Dyslexia Information

  • Dyslexia is a term in the IDEA legislation- but historically was not a term used in schools. ​ May 2019 – Georgia Senate Bill 48 became law.​  SB 48 requires school systems to identify those students who have characteristics of dyslexia (in grades K-3) and provide effective instructional services through MTSS.  ​Implementation is required during the 2024-2025 school year.

    State Law SB 48: Definition Dyslexia ​

    “Dyslexia” means a specific learning disability that is neurological in origin. Dyslexia is characterized by difficulties with accurate 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 the growth of vocabulary and background knowledge.

     In other words, Dyslexia means:​

    • A specific learning disability that is neurological in origin. ​
    • The neurological differences result in an underlying challenge to the reading domain of The Phonological Components of Language and Phonological Awareness and Phonemic Awareness.​
    • This core challenge results in these academic weaknesses: accurate or fluent word recognition and poor spelling and decoding abilities, phonics etc. ​
    • Students often have additional academic weaknesses in problems with reading comprehension and reduced reading experience that impacts vocabulary/background knowledge. ​
    • These difficulties with reading are unexpected because of the child’s other cognitive abilities​.
    • In addition, these difficulties are unexpected because the child has participated in effective classroom instruction.

    The core deficit  for students with dyslexia is in the areas of phonological awareness and phonemic awareness. This results in a cascade of difficulties​:

    • Phonics that turns into word recognition​
    • Oral reading fluency​
    • Reading comprehension​
    • Spelling​
    • Other written expression skills​
    • Independent reading​
    • Learning foreign languages

Process and Procedures for the Identification of Dyslexia

Flowchart from the Georgia Department of Education on the process for identification of dyslexia

Instructional Support for Students with Dyslexia

Informational Resources