DYSLEXIA MANUAL McKinney Independent School District
MISD Program Students entering the dyslexia program for the first time will be instructed in a curriculum designed for a two-year intervention with the option of a third year transition. This curriculum is based on current research that supports the necessary components of reading instruction for students in a dyslexia program as defined in The Handbook (TEA, February, 2001) as well as the essential components of reading instruction as outlined in the No Child Left Behind Act of 2001. intervention is provided in a daily, small-group environment. Instruction is explicit, direct, systematic, sequential, and cumulative. The instruction within the dyslexia program is an additional component of a student s literacy learning and should be regarded as such. The intent of dyslexia instruction is to provide the student with skills that can support daily learning within the regular classroom setting. Multiple opportunities for reading and writing experiences throughout the school day will benefit any child deemed at risk for literacy failure. The following guidelines and procedures will be in place for the school year: New entry dyslexia students will begin their curriculum 2 weeks after school begins in the fall. No new program entrants will be placed in the dyslexia program after October 1 for fall entrance and January 5 th for mid-year entrance. Transfer students from outside MISD who have received dyslexia intervention in their prior district will be reviewed on an individual basis for possible continued dyslexia services. Placement decisions for transfer students will be determined based on space in the class and appropriateness of the class based on their prior dyslexia instruction. Research into former interventions, educational history, assessment, etc. will be used in decision making and possible program placement. Assessment for possible new entrants into the dyslexia program will also be conducted in December & the last 4 weeks of the school year. For December testing, secondary testing will take place the first week in December. Elementary testing will take place the second week in December. Eligible students in December will start January 5 th pending there is an open space in the dyslexia class. Eligible students who are tested the last four weeks of the spring semester will begin their dyslexia intervention at the beginning of the next school year. instruction is daily, Monday Friday, for approximately 45 minutes at the elementary level and every other day to accommodate block scheduling for the middle and high schools. Instruction in dyslexia classes will be discontinued 4 weeks prior to the end of the school year to allow for eligibility assessment for the following year. Campus administrators, team leaders and teachers will schedule dyslexia groups within the time frame the dyslexia therapist is on campus. The dyslexia therapist will place each student in appropriate group for instruction and groups should not be altered through the year. Consistency in daily lessons is paramount for appropriate student progress. For students currently in the Program, a reintegration plan will be designed and a target date for dismissal will be determined.
BACKGROUND is defined as a disabling condition in two Federal laws, Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 and the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA). In IDEA, dyslexia is identified as one of the groups served under the handicapping condition of learning disabilities. Students diagnosed with dyslexia may have an Accommodation Plan and receive educational services as a student with a disability under Section 504 or may have an Individualized Educational Plan (IEP) and receive educational services as a student with a disability under IDEA. As such, they will be subject to the protections provided by these laws. Decisions regarding these students will be made by either a Section 504 Committee or an ARD Committee. In addition, the Texas legislature passed Senate Bill 157 in 1986 that outlined more specific details about the identification of students with dyslexia and provided a description of the characteristics of the interventions recommended for these students. Senate Bill 157 was not intended to interfere with the federal laws guaranteeing services to these students, but was designed to structure the identification and intervention process and to highlight the needs of these students. These procedures were reissued and approved by the State Board of Education in 1998 and again in 2001. They may be found in the Texas Education Code (TEC) Section 38.003. Texas Administrative code 74.28 further clarifies the requirements and responsibilities schools face in meeting the needs of students at risk for dyslexia. The purposes of these guidelines are to: Familiarize the Student Support Team and Section 504 Team members with the definition of dyslexia, its characteristics, and the content of the laws regarding this disability, Provide the campus Student Support Team and Section 504 Team members with the information needed to effectively identify students who may have dyslexia, Outline the role of the Student Support Team and Section 504 Committee in the decision making process for these students, and Define the role of the Specialist and the relationship of this staff member to the Student Support Team and Section 504 Committee. 1
