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Humble Independent School

District

Dyslexia Program

Guidelines and

Procedures

2014-to date

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Table of Contents

Mission, Overview and Goal 3

General Information & Definition of Dyslexia 4

Characteristics of Dyslexia 5

Common Risk Factors 6

Dyslexia Referrals 8

Formal Assessment 9

Domains to Assess 11

Assessment Timeline 12

Identification of Dyslexic Students 12

ARD Committee- When is it Appropriate? 13

Reevaluation of Dyslexia Intervention and Accommodations 13

Assessment of Students Identified Outside of the District 13

Placement after Identification 14

Instruction for Students with Dyslexia 15

Review of Progress 16

Program Exit Criteria 16

Instructional Accommodations for Students with Disabilities 18

AIM 19

GT/Dyslexia 19

Legislative Action to Assist Teachers 20

TEA Dyslexia Handbook

Examiner’s Records

Parent Forms and Information

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Humble Independent School District

Dyslexia Program

Mission, Overview and Goals

Mission Statement:

Our purpose, in partnership with families and community, is to develop each child intellectually,

artistically, emotionally, physically, and socially so that all students are life-long learners, complex

thinkers, responsible global citizens and effective communicators.

Overview:

This procedure guide sets for the procedures regarding dyslexia and related disorders in Humble

Independent School District. The guide provides general information about dyslexia, procedures to

intervention options for students struggling to read, write and/or spell. The guide also outlines

allowable accommodations on state student assessment, gives specific information about student

monitoring during participation in the Section 504 Dyslexia Program and details criteria exit from

the program. Finally, information and resources for parents and teachers are provided (in

reproducible formats for ease of distribution.)

These procedures correspond to state and federal guidelines, and were developed to provide an

effective means for meeting the needs of students with dyslexia in Humble ISD. Humble ISD’s

Dyslexia Procedures Guide follows the recommendations of the Texas Education Agency as stated

in “The Dyslexia Handbook: Procedures Concerning Dyslexia and other Related Disorders”

(TEA, Revised 2014.) The HISD procedures guide is intended to clarify the district’s

implementation of the state procedures; any conflict between this document and “The Dyslexia

Handbook” is unintentional and should be resolved in favor of the TEA document.

Goal:

Humble ISD’s philosophy is that students with dyslexia and related disorders should be educated in

the regular classroom to the maximum extent appropriate. If individual student needs indicate,

services outside the regular classroom may be appropriate. The goal of the District is to provide

students with dyslexia support services they need to benefit from instruction in the regular

classroom.

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General Information and Definition of Dyslexia

The Humble Independent School District Dyslexia Program follows the procedural guidelines set

forth in Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 and The Dyslexia Handbook: Revised

Procedures Concerning Dyslexia and Related Disorders (2014). This program is specifically

designed to serve students who exhibit characteristics associated with Dyslexia

General Information

House Bill 157, passed in 1985, requires all school districts to serve students with dyslexia and

related disorder. This law, now found in Section §38.003 of the Texas Education Code, includes the

following definitions of “dyslexia” and “related disorders.”

Definition of Dyslexia

The Texas Education Code (TEC) §38.003 defines dyslexia as follows:

1. “Dyslexia” means a disorder of constitutional origin manifested by a difficulty in learning to

read, write, or spell, despite conventional instruction, adequate intelligence and socio-

cultural opportunity.

2. “Related disorders” includes disorders similar to or related to dyslexia such as

developmental auditory imperceptions, dysphasia, specific developmental dyslexia,

developmental dysgraphia and developmental spelling disability.

The TEA “Dyslexia Handbook” also refers to the working definition of the International Dyslexia

Association which states:

Dyslexia is a specific learning disability that is neurological 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. Secondary consequences may include problems in reading

comprehension and reduced reading experience that can impede growth of vocabulary and

background knowledge.

(Adopted by the International Dyslexia Association Board of Directors, November 12, 2002)

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Characteristics of Dyslexia

Characteristics of Dyslexia:

Characteristics that are associated with dyslexia are listed. A child with dyslexia may exhibit a wide

range of characteristics; however, a child need not exhibit all of these traits to be considered

dyslexic. Also, a child may have one or more of these difficulties without being dyslexic.

