Important Documents and Resources

• Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) For DC Law 23-191 Addressing Dyslexia and Other Reading Difficulties Amendment Act of 2020
• Non-Regulatory Guidance: Intersections of Dyslexia and Special Education
• OSSE Approved Universal Screeners List
• Dyslexia Communications Toolkit for LEAs
• Universal Screener Implementation Guidance
• Student Advocate's Dyslexia Family Guide

Dyslexia definition: Dyslexia is a specific learning disability that is neurobiological in origin. It is characterized by difficulties with accurate and/or fluent word recognition and by poor spelling and decoding abilities. These difficulties typically result from a deficit in the phonological component of language that is often unexpected in relation to other cognitive abilities and the provision of effective classroom instruction. Dyslexia may have secondary consequences that include problems in reading comprehension and reduced reading experience that can impede growth of vocabulary and background knowledge.

Reading difficulty means any neurological or physical impediment to reaching grade-level developmental reading milestones, including dyslexia, dyscalculia, or dysgraphia, and other reading disabilities.

The Office of the State Superintendent of Education (OSSE) must implement the following as outlined by DC Law 23-191 Addressing Dyslexia and Other Reading Difficulties Amendment Act of 2020:

• OSSE shall provide an array of supports, informed by best practices such as the knowledge and practice standards of an international association of dyslexia, to assist local education agencies (LEAs) and public schools to achieve the requirements and goals set forth.
• Establish professional development requirements for public school educators on the topic of reading difficulties (including awareness training for all K-12 LEA educators).
• Beginning with the 2022-2023 school year and annually thereafter, each educator employed by an LEA, including those who received training pursuant to subsection (a) of this section, shall complete awareness training on reading difficulties as provided by OSSE.
  • Educators may access the Dyslexia and Reading Difficulties Awareness training modules on the OSSE learning management system (LMS). Learn more on how to access the LMS here.
• Provide a list of recommended universal screening instruments that an LEA may use to identify students who are at risk of reading difficulties. The universal screener should include Phonological awareness; rapid naming skills; correspondence between sounds and letters; and decoding.
• Beginning with the 2023-24 school year, using the guidance provided by OSSE pursuant to section 102(a)(3), an LEA shall ensure that all students in kindergarten through second grade are screened for reading difficulties.
  • If an LEA chooses to use a screening instrument that is not recommended by OSSE pursuant to section 102(a)(3), the LEA shall make available, upon request, its reasoning as to why it chose to use that screening tool.
• Develop guidance on:
  • (A) How to identify if a student has one or more reading difficulties, including how to distinguish whether an English language learner's reading issue is due to a reading difficulty or is associated with learning English as a second language;
  • (B) Proper protocols and procedures for screening students for potential reading difficulties; and
  • (C) Specialized, multi-tiered remediation and intervention instruction that is grounded in science-based reading instruction, intended for a general education setting and designed to support students who are identified as being at risk of having reading difficulties.

Compliance Reporting:

• Beginning Oct. 31, 2023, and by Oct. 31 of each year thereafter, District of Columbia Public Schools (DCPS) shall send a letter to OSSE reporting whether each DCPS school has complied with the requirements set forth in this title in the previous school year. If a DCPS school has failed to comply with one of more sections of this title, DCPS shall state the name of the school, the deficiency and the timeline for curing said deficiency.
  • OSSE shall make publicly available the DCPS compliance letter within 10 business days of Oct. 31.
• Beginning Oct. 31, 2023, and by Oct. 31 of each year thereafter, each public charter LEA shall send a letter to the Public Charter School Board (PCSB) reporting whether each public charter school within the LEA has complied with the requirements set forth in this title in the previous school year. If a public charter school has failed to comply with one of more sections of this title, the public charter school LEA shall state the name of the school, the deficiency, and the timeline for curing the deficiency. By Nov. 15, 2023, and by Nov. 15 of each year thereafter, the PCSB shall transmit a copy of each letter to OSSE.
  • OSSE shall make publicly available the compliance letters within 10 business days of Nov. 15.