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2018 SESSION

18104501D
SENATE JOINT RESOLUTION NO. 59
Offered January 10, 2018
Establishing a joint subcommittee to study the identification of and interventions for dyslexia in the public elementary and secondary schools of the Commonwealth. Report.
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Patron-- Newman
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Referred to Committee on Rules
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WHEREAS, dyslexia is a specific learning disability that is neurological in origin, characterized by difficulties with accurate and fluent word recognition and poor spelling and decoding abilities that typically result from a deficit in the phonological component of language, and often unexpected in relation to other cognitive abilities; and

WHEREAS, dyslexia in elementary and secondary school students is often unidentified or misidentified by teachers and other instructional personnel and students with unidentified or misidentified dyslexia often experience acute academic difficulties; and

WHEREAS, early intervention is the key to helping individuals achieve in school and in life; and

WHEREAS, it is imperative to identify dyslexia in elementary and secondary school students to ensure students receive evidence-based interventions as early as possible; now, therefore, be it

RESOLVED by the Senate, the House of Delegates concurring, That a joint subcommittee be established to study the identification of and interventions for dyslexia in the public elementary and secondary schools of the Commonwealth. The joint subcommittee shall consist of 13 legislative members. Members shall be appointed as follows: six members of the Senate to be appointed by the Senate Committee on Rules upon the recommendation of the Chairman of the Senate Committee on Education and Health and seven members of the House Committee on Education to be appointed by the Speaker of the House of Delegates upon the recommendation of the Chairman of the House Committee on Education. The joint subcommittee shall elect a chairman and vice-chairman from among its membership.

In conducting its study, the joint subcommittee shall consider the following as they relate to dyslexia: (i) screening tools designed to give an indication of possible dyslexia, (ii) implementing such screening tools in public schools, (iii) effective, evidence-based interventions, (iv) teacher education and professional development, (v) funding, (vi) parental notification, (vii) pilot programs, and (viii) any other matters the joint subcommittee deems relevant. The joint subcommittee may collaborate with teacher preparation programs at public institutions of higher education to conduct its study.

Administrative staff support shall be provided by the Office of the Clerk of the Senate. Legal, research, policy analysis, and other services as requested by the joint subcommittee shall be provided by the Division of Legislative Services. Technical assistance shall be provided by the Department of Education. All agencies of the Commonwealth shall provide assistance to the joint subcommittee for this study, upon request.

The joint subcommittee shall be limited to four meetings for the 2018 interim, and the direct costs of this study shall not exceed $24,440 without approval as set out in this resolution. Approval for unbudgeted nonmember-related expenses shall require the written authorization of the chairman of the joint subcommittee and the respective Clerk. If a companion joint resolution of the other chamber is agreed to, written authorization of both Clerks shall be required.

No recommendation of the joint subcommittee shall be adopted if a majority of the Senate members or a majority of the House members appointed to the joint subcommittee (i) vote against the recommendation and (ii) vote for the recommendation to fail notwithstanding the majority vote of the joint subcommittee.

The joint subcommittee shall complete its meetings by November 30, 2018, and the chairman shall submit to the Division of Legislative Automated Systems an executive summary of its findings and recommendations no later than the first day of the 2019 Regular Session of the General Assembly. The executive summary shall state whether the joint subcommittee intends to submit to the General Assembly and the Governor a report of its findings and recommendations for publication as a House or Senate document. The executive summary and the report shall be submitted as provided in the procedures of the Division of Legislative Automated Systems for the processing of legislative documents and reports and shall be posted on the General Assembly's website.

Implementation of this resolution is subject to subsequent approval and certification by the Joint Rules Committee. The Committee may approve or disapprove expenditures for this study, extend or delay the period for the conduct of the study, or authorize additional meetings during the 2018 interim.