The primary areas of difficulty for a student identified as having dyslexia occur in phonemic

awareness and manipulation single-word decoding, reading fluency and spelling. Secondary

consequences of dyslexia may include difficulties in reading comprehension and/or written

expression. These difficulties are UNEXPECTED for the student’s age, educational level, or cognitive

abilities. Additionally, there is often a FAMILY HISTORY of similar difficulties.

The primary reading/spelling characteristics of dyslexia:

Difficulty reading single words in isolation

Difficulty accurately decoding nonsense or unfamiliar words

Slow, inaccurate, or labored oral reading (lack of reading fluency)

Difficulty with learning to spell

The reading/spelling characteristics that are a result of difficulty with the following:

The development of phonological awareness, including segmenting,, blending, and

manipulating sounds in words

Learning the names of letters and their associated sounds

Phonological memory (holding information about sounds and words in memory)

Rapid naming of familiar objects, colors, or letters of the alphabet

The secondary consequences of dyslexia may include the following:

Variable difficulty with aspects of reading comprehension

Variable difficulty with aspects of written composition; and/or

A limited amount of time spent in reading activities

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Common Risk Factors Associated with Dyslexia:

If the following behaviors are unexpected for an individual’s age, educational level, or cognitive abilities, they may be risk factors associated with dyslexia. A student with dyslexia usually exhibits several of these behaviors that persist over time and interfere with his/her learning. A family history of dyslexia may be present; in fact, recent studies reveal that the whole spectrum of reading disabilities is strongly determined by genetic predispositions (inherited aptitudes) (Olson, Keenan, Byrne, & Samuelsson, 2014). Preschool • Delay in learning to talk • Difficulty with rhyming • Difficulty pronouncing words (e.g., “pusgetti” for “spaghetti,” “mawn lower” for “lawn mower”) • Poor auditory memory for nursery rhymes and chants • Difficulty in adding new vocabulary words • Inability to recall the right word (word retrieval) • Trouble learning and naming letters and numbers and remembering the letters in his/ her name • Aversion to print (e.g., doesn’t enjoy following along if book is read aloud) Kindergarten and First Grade • Difficulty breaking words into smaller parts (syllables) (e.g., “baseball” can be pulled apart into “base” “ ball” or “napkin” can be pulled apart into “nap” “kin”) • Difficulty identifying and manipulating sounds in syllables (e.g., “man” sounded out as /m/ /ă/ /n/) • Difficulty remembering the names of letters and recalling their corresponding sounds • Difficulty decoding single words (reading single words in isolation) • Difficulty spelling words the way they sound (phonetically) or remembering letter sequences in very common words seen often in print ( e.g., “sed” for “said”) Second Grade and Third Grade Many of the previously described behaviors remain problematic along with the following: • Difficulty recognizing common sight words (e.g., “to,” “said,” “been”) • Difficulty decoding single words • Difficulty recalling the correct sounds for letters and letter patterns in reading • Difficulty connecting speech sounds with appropriate letter or letter combinations and omitting letters in words for spelling (e.g., “after” spelled “eftr”) • Difficulty reading fluently (e.g., slow, inaccurate, and/or without expression) • Difficulty decoding unfamiliar words in sentences using knowledge of phonics • Reliance on picture clues, story theme, or guessing at words • Difficulty with written expression

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Fourth Grade through Sixth Grade Many of the previously described behaviors remain problematic along with the following: • Difficulty reading aloud (e.g., fear of reading aloud in front of classmates) • Avoidance of reading (e.g., particularly for pleasure) • Acquisition of less vocabulary due to reduced independent reading • Use of less complicated words in writing that are easier to spell than more appropriate words (e.g., “big” instead of “enormous”) • Reliance on listening rather than reading for comprehension Middle School and High School Many of the previously described behaviors remain problematic along with the following: • Difficulty with the volume of reading and written work • Frustration with the amount of time required and energy expended for reading • Difficulty with written assignments • Tendency to avoid reading (particularly for pleasure) • Difficulty learning a foreign language Postsecondary Some students will not be identified prior to entering college as having dyslexia. The early years of reading difficulties evolve into slow, labored reading fluency. Many students will experience extreme frustration and fatigue due to the increasing demands of reading as the result of dyslexia. In making a diagnosis for dyslexia, a student’s reading history, familial/genetic predisposition, and assessment history are critical. Many of the previously described behaviors may remain problematic along with the following: • Difficulty pronouncing names of people and places or parts of words • Difficulty remembering names of people and places • Difficulty with word retrieval • Difficulty with spoken vocabulary • Difficulty completing the reading demands for multiple course requirements • Difficulty with note-taking • Difficulty with written production • Difficulty remembering sequences (e.g., mathematical and/or scientific formulas) Since dyslexia is a neurological, language-based disability that persists over time and interferes with an individual’s learning, it is critical that identification and intervention occur as early as possible.