DYSLEXIA DEFINITION In Texas Education Code Section (TEC) Section 38.003, dyslexia and related disorders are defined as follows: 1. means a disorder of constitutional origin manifested by a difficulty in learning to read, write, or spell, despite conventional instruction, adequate intelligence, and sociocultural opportunity. 2. Related disorders include disorders similar to or related to dyslexia, such as developmental auditory imperception, dysphasia, specific developmental dyslexia, developmental dysgraphia, and developmental spelling disabilities. Characteristics of The difficulties of a student identified as having dyslexia occur in phonemic awareness and manipulation, single-word decoding, reading fluency, reading comprehension, spelling, and/or written composition. These difficulties are unexpected for the student s age, educational level, or cognitive abilities. Additionally, there is often a family history of similar difficulties. The following are the reading/writing/spelling characteristics of dyslexia: Difficulty reading single words in isolation; Difficulty accurately decoding nonsense or unfamiliar words: Slow, inaccurate, or labored oral reading (lack of reading fluency); and/or Difficulty with learning to spell. The reading/writing/spelling characteristics are the result of: Difficulty with the development of phonological awareness, including segmenting, blending, and manipulating sounds in words; Difficulty learning the names of letters and their associated sounds; Difficulty with phonological memory (holding information about sounds and words in memory); and/or Difficulty with rapid naming of familiar objects, colors, or letters of the alphabet. The reading/writing/spelling characteristics of dyslexia lead to: Variable degrees of difficulty with word recognition in isolation or in context; Variable difficulty with aspects of reading comprehension; Variable difficulty with aspects of written composition; and/or A limited amount of time spent in reading activities. 2
Evaluation and Identification The Student Support Team (SST) is a group of professionals on each campus whose primary responsibility is to address the needs of students experiencing difficulty in the educational environment. The SST is usually composed of an administrator, a teacher, and other support personnel as may be appropriate when considering the needs of a particular student, The Student Support Team concept is based on the premise that campus level staff have the expertise and experience to solve the problems and challenges created by students with learning and behavior problems when they team together, brain storm, analyze data, and create a synergy through dialogue and problem-solving. The SST also provides an excellent forum for screening students who may need to be referred for additional assistance. The following discussion will review the dyslexia legislation and describe current McKinney ISD practices relating to dyslexia evaluation, identification, and instruction. In addition, Student Support Team procedures designed for compliance with dyslexia legislation are discussed. Kindergarten, Grade 1, and Grade 2 Reading Assessments Two forms of assistance are available for students who demonstrate difficulties during early reading instruction. The first form is through TEC 28.006. The second form is through a recommendation for evaluation for dyslexia. These forms are not sequential and their use should be determined solely by the student s needs. The most common source of instructional help for early struggling readers is through TEC 28.006 that requires Districts to administer early reading instruments to all students in kindergarten and grades 1 and 2. If a student is at risk for dyslexia or other reading difficulties, the District must implement an accelerated (intensive) reading program that appropriately addresses students reading difficulties and enables them to catch up with their typically performing peers. Students who demonstrate characteristics of dyslexia or struggle with reading, writing, and spelling during the intensive reading instruction provided through TEC 28.006 should be referred by the District for an evaluation for dyslexia. The early reading instruments may be part of the dyslexia evaluation but may not be used as the sole evaluation method to determine whether or not a student has dyslexia. 3
All MISD students in kindergarten, first, and second grades take the Early Reading Assessment. This assessment is composed of the following sections: Phonological Awareness Letter/Sound Identification Word Test Book and Print Awareness Writing Vocabulary Hearing and Recording Sounds Text Reading In addition, all MISD students in kindergarten, first, and second grades take the Developmental Reading Assessment that measures reading level, accuracy, and comprehension. Results are used to identify students who may be at risk for dyslexia or other reading disorders and to target instruction specific to the individual child s needs. In addition to instruction in the general education classroom that is specific to the individual child s needs, the District offers other alternatives for the student who is struggling with reading including the following: ESL; Bilingual classes; Reading Recovery; Identification of the student as an at-risk student; Literacy coaches; Grant reduction teachers; and Master teachers. When considering the placement of students in one of these programs, specialists from these programs may be invited to the Student Support Team meeting or may be consulted if there are questions regarding the eligibility of the student for the program. At any time a student continues to struggle with one or more components of reading, additional information about the student will be collected. This information will be used by the District to determine whether a recommendation for a dyslexia evaluation will be made. The following items will be collected and presented to the campus Student Support Team: Student Support Team Referral/Committee Report (SST-100), Student Support Team Parent Information (SST-110), Student Support Team Health Information (SST-120). Student Support Team Home Language Survey ((SST-130), Student Support Team Information From Classroom Teacher (SST-150), and Notice and Consent for Screening (SST-140). 4
