House Bill 272, titled ‘an act relating to reading and writing in schools’, recently passed the House Standing Committee on Primary and Secondary Education. Bill sponsors said it will update the Kentucky Department of Education’s toolkit for helping students with dyslexia and dysgraphia. Part of the update would include information about warning signs and things teachers should look for to aid students.
Representative Tina Bojanowski is a sponsor of the act and member of the House Committee. She is also a special education teacher and said this bill would help students who may not receive special education benefits get the help they need.
“Nothing in this bill would change thoughts on if a student comes in with an outside diagnosis of dyslexia or dysgraphia that they would then be eligible potentially for a 504 plan. So, effectively, what I understand this bill doing is increasing the understanding through the toolkit of what to do for students with dyslexia,” said Bojanowski.
The act amends KRS 158 to define dysgraphia and require that the department of education regularly review and update the dyslexia and dysgraphia toolkit it provides to Kentucky schools.
Representative James Tipton is also a sponsor of the bill and member of the committee. He said the general assembly passed legislation in 2018 regarding dyslexia, and in the time since only one school district of 171 has implemented programs. He said this is unacceptable.
“I’ve served on the education committee now for nine years, and this is a speech I’ve been saving. It dismays me, when we talk about an issue, and what’s best for the adults in the room outweighs what’s best for the students in the Commonwealth of Kentucky. I vote yes,” said Tipton.
Although the act did pass the committee, several members chose to abstain from voting for or against it. They spoke about being unsure where the burden of reporting would fall and additional financial strain this act would put on school systems. The sponsors of the bill agreed to discuss these issues outside of the normal session times.
The act was passed to the House, where it awaits further action.