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Dyslexia Referrals

Both state and federal legislation emphasize early identification and intervention for students who

may be at risk for reading disabilities, such as dyslexia.

When do we evaluate for Dyslexia?

The RtI committee and the students’ teachers can refer a student for dyslexia testing if a student

continues to struggle with one more components of reading, if he/she demonstrates the common

characteristics of dyslexia and/or a parent/guardian requests a dyslexia assessment. Students may

also be referred for dyslexia testing during the special education initial evaluation and/or during

the special education re-evaluation process. The appropriate time to assess a child depends upon

multiple factors including the student’s reading performance; reading difficulties; poor response to

supplemental, scientifically based reading instruction; teachers’ input; and input from

parents/guardians. It is appropriate to assess a child early in his/her school career.

The student should demonstrate:

Poor performance in one or more areas of reading and spelling that is unexpected for the

students’ age/grade

Characteristics and risk factors of dyslexia indicated in “The Dyslexia Handbook Chapter 1:

Definitions and Characteristics of Dyslexia.”

*Progression through tiered intervention is not required in order to begin the identification of

dyslexia.

Cumulative Data

The academic history of each student will provide the school with the data needed to ensure that

underachievement in a student suspected of having dyslexia is not due to lack of appropriate

instruction in reading. The Dyslexia Handbook 2014.

Sources and Examples of Cumulative Data

Vision screening Parent conference notes

Hearing screening K-2 reading instrument results

(Istation/DRA)

Teacher reports of classroom concerns 7th grade reading instrument results

Classroom reading assessments State student assessment program

Accommodations or intervention provided Observations of instruction provided

Academic progress reports/report cards Full Individual Evaluation (FIE)

Gifted/talented assessments Outside evaluations

Samples of school work Speech and language assessments

School Attendance Curriculum based assessment measures

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RtI strategies monitoring Universal Screening

HERSI/HILS if applicable

Environmental and Socioeconomic Factors

Information regarding a child’s early literacy experiences, environmental factors, and

socioeconomic status must be part of the data collected throughout the data gathering process.

This data supports the determination that difficulties in learning are not due to cultural factors or

environmental or economic disadvantages.

Considerations for English Language Learners

English Language Learners (This refers to students served in bilingual and ESL programs as well as

students designated limited English proficient (LEP) whose parents have denied services.)

Much diversity exists among English language learners (ELLs). The identification and service

delivery process for dyslexia must be in step with the students’ linguistic environment and

educational background. Involvement of the Language Proficiency Assessment Committee (LPAC)

is required.

Additional Data Sources for English Language Learners

Home Language Survey

Assessment related to identification for limited English proficiency (all years available)

TELPAS information from four domains tested

Instructional interventions provided to address language needs

Information regarding previous schooling inside and/or outside the United States

Type of language program model provided and language of instruction

Formal Assessment

After data gathering, the next step in the evaluation process is formal assessment. Formal

assessment includes both formal and informal data. All data will be used to determine whether the

student demonstrates a pattern of evidence for dyslexia.

Through the §504 process, the school completes the evaluation as outlined using the following

procedures:

1. Notify parents/guardians of the proposal to assess student for dyslexia (504).

2. Inform parents/guardians of their rights under §504.

3. Obtain permission from parents/guardians to assess the student for dyslexia.

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4. Assess student being sure that individuals/professionals who administer assessments have

training in the evaluation of student for dyslexia and related disorders (19 TAC §74.28).