The Student Support Team will meet and consider the information presented by the referring individual. The following list contains some of the options that may be considered by the Student Support Team: 1. Develop changes in the student s program such as: a) adjust the curriculum, b) revise the pacing and timing of the instruction, c) develop a behavior intervention plan, d) revise the student s schedule, or e) select other strategies that address the unique needs of the student that can be conducted in general education with the regular staff. 2. Determine that the student may be at risk for dyslexia and refer the student to the dyslexia therapist. 3, Determine that the student may have a disabling condition other than dyslexia that is interfering with one of life s major activities and refer the student to the 504 Committee. 4. Determine that the student may have a disabling condition that meets the requirements of IDEA and refer the student for comprehensive assessment and consideration of eligibility for special education services. The Student Support Team will make a recommendation for a dyslexia evaluation if the student demonstrates the following: Poor performance in one or more areas of reading and/or the related areas of writing and spelling that is unexpected for the student s age/grade, and; Some or all of the characteristics of dyslexia. If a recommendation is made for an evaluation through special education, procedures in the McKinney ISD Operating Guidelines for Special Education will be followed. Tests, assessments, and other evaluation materials used to evaluate dyslexia are: Validated for the specific purpose for which they are used; Include materials tailored to assess specific areas of educational need and not merely materials that are designed to provide a single general intelligence quotient; Selected and administered so as to ensure that, when a test is given to a student with impaired sensory, manual, or speaking skills, the test results accurately reflect the student s aptitude or achievement level, manual, or speaking skills; Include multiple measures of a student s reading abilities such as informal assessment (e.g., anecdotal records, lists of books the student has read, audio recordings of the student s oral reading), and Administered by trained personnel and in conformance with the instructions provided by the producer of the evaluation materials. 5
Domains to Assess The following areas related to reading will be addressed in an evaluation for dyslexia: Reading single words in isolation; Word decoding (real and nonwords); Phonological awareness Letter knowledge (name and associated sound); Rapid naming; Fluency/rate and accuracy; Reading comprehension; and/or Spelling Additional areas that may be addressed include: Vocabulary; Written expression; Handwriting; and Mathematics. A committee of knowledgeable persons determines the identification of dyslexia after reviewing all available information including the following areas: The observations of the teacher, district staff, and/or parent; Data from the classroom and information found in the student s cumulative folder; The results of administered assessments; and All other available information regarding the development of the student s learning and his/her educational needs. To support a diagnosis of dyslexia, the student s reading difficulties and characteristics of dyslexia must be reflected or supported by low performance for the student s age and educational level in some or all of the following areas; Reading single words in isolation; Word decoding (real and nonwords); Phonological awareness; Letter knowledge (name and associated sound); Rapid naming; Fluency rate and accuracy; Reading comprehension; and Spelling. The committee of knowledgeable persons must incorporate the following guidelines from TEC 38.003 and 19 TAC 74.28: 6
The student s unexpected lack of appropriate academic progress; The student s exhibiting characteristics associated with dyslexia; The student s having adequate intelligence, the ability to learn; The student s receiving conventional instruction; and The student s lack of progress not being due to sociocultural factors such as language differences, irregular attendance, and lack of experiential background. Instruction for Students with When a student has been determined to have dyslexia, the school will provide an appropriate program to address the student s needs. The guidelines listed below will be followed in providing an appropriate program for students with dyslexia: Instructional decisions for students identified as having dyslexia will be made by either the dyslexia therapist, 504 Committee or an ARD Committee; Programs for students with dyslexia will be provided on the student s home campus; Programs for students with dyslexia will include components of phonemic awareness, graphophonemic knowledge, language structure, linguistic patterns, and processes; Programs for students with dyslexia will be explicit, individualized, and multisensory;such as MTA, Project Read and All students with dyslexia will have access to the services of a teacher trained in dyslexia and related disorders Referral for Special Education Services There are some students with severe dyslexia or related disorders who will be unable to make satisfactory progress without the provision of special education services. In these instances, the Student Support Team should follow the usual procedures for referring the student for comprehensive individual evaluation and consideration of special education services. Decisions regarding these students will be made by an ARD Committee and documented in the student s Individualized Education Plan (IEP). The IEP for a student with dyslexia in special education must include appropriate reading instruction The interventions may vary according to the unique needs of the student but must utilize individualized, intensive, multisensory methods. Testing Accommodations See TEA Testing Manual for updated accommodations http://www.tea.state.tx.us/student.assessment/resources/guides/coormanual/taks06.pdf 7
