House Bill 436: Ohio’s Dyslexia Legislation

“Dyslexia” means a specific learning disorder that is neurological in origin and characterized by unexpected difficulties with accurate or fluent word recognition and poor spelling and decoding abilities not consistent with the person’s intelligence, motivation and sensory capabilities, which difficulties typically result from a deficit in the phonological component of language.

Beginning in the 2023-24 school year, all students K-3 and transfer students K-6 will be administered a universal screener for Dyslexia. Beginning 2024-25, all K students and transfer students K-6 will continue to receive a universal screener. In 2024-25, other students in grades 1-6 will be screened at the request of their guardian or teacher if Dyslexia is suspected.

Beginning in 2023-24, all instructors of English Language Arts, grades K-3 will undergo professional development to instruct in structured literacy approaches to universally address holistic reading instruction, limiting the impact of unstructured instruction on students with Dyslexia.

Students identified with the screener will undergo a diagnostic Dyslexia assessment. If identified with, or at risk of Dyslexia, students will participate in skill based intensive instruction and monitored for progress.