In compliance with §504 and IDEA 2004, test instruments and other evaluation materials must

meet the following criteria:

Be validated for the specific purpose for which the tests, assessments, and other evaluation

materials are used

Include material tailored to asses specific areas of education need and not merely materials

that are designed to provide a single general intelligence quotient

Be selected and administered so as to ensure that, when a test is given to a student with

impaired sensory, manual, or speaking skills, the test results accurately reflect the student’s

aptitude, achievement level, or whatever other factor the test purports to measure, rather

than reflecting the student’s impaired sensory, manual, or speaking skills

Be selected and administered in a manner that is not racially or culturally discriminatory

Include multiple measures of a student’s reading abilities such as informal assessment

information (e.g. anecdotal records, district universal screenings, progress monitoring data,

criterion-referenced assessments, results of informal reading inventories, classroom

observations)

Be administered by trained personnel and in conformance with the instructions provided

by the producer of the evaluation materials

Be used for the purpose for which the assessment or measures are valid or reliable

Be provided and administered in the student’s native language or other mode of

communication and in the form most likely to yield accurate information regarding what

the child can do academically, developmentally, and functionally, unless it is clearly not

feasible to provide or administer

Additional Considerations for English Language Learners

A professional involved in the assessment, interpretation of assessment results, and identification

of

ELLs with dyslexia needs to have the following training/knowledge:

• Knowledge of first and second language acquisition theory

• Knowledge of the written system of the first language—transparent (Spanish, Italian,

German), syllabic (Japanese-kana), Semitic (Arabic, Hebrew), and morphosyllabic

(Chinese-Kanji)

• Knowledge of student’s literacy skills in native and second language

• Knowledge of how to interpret results from a cross-linguistic perspective

• Knowledge of how to interpret the TELPAS (Texas English Language Proficiency

Assessment System)

• Knowledge of how to interpret the results of the student’s oral language proficiency in

two or more languages in relation to the results of the tests measuring academic

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achievement and cognitive processes as well as academic data gathered and economic

and socioeconomic factors

Although data from previous formal testing of the student’s oral language proficiency may be

available,

as required by TEC §29.056, additional assessment of oral language proficiency should be

completed for

a dyslexia evaluation due to the importance of the information for:

• consideration in relation to academic challenges,

• planning the assessment, and

• interpreting assessment results

If there is not a test in the native language of the student, informal measures of evaluation

such as

reading a list of words or listening comprehension in the native language may be used.

Domains to Assess

Academic Skills

Letter knowledge (name and associated sound)

Reading words in isolation

Decoding unfamiliar words accurately

Reading fluency (both rate and accuracy are assessed)

Reading comprehension

Spelling

Cognitive Processes

Phonological/phonemic awareness

Rapid naming of symbols or objects

Possible Additional Areas

Vocabulary

Listening comprehension

Verbal expression written expression

Handwriting

Memory for letter or symbol sequences (orthographic processing)

Mathematical calculation/reasoning

Phonological memory

Verbal working memory

Processing speed

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Assessment Timeline

Upon receipt of the Dyslexia Referral from the RtI team or parent/guardian:

15 or fewer school days to get permission to test

Upon receipt of permission to test:

45 or fewer school days to complete the assessments

Following the completion of testing:

30 or fewer school days to hold the §504 meeting to determine eligibility and program

placement if applicable

Following the 504 committee meeting:

Elementary- 5 or fewer school days to begin dyslexia program (if it is determined the

student is eligible for the program)

Secondary- 10 or fewer school days or days deemed necessary by the §504 committee to

begin dyslexia program (if it is determined the student is eligible for the program)

Identification of Students with Dyslexia

The state requires all school districts to develop procedures for identification and appropriate

instructional programs for students identified with dyslexia. At any time a student continues to

struggle with reading, the district will gather data from parents, teachers and others to determine

the appropriate intervention. Assessment for dyslexia may be appropriate for a student who shows

some or all of the characteristics of dyslexia, and who has unexpected poor performance in reading,

writing and/or spelling in the classroom. Additionally, the Reading Academic Lead Teachers (ALTs)

may conference with teachers about literacy instruction and learning, especially for struggling

readers. Students with known family history of dyslexia may also be monitored through the

district-wide primary assessments for early signs of difficulty with reading so that intervention and

possible assessment for dyslexia may take place as early as needed.

