New Bill Would Increase Teacher Training on Dyslexia

OKLAHOMA CITY – A new bill designed to improve professional development training for teachers to help them better recognize students with dyslexia received unanimous backing by the House of Representatives today.

House Bill 1228 authored by House Majority Leader Mike Sanders (R-59, Kingfisher) requires school districts to offer teachers a professional development program about dyslexia once per year, beginning with the 2020-2021 school year.

The measure lists minimum requirements for the program and requires the program to include training in identifying dyslexia, training in meeting the needs of students with dyslexia, and training on resources about dyslexia for teachers, students and parents.

“Research clearly shows that identifying students with dyslexia early and getting them the proper classroom supports will help them learn to read and do math and other subjects on grade level at a quicker pace,” Sanders said.

“Students with dyslexia often present as those with a learning disability, but they actually just learn in a different way than other students. If teachers are trained to recognize dyslexia for what it is, they can get these students the help they need in a timelier manner. This will be a great benefit to these students and their parents, and will allow the teachers to play a greater role in their students’ success.”

The bill was a request from the Decoding Dyslexia Oklahoma Task Force. Sanders said the training would be at no cost to the local school district. The task force is working on training materials and a handbook with the State Department of Education that can be shared with districts, teachers, parents and students. The task force will make additional recommendations in July.

Sanders said he worked with fellow Reps. Kelly Albright (D-95, Midwest City) and Tammy Townley (R-48, Ardmore) on the language of the bill and thanked them both for their work on the issue.

“Oklahoma education is making strides at moving into the 21st century with House Bill 1228 that passed in the House today,” Albright said. “Students who would have fallen behind in reading, writing, comprehension and listening skills no longer have to fall between the cracks academically because help was not available. Let's keep working for our children and the future of Oklahoma. This is a great first step on the part of Rep. Sanders, and I commend him for his leadership and bipartisanship on this needed issue.”

“I was grateful to work with Representative Sanders on this bill,” Townley said “Dyslexia affects many Oklahomans across the state. Annual training for dyslexia awareness is important to ensuring that those with loved ones affected by dyslexia understand how dyslexia works and how they can support their affected friends and family. I’m glad to see the support of this bill from my colleagues in the House.”

Reps. Josh West (R-5, Delaware), Brad Boles (R-51, Chickasha), and Mark Lawson (R-30, Bixby) are also listed as co-authors.

Having earlier passed the Education Committee with a 16-0 vote the bill cleared the House floor 96-0.

The bill now moves to the state Senate where it will be introduced by Sen. Jason Smalley (R-28, Lincoln, Pottawatomie and Seminole counties), the bill’s principal Senate co-author.