Bundled Accommodations for Grades 3, 4, and 5 TAKS Reading Eligibility Only students who meet the following criteria are eligible to receive the dyslexia bundled accommodations: students must be in Grade 3, 4, or 5; and students must be previously identified with dyslexia; and students must be receiving services through special education, Section 504, or a dyslexia program. Authority for Decision For students who meet eligibility criteria outlined above, the decision to provide accommodations for students with dyslexia should be made by: the student s ARD committee and must be documented in the student s IEP; or the student s placement committee required by Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 and must be documented in the student s individual accommodation plan (IAP); or the student s teacher(s) who routinely uses reading accommodations as documented in the students records (i.e., SST committee documentation). Bundled Accommodations The bundled accommodations include: orally reading all proper nouns associated with each passage before students begin reading that passage; and orally reading all questions and answer choices to students; and extending the testing time over a two-day period. Additional Notes: Students receiving the bundled accommodations must be administered the reading test using all three accommodations. These accommodations can be used to administer both the English- and Spanish-version reading tests, including all three SSI administrations at Grades 3 and 5. Students who qualify to receive these bundled accommodations may be tested individually or in small groups. Q & A from October 28 th TETN Presentation: Q: Can you provide clarification on eligibility for bundled accommodations? A: Referred to language in DCCM -If student is identified as dyslexic but not in Sp Ed, the student must either be identified as 504 or receiving accommodations in the classroom that deal with work identification (decoding, reading words in isolation) or in a campus dyslexia program. -If student is Sp Ed, the IEP(ARD) has to state the student has dyslexia or the ARD has to determine that the student has a reading disorder with dyslexia type symptoms (the word dyslexia does not have to be used). 8
The language they are looking for is word identification, decoding, and reading words in isolation. This can be addressed in various places within the ARD such as on the present levels of performance, in the accommodations, within the goals and objectives. Q: Do all of the bundled accommodations have to be used routinely (daily basis)? A: No, you don t have to use all 3 of the bundled accommodations on a daily basis. However, all 3 have to be used during the testing administration. Students should probably be exposed to the Proper Noun accommodation prior to day of testing so they know how to use the proper noun blackline master. Q: Can students being monitored for dyslexia receive the bundled accommodations? A: Only if they are receiving the classroom accommodations that specifically address dyslexia type reading difficulties. Q: Can Sp Ed students who qualify in a non-reading area be eligible? A: No Q: Can bundled accommodations be used in grades other than 3-5? A: No, not in 2006. Additional studies are being conducted at grades 7 and 11 to see if it needs to be extended. Q: Can bundled accommodations be used on SDAA-II? A: No Q: Why can t bundled accommodations be used on the writing test? A: Errors to be corrected by the student could be affected by the accommodation, passages are shorter and reading load is less. Q: What will the testing day look like? Will there be 1 book or 2 books (1 for each day)? A: Form 1 will be used. Certain passages will be administered on day 1 and others on day 2. Testing can be done individually or in a group. Blackline master with Proper Nouns will automatically be shipped to every campus with grades 3-5. Each student should have a copy of the proper nouns to look at while the teacher reads the list and then keep the list on his/her desk. Grade 5 Reading test retake will start a day early (April18) so it won t interfere with Grade 5 Science. Q: How do I order the bundled accommodations test? 9
A: You do not have to special order the bundled accommodations. The students will use Form 1 and the district can make copies of the blackline master. Q & A from November 13 th TETN Presentation: Q: How should districts handle any scheduling conflicts that may occur due to the 2-day testing accommodation? A: Contact TEA to plan to schedule testing sessions for those students who will be given the reading test using the bundled accommodations. Q: Are special education students who are not LD (e.g., ED or OHI) allowed to use the bundled accommodations? A: This is ultimately an ARD committee decision, but the bundled accommodations are designed for students who exhibit dyslexic characteristics. Entry and Exit Criteria The following Entry and Exit Criteria are intended to provide guidance to Student Support Teams in making decisions regarding eligibility and need for educational services for students who may have dyslexia. These criteria are not intended to be the sole factors that determine whether students are recommended for services under either 504 or special education. Decisions about entry and exit from programs for students with dyslexia are individualized and made by 504 or ARD Committees. Entry Criteria The student exhibits characteristics associated with dyslexia The student has adequate intelligence The student s lack of appropriate academic progress despite appropriate general and remedial instruction The student s lack of progress not being due to socio-cultural factors such as language difference, inconsistent attendance, and lack of experiential background The student s lack of progress is of constitutional origin, in other words, has an inborn developmental basis Exit Criteria Parent request The student has made progress and is being successful in reading, writing, and spelling Lack of educational progress (in such cases further consideration by the Student Support Team, 504 Committee, or a referral to Special Education should be considered.) 10
ROLE OF THE DYSLEXIA SPECIALIST Each campus will have access to a Specialist who is a trained professional in all aspects of the dyslexia legislation including assessment and identification of students with dyslexia and related disorders. Their duties include: Attend Student Support Team meetings when students may be at risk for dyslexia, Provide and assist the campus in completion of all necessary forms relating to identification and placement of students in the dyslexia program, Articulate results of dyslexia evaluations to the Section 504 Committee members including parents, Make recommendations for appropriate programming for students with dyslexia to the Section 504 Committee, Assist classroom teachers in the implementation and monitoring of the Section 504 Accommodation Plan for students with dyslexia, Serve as a resource for other staff members in areas relating to dyslexia, Provide direct services to identified dyslexic students who are moderately or severely dyslexic. 11