A team or committee of knowledgeable persons determines if the student has dyslexia. In Humble

Independent School District, the committee of knowledgeable persons functioning in the position

may be the RtI team or leader or leader or ARD/IEP (hereafter referred to as “The Committee.”)

The Committee must be knowledgeable about:

The student being assessed

The reading process

Dyslexia and other related disorders

Dyslexia instruction

District, RtI, and federal guidelines for assessment

The assessment used, and

The meaning of the data collected

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The Committee determines the identification of dyslexia after reviewing all accumulated data

including the following areas:

The observations of the teacher

Data gathered from the classroom (including student work and the results of the classroom

measures) and information found in the student’s cumulative folder (including the

developmental and academic history of the student)

Data-based documentation of student progress during instruction/intervention

The results of administered assessments

Language Assessment Proficiency Committee (LPAC) documentation, when applicable

All other accumulated data regarding the development of the student’s learning and his/her

educational needs

The Committee must determine if the student’s difficulties in the areas of reading and spelling

reflect a pattern of evidence for the primary characteristics of dyslexia with unexpectedly low

performance for the student’s age and education level in some or all of the following areas:

Reading words in isolation

Decoding unfamiliar words accurately and automatically

Reading fluency for connected text (both rate and/or accuracy)

Spelling (An isolated difficulty in spelling would not be sufficient to identify dyslexia.)

Questions to be Considered when Making a Determination

Does the data show a pattern of low reading and spelling skills that is unexpected for the

student in relation to the student’s other cognitive abilities and provision of effective

classroom instruction?

Does this pattern indicate the student has dyslexia?

Does the student have a disability under §504?

Typically, students with dyslexia will demonstrate academic underachievement. Information from

parents and other sources will indicate that the student’s lack of academic progress is not due to

chronic absenteeism, illness, physical difficulties with sight or hearing, second language acquisition,

lack of experiential background or problems in the home. Many students with dyslexia perform

significantly better in math, science and/or social students than they do in the language arts

(reading and written expression).

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The Committee must also incorporate the following guidelines from TEC §38.003 and 19 TAC

§74.28:

The student has received conventional, appropriate reading instruction

The student has experienced an unexpected lack of appropriate progress in the areas of

reading and/or written spelling

The student has adequate intelligence (an average ability to learn in the absence of print or

in other academic areas)

The student exhibits characteristics associated with dyslexia

The student’s lack of progress not being due to sociocultural factors such as language

differences, irregular attendance, and lack of experiential background

Based on the above information and guidelines, the Committee determines whether the student has

dyslexia. Documentation of the following items is essential for compliance with procedures as

outlined in “The Dyslexia Handbook.”

Review of Data by the Admission, Review, and Dismissal (ARD) Committee- When is it

Appropriate?

At any time during the assessment for dyslexia, identification process, or instruction related to

dyslexia, students may be referred for evaluation for special education services. If the student with

dyslexia is found eligible for special education services in the area of reading, and the ARD

committee determines the student’s instructional needs for reading are most appropriately met in

special education placement, the student’s IEP must include appropriate reading instruction. If the

student has previously met special education eligibility, the ARD committee should include goals

that reflect the need for dyslexia instruction in the IEP and determine the least restrict environment

for delivering the student’s dyslexia intervention.

Reevaluation for Dyslexia Identification and Accommodations

TEC 38.003(a) was passed in 1995 to ensure that students enrolling in public schools in this state

are tested for dyslexia and related disorders. In 2011, Senate Bill 866 added into law Subsection (b-

1) to ensure that districts consider previously collected data before reevaluating students already

identified as having dyslexia.

Assessment of Students Identified Outside of the District

Student identified as having dyslexia or related disorders form an outside source will be evaluated

for eligibility in the district’s program. Humble ISD may choose to accept the outside assessment or

may re-assess the student. In either situation the committee (§504 or ARD) will determine the

identification status of a student enrolled in Humble ISD and the placement of the student in the

dyslexia program.

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Placement after Identification

After a student has been identified as dyslexic, the Committee determines the appropriate

placement to meet the student’s individual needs. The student may be placed into the following

categories of service:

Intervention Class- This is a pull out class during which the student receives instruction from a

teacher trained in dyslexia. The instruction must meet the descriptors as outlined in The Dyslexia

Handbook. Students needing instruction in an intervention class will usually need

accommodations for success in the regular classroom.

