Dyslexia Services - Region 18
Dyslexia and Related Disorders - Texas Education Agency
HB 3928 FAQs: Dyslexia Evaluation, Identification and Instruction (Aug 2023)
Overview of Special Education for Parents August 2023 – Texas Education Agency
Provision of Services for Students with Dyslexia and Related Disorders - Texas Education Agency
Dear Colleague Letter: Guidance on Dyslexia (October 23, 2015) - U.S. Department of Education
To the Administrator Addressed: Updates to Dyslexia Handbook: Procedures Concerning Dyslexia and Related Disorders (Dyslexia Handbook) – September 23, 2021
Dyslexia PEIMS Coding Overview
Board Policy EHB; 34 CFR Part 104, Subpart D; Texas Education Code 7.102, 26.0081(d), 28.006, 29.0031, 29.0032, 37.006, 37.023, 38.003, 48.009(b)(1); 19 TAC 74.28; The Dyslexia Handbook: Procedures Concerning Dyslexia and Related Disorders, Texas Education Agency (last updated April 2024)