S T A T E   O F   N E W   Y O R K
 ________________________________________________________________________
 
                                   2599
 
                        2023-2024 Regular Sessions
 
                             I N  S E N A T E
 
                             January 23, 2023
                                ___________
 
 Introduced  by  Sens.  HOYLMAN-SIGAL,  CLEARE,  HINCHEY, JACKSON, MAYER,
   MYRIE, SKOUFIS -- read twice and ordered printed, and when printed  to
   be committed to the Committee on Education
 
 AN ACT in relation to establishing a dyslexia and dysgraphia task force;
   and providing for the repeal of such provisions upon expiration there-
   of

   THE  PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK, REPRESENTED IN SENATE AND ASSEM-
 BLY, DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS:
 
   Section 1. Dyslexia and dysgraphia task force. 1. The commissioner  of
 education shall establish a task force to examine appropriate and effec-
 tive  evidence-based  dyslexia and dysgraphia screening methods, reading
 interventions, and other educational supports for students in kindergar-
 ten through grade five. The task force shall consist  of  at  least  ten
 members,  including the commissioner of education or their designee, who
 shall serve as chair of the task force. The remaining members  shall  be
 appointed  by  the  commissioner of education in such a manner to ensure
 that all regions of the state are represented, and shall include: (a) at
 least two members who specialize in identifying, evaluating,  and  diag-
 nosing  individuals with dyslexia or dysgraphia; (b) at least one member
 who specializes in educating individuals with  dyslexia  or  dysgraphia;
 (c)  at  least  one member who is a parent of a student with dyslexia or
 dysgraphia; (d) at least one member with dyslexia or dysgraphia; (e)  at
 least  one member from an institute of higher education who is an expert
 in dyslexia or dysgraphia; and (f) at least one member who is  a  public
 school  teacher  who specializes in teaching literacy and evidence-based
 reading instruction. All members  shall  have  expertise  in  fields  or
 disciplines  related  to  the  identification  of students with learning
 disabilities including the unique educational  needs  of  students  with
 dyslexia or dysgraphia.
   2.  The  task force shall conduct at least two public hearings for the
 purpose of obtaining information from stakeholders and other  interested
 
  EXPLANATION--Matter in ITALICS (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
                       [ ] is old law to be omitted.
                                                            LBD00296-01-3
              

 S. 2599                             2
 
 parties  including  but  not  limited  to  speech  pathologists, reading
 specialists, teachers, school administrators, and parents.
   3.  The  task  force shall prepare and submit a report of its findings
 and recommendations to the governor, temporary president of  the  senate
 and  speaker of the assembly eighteen months after the effective date of
 this act.
   4. For the purposes of this act,  the  term  "screening  methods"  may
 include  examining  the  use  and  frequency  of  dyslexia or dysgraphia
 screeners that are valid, reliable, low cost, and developmentally appro-
 priate that measure deficits in areas including: (a) phonological aware-
 ness; (b) phonological or language-based  memory;  (c)  rapid  automatic
 naming;  (d)  receptive vocabulary; (e) phonics skills; (f) decoding and
 encoding real and pseudo-words; (g) oral reading fluency; and (h)  writ-
 ing  at the sentence and paragraph level. Such screeners shall be inclu-
 sive of students with diverse  racial,  linguistic,  and  socio-economic
 backgrounds, and factor familial history.
   §  2.  This act shall take effect January 1, 2024 and shall expire and
 be deemed repealed August 1, 2025.