Ohio’s dyslexia support laws (ORC 3323.25 and 3323.251) define dyslexia as “a specific learning disorder that is neurological in origin and that is characterized by unexpected difficulties with accurate or fluent word recognition and by 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.” 

Students with dyslexia tend to have difficulty processing speech sounds, decoding words, and reading fluently. Such difficulties often lead to slow and inaccurate reading, inadequate comprehension, and difficulty with written and/or spoken language. 

For more information, refer to Ohio’s Dyslexia Guidebook.

Dyslexia Screening Service Plan 

Tier 1 Universal Screener Administration- 2024-2025 School Year:  

• All kindergarten students will be administered a state-approved dyslexia screener. 

  •  Note: The law requires kindergarten students to be screened for dyslexia between January of their kindergarten year and December 31st of their 1st grade year. 

• Students in grades 4-6 whose parent/guardian requests screening, or if a teacher requests screening and the parent/guardian gives permission, a state-approved dyslexia screener will be administered.

• Each student in grades 1-6 who transfers into the district midyear will be administered a state-approved dyslexia screener within 30 days of enrollment. 

Tier II (Intervention-Based Diagnostic) Screener

• Students determined to be at risk from the tier 1 dyslexia screener will be progress-monitored for up to six weeks. Students who do not make progress will be administered a tier 2 dyslexia screener to determine the next steps regarding intervention. 

GENERAL QUESTIONS:

1. What is dyslexia?

Ohio law defines dyslexia as a specific learning disorder that is neurological in origin. Dyslexia is 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. Difficulties typically result from a deficit in the phonological component of language.

2.  What must a district do if a student is identified as at risk for dyslexia according to a tier-one screening measure?

If a student is identified as at risk for dyslexia based on the student’s tier-one screening measure results, districts are required to do the following:

• Notify the student’s parent, guardian, or custodian that the student has been identified as being at risk for dyslexia;

• Monitor the progress of each at-risk student toward attaining grade-level reading and writing skills for up to six weeks.

• If no progress is observed during the monitoring period, the district or school shall notify the parent, guardian or custodian of the student and administer a tier-two dyslexia screening measure to the student.

• Report to the student’s parent, guardian, or custodian the tier two screening measure results within 30 days after the screening measure’s administration.

3.  Will an individualized education program (IEP) need to be written if a child is identified as “at risk” by the dyslexia screener?

No. The determination of “at risk” by a dyslexia screener is not a diagnosis. If a parent or guardian thinks his or her child may have a disability affecting the child’s education, a request can be made to the district to evaluate the child to determine whether he or she would be eligible for special education.

4. Will dyslexia become one of the disability categories for special education?

No. Dyslexia will not be added as a disability category for special education.

TIER TWO SCREENING:  Students identified as “at-risk” who are not showing significant progress toward attaining grade-level reading and writing skills by the sixth week after the student is identified as at risk will be administered a tier-two screener. 

• At-Risk Students: Screen each at-risk student who does not show significant progress toward attaining grade-level reading and writing skills by the sixth week after the student is identified as at risk.

• At-Risk Transfer Students: In the case of a transfer student identified as at risk of dyslexia, a tier two dyslexia screening must be administered “in a timely manner.”
  
  

5. Does this law replace the Third Grade Reading Guarantee requirements for screening and providing Reading Improvement and Monitoring Plans?

No, it does not replace the Third Grade Reading Guarantee requirements. The Third Grade Reading Guarantee continues to require K-3 Reading Diagnostic Assessment and Reading Improvement and Monitoring Plans (RIMP) for students who score “not on track."

Districts will be required to report the results to a student's parent or guardian on a tier two screening measure approved by the Ohio Dyslexia Committee within 30 days after the measure's administration.