Exit from Program- After completing the district approved dyslexia intervention program/class;

students may be exited from the intervention program.

Monitor Status- When an identified student no longer needs the district approved dyslexia

intervention program/class; he/she may be placed on a monitor only Dyslexia status. RtI will

continue to meet and check the progress of the student to assure continued success without

support.

****Accommodations Only- This student may be mildly dyslexic or may have already

completed intervention, but needs some accommodations to be successful in the regular

classroom.

If a student in Monitored Status begins to experience difficulty or cannot be academically

successful, he/she can return to Intervention Class to receive further instruction or support. The

request for more instruction or support may come from the student, teacher and parent/guardians.

The Committee will meet to determine appropriate services.

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Instruction for Students with Dyslexia

Appropriate instruction will be provided by a teacher trained in instructional strategies that utilize

individualized, intensive, multisensory, phonetic methods and a variety of writing and spelling

components at his/her campus as specified in The Dyslexia Handbook, 2014.

Components of Instruction

Components of instruction, as appropriate for the reading needs of the student, include the

following:

Phonological awareness

Sound-symbol association

Syllabication

Orthography

Morphology

Syntax

Reading comprehension

Reading fluency

Delivery of Dyslexia Instruction

Principles of effective intervention for students with dyslexia include all of the following:

Simultaneous, multisensory (VAKT)

Systematic and cumulative

Explicit instruction

Diagnostic teaching to automaticity

Synthetic instruction

Analytic instruction

Elementary Level:

Students will be taught and monitored by the Dyslexia Intervention Teacher. Time allotted for

dyslexia intervention classes is usually 30-45 minutes at least 4 days per week. Individual needs

must be taken into consideration when planning intervention methods and the time required

delivering the needed instruction. Students should not be removed from core subject instructional

time for their dyslexia intervention.

Secondary Level:

At the middle school level, students with dyslexia will be taught and/or monitored by the Dyslexia

teacher. The level of services provided will depend on the individual needs of the student.

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At the high school level, there is a designated dyslexia teacher as the contact. Students requiring

direct instruction will be enrolled in a supplemental reading class for explicit instruction in all

aspects of reading.

Instructional Intervention Consideration for English Language Learners with Dyslexia

Learning to read, write and spell in two languages can be facilitated by building on a student’s

native language knowledge and helping to transfer that knowledge to a second language.

Instruction for ELLs should:

Address similarities and differences between the first and second languages

Address limited vocabulary in English

Implement the English Language Proficiency Standards (ELPS)

Review of Progress

Humble ISD requires an annual review of each identified dyslexic student not in Special Education.

Reviews will take place on a yearly basis. The 504 Committee determines the appropriate

interventions and/or support for the dyslexic student’s success in the academic classrooms.

Committee recommendations may include:

Continuing current intervention and support

Changing intervention and support

Referral to special education for evaluation

Continuation or change of classroom accommodations

Consideration for monitoring only

Progress of dyslexic students in Special Education will be reviewed by the IEP committee.

Program Exit Criteria

Discontinuation or reduction of dyslexia services is determined by consensus of the §504 or ARD

committee, as appropriate. The §504 or ARD committee should consider the following factors

when recommending exiting or a reduction of dyslexia services:

Successful completion of the district dyslexia program

The student exhibits adequate reading growth and progress as evidenced by a variety of

data sources

The student passes the reading portion of the STAAR after not previously passing

The student demonstrates self-monitoring/self-correction behaviors as evidenced through

informal observation by the teacher

Parents request in writing that the student exit the program

If a student is recommended for exiting, the §504 committee must document the criteria for exiting

in the §504 minutes.

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Students who have been exited from the dyslexia program will receive regular monitoring as

follows:

First Year after Dismissal- Monitoring once every 6-9 weeks

Second Year after Dismissal- Monitoring once a semester

Third Year and Beyond after Dismissal- Monitoring annually

Monitoring can include but is not limited to the collection and evaluation of:

Progress reports

Report Cards

State Assessment Data

Teacher Reports

Parent Reports

Counselor Reports

Additional Assessment Data

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Instructional Accommodation for Students with Disabilities

Accommodations are not a one size fits all; rather, the impact of dyslexia on each individual student

determines the accommodation. Accommodations are changes to materials, action or techniques,

including the use of technology, that enable students with disabilities to participate meaningfully in

grade-level or course instruction.

