Dyslexia Screening Amendments

7
53G-9-216
0
Dyslexia Screening Amendments
2026 GENERAL SESSION
STATE OF UTAH
Chief Sponsor: Kathleen A. Riebe
House Sponsor:
LONG TITLE
General Description:
This bill requires dyslexia screening for certain students in public schools.
Highlighted Provisions:
This bill:
defines terms;
requires certain school districts to screen certain students for dyslexia;
requires a regional education service agency to screen certain students for dyslexia;
allows a parent to request dyslexia screening for the parent's student in certain situations;
allows a charter school to screen certain students for dyslexia; and
requires the state board to:
distribute funds the Legislature appropriates;
provide dyslexia screening for certain students; and
make relevant administrative rules.
Money Appropriated in this Bill:
None
Other Special Clauses:
This bill provides a special effective date.
Utah Code Sections Affected:
ENACTS:
53G-9-216
, Utah Code Annotated 1953
Be it enacted by the Legislature of the state of Utah:
Section 1. Section
53G-9-216
is enacted to read:
53G-9-216
. Dyslexia screening.
(1)
As used in this section:
(a)
"Dyslexia" means the same as that term is defined in Section
53E-4-307
.
(b)
"Large school district" means a school district:
(i)
with more than 3,000 students; or
(ii)
located in a county of the first, second, or third class, as described in Section
17-60-104
.
(c)
"Public school" means a:
(i)
district school; or
(ii)
charter school.
(d)
"Regional education service agency" means the same as that term is defined in
Section
53G-4-410
.
(e)
"Small school district" means a school district:
(i)
with 3,000 students or fewer; or
(ii)
located in a county of the fourth, fifth, or sixth class, as described in Section
17-60-104
.
(2)
A large school district shall:
(a)
administer a dyslexia screener to a student enrolled in a public school in:
(i)
kindergarten;
(ii)
grade 1; and
(iii)
grade 2;
(b)
administer the dyslexia screener described in Subsection
(2)(a)
at least once during
each school year for the applicable grade level; and
(c)
use the funds the state board allocates under Subsection
(8)
to:
(i)
hire one full-time equivalent employee whose primary responsibility is to
administer a dyslexia screener and coordinate screening activities within the large
school district, in accordance with the requirements of this section; and
(ii)
cover other costs associated with the requirements of this section.
(3)
(a)
A regional education service agency shall:
(i)
administer a dyslexia screener to:
(A)
each student enrolled in a small school district; and
(B)
upon request, a student enrolled at a charter school in accordance with
Subsection
(4)
; and
(ii)
use the funds the state board allocates under Subsection
(8)
to:
(A)
hire one full-time equivalent employee whose primary responsibility is to
administer a dyslexia screener and coordinate screening activities within the
regional education service agency, in accordance with the requirements of this
section; and
(B)
cover other costs associated with the requirements of this section.
(b)
A small school district shall use the small school district's regional education service
agency to administer the dyslexia screener required under Subsection
(3)(a)
.
(4)
A charter school may, voluntarily or upon the request of a parent of a student enrolled in
the charter school, through the charter school's regional education service agency,
administer a dyslexia screener to a student in:
(a)
kindergarten;
(b)
grade 1; or
(c)
grade 2.
(5)
(a)
A parent of a student enrolled at a public school, in grades kindergarten through
grade 2, may request a dyslexia screening for the parent's student regardless of
whether a public school has administered a screener to the student in accordance with
this section.
(b)
A parent of a student enrolled in the following programs may request that the state
board screen the parent's student for dyslexia:
(i)
a home school program;
(ii)
the Carson Smith Opportunity Scholarship Program, established in Section
53E-7-402
;
(iii)
the Statewide Online Education Program, created in Section
53F-4-502
; or
(iv)
the Utah Fits All Scholarship Program, established in Section
53F-6-402
.
(6)
A school district or regional education service agency may select and administer any
dyslexia screener that:
(a)
aligns with state board rule; and
(b)
complies with the requirements of this section.
(7)
For a student whom a district or charter school screens for dyslexia under this section
and who demonstrates characteristics of dyslexia, the district or charter school shall
comply with the requirements of Subsection
53E-4-307(4)(a)
.
(8)
The state board shall:
(a)
subject to legislative appropriations, distribute funds to each large school district and
each regional educational service agency to comply with the requirements of this
section;
(b)
employ or contract with personnel who can administer a dyslexia screener to the
students described in Subsection
(5)(b)
; and
(c)
in accordance with Title 63G, Chapter 3, Utah Administrative Rulemaking Act,
make rules to:
(i)
create a process to identify reliable and effective dyslexia screeners for use under
this section; and
(ii)
comply with the requirements of this section.
Section 2.
Effective Date.
This bill takes effect on
July 1, 2026
.
1-19-26 1:54 PM