My school doesn’t say dyslexia.
In 2015, the definition of dyslexia was passed into MN Statute 125A.01, Subd 2.
Our school doesn’t have any resources on dyslexia.
A comprehensive guide was developed by MDE with collaboration with Decoding Dyslexia MN called “Navigating the School System when a Child is Struggling with Reading or Dyslexia.”
In 2017, MDE hired a Dyslexia Specialist to provide technical assistance for dyslexia, serve as the primary source of information, support schools in addressing the needs of students with dyslexia, and increase professional awareness and instructional competencies to meet the needs of these students (MN Statute 120B.122).
In 2023 MDE hired a Literacy Specialist (MN Statute 120B.12, Subd. 7d) to provide support to districts implementing the Read Act and coordinate duties assigned to the department under the Read Act. They stated a district must employ, contract, or be supporting a specialist through the process to become a literacy lead by August 30, 2025 (MN Statute 120B.12, Subd. 6a).
How are schools identifying and serving students that have characteristics of dyslexia?
MN Statute 120B.12, Subd. 2, states that twice per year, each school district must screen every student enrolled in K-3, including multilingual learners and students receiving special education services, for mastery of foundational reading skills, including phonemic awareness, phonics, decoding, fluency, oral language, and for characteristics of dyslexia as measured by a screening tool approved by MDE. The screening for characteristics of dyslexia may be integrated with universal screening for mastery of foundational skills and oral language. A district must submit data on student performance in K-3 in the annual local literacy plan submission due on June 15. S with alternative instruction under MN Statute 125A.56 Subd. 1, that is multi-sensory, systematic, sequential, cumulative, and explicit.
MN Statute 120B.12, Subd 3b, was changed to state that a “district or charter school is strongly encouraged to provide a Personal Learning Plan for a student who is unable to demonstrate grade-level proficiency, as measured by the statewide reading assessment in grade 3 or a screener identified by the Department of Education under section 120B.123. and should be developed in consultation with the student’s parent or guardian. The personal learning plan must include targeted instruction that is evidence-based and ongoing progress monitoring, and address knowledge gaps and skill deficiencies through strategies such as specific exercises and practices during and outside of the regular school day, group interventions, periodic assessments or screeners. The district or charter school must determine the format of the personal learning plan in collaboration with the student’s educators and other appropriate professionals. The school must develop the learning plan in consultation with the student’s parent or guardian, and reasonable timelines.”
My school wants to stop reading intervention since my child is past 3rd grade.
In 2023, The READ Act replaced the “Read Well by 3rd Grade.” MN Statute 120B.12, Subd 3, now states that “if a student does not read at or above grade level by the end of the current school year, the district must continue to provide reading intervention until the student reads at grade level.” This is for each and every grade level.
How do I know what assessments our elementary school provides to track reading progress?
Each school district must have a Local Literacy Plan posted on its website, per MN Statute 120B.12, Subd. 4a, and explains the school’s plan is “to have every child reading at or above grade level every year beginning in kindergarten and to support multilingual learners and students receiving special education services in achieving their individualized reading goals.” If you can’t find the Local Literacy Plan on your district’s website, ask for it.