Listed below are examples of reasonable classroom accommodations:

Copies of notes (e.g. teacher-or peer-provided)

Note taking assistance

Additional time on class assignments and tests

Reduced/shortened assignments (e.g. chunking assignments into manageable units, fewer

items given on a classroom test or homework assignments without eliminating concepts, or

student planner to assist with assignments)

Alternative test location that provides a quite environment and reduces distractions

Priority seating assignment

Oral reading of directions or written material

Word banks

Formula charts

Spelling assistance such as co-writer

Text prediction or speech to text features

*Not all accommodations used in the classroom are allowed during a state assessment.

Texas State Student Assessment Program Accommodations for Students with Disabilities

For the purposes of statewide assessments, students needing accommodations due to a disability

include the following:

Students with an identified disability who receive special education services meet

established eligibility criteria for certain accommodations

Students with an identified disability who receive 504 services and meet established

eligibility criteria for certain accommodations

Students with a disabling condition who do not receive special education or 504 services

but meet established eligibility criteria for certain accommodations

The decision to use a particular accommodation with a student should be made on an individual

basis and should take into consideration the needs of the student. For more information about

accommodations on statewide assessments, visit

http://tea.texas.gov/Student_Testing_and_Accountability/Testing/Student_Assessment_Overview/

Accommodation_Resources/2015_Accommodations_for_Students_with_Disabilities_Taking_State_A

ssessments/

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Access to Instructional Materials for Students with Disabilities

Accessible instructional materials (AIM) are textbooks and related core instructional materials that

have been converted into specialized formats for students who are blind or have low vision, have a

physical disability or have a reading disability such as dyslexia. Digital books or text-to-speech

functions on computer and mobile devices provide access to general education curriculum for

students with disabilities. TEA provides a link to these resources as well as other AIM for student

with disabilities at http://www.tea.state.tx.us/index2.aspx?id=2147487109

Enrollment in Gifted/Talented and Advanced Academic Programs

A student who has been identified with dyslexia can also be a gifted learner, or a twice-exceptional

learner. Twice-exceptional students must be provided access to all service and course options

available to other students.

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Legislative Action to Assist Teachers

Even though students with dyslexia are to receive extensive and intensive intervention according to

the district-selected program, two pieces of Texas legislation require additional attention by school

districts.

Technology Integration for Students with Dyslexia (TEC §38.0031)

When students have access to effective technology, their overall education performance improves.

Technology is not intended to take the place of quality reading instruction- it is intended to

supplement, not supplant. The Technology Integration for Students with Dyslexia online tool is a

resource developed to support instructional decisions regarding technology that benefits students

with dyslexia.

www.region10.org/dyselxia/techplan.

Professional Development Relative to Dyslexia for All Teachers

To ensure that teachers are knowledgeable about dyslexia, TEC §21.054(b) and TAC §232.11(e)

require educators who teach students with dyslexia to be trained in new research and practices

related to dyslexia as part of their continuing professional education hours.

Texas Department of State Health Services (DSHS) Occupations Code Chapter 403: Dyslexia

Therapist and Dyslexia Practitioner Licensing Program

In Texas K–12 education, dyslexia practitioner licensure is voluntary. K–12 educators can provide

services to those with dyslexia without being licensed. K–12 educators must have training in the

components and delivery of dyslexia instruction outlined earlier in this chapter.

DSHS administers the Dyslexia Therapist and Dyslexia Practitioner Licensing Program, established

by

Occupations Code, Chapter 403. For more information, visit

www.dshs.state.tx.us/dyslexia/default.shtm.

Educator Preparation Programs

According to TEC §21.044(c)(2), all university candidates completing an educator preparation

program must receive instruction in detection and education of students with dyslexia. This

legislation ensures that newly certified teachers will have knowledge of dyslexia prior to entering

the classroom.

http://www.statutes.legis.state.tx.us/Docs/ED/htm/ED.