19.0557.05000
Sixty-sixth
Legislative Assembly HOUSE BILL NO. 1461
of North Dakota
Introduced by
Representatives Strinden, P. Anderson, Mock, Schatz
Senators Davison, Kreun, Myrdal
1 A BILL for an Act to create and enact new sections to chapters 15.1-32 and 15.1-34 of the North
2 Dakota Century Code, relating to dyslexia screenings and training for teachers and other staff;
3 to amend and reenact section 15.1-02-16 of the North Dakota Century Code, relating to
4 credentials for dyslexia specialists; and to provide for a report to the legislative management.
5 BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATIVE ASSEMBLY OF NORTH DAKOTA:
6 SECTION 1. AMENDMENT. Section 15.1-02-16 of the North Dakota Century Code is
7 amended and reenacted as follows:
8 15.1-02-16. Superintendent of public instruction - Issuance of credentials to teachers
9 and administrators.
10 The superintendent of public instruction may adopt rules governing the issuance of:
11 1. Credentials for teachers of driver's education;
12 2. Credentials for teachers of early childhood special education;
13 3. Credentials for elementary school principals;
14 4. Credentials for teachers of students who are emotionally disturbed;
15 5. Credentials for teachers of students who are gifted and talented;
16 6. Credentials for secondary school principals;
17 7. Credentials for library media;
18 8. Credentials for teachers of title I;
19 9. Credentials for teachers of students who have intellectual disabilities;
20 10. Credentials for teachers of students who are physically disabled;
21 11. Credentials for coordinators of programs for students with limited English proficiency;
22 12. Credentials for school counselors;
23 13. Credentials for special education directors;
24 14. Credentials for special education strategists;
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Sixty-sixth
Legislative Assembly
1 15. Credentials for teachers of students who have specific learning disabilities;
2 16. Credentials for superintendents;
3 17. Credentials for teachers of students who have vision impairments;
4 18. Credentials for dyslexia specialists;
5 19. Credentials for teachers of students who are deaf or hard of hearing; and
6 19.20. Certificate of completion for paraprofessionals.
7 SECTION 2. A new section to chapter 15.1-32 of the North Dakota Century Code is created
8 and enacted as follows:
9 Dyslexia screening - Report to legislative management.
10 1. Each public elementary school shall administer dyslexia screenings to each enrolled
11 student by the end of the second grade.
12 2. The board of a school district may contract with, employ, and compensate dyslexia
13 specialists, credentialed by the superintendent of public instruction under section
14 15.1-02-16, to educate and train district teachers in appropriate dyslexia screening
15 methods, identification, and intervention. A dyslexia specialist hired by the board of a
16 school district must be trained in proven dyslexia remediation strategies, such as the
17 institute for multi-sensory education's comprehensive Orton-Gillingham training.
18 3. The superintendent of public instruction shall adopt rules, in consultation with
19 teachers, school administrators, and other stakeholders, setting forth the criteria for
20 administering dyslexia screenings and for notifying the student's parent or legal
21 guardian of the results of the screening.
22 4. A school district must provide a student identified as having dyslexia with education
23 services pursuant to this chapter. The education services must include instruction that
24 is:
25 a. Research and phonetically based;
26 b. Multisensory; and
27 c. Systematic.
28 5. The board of each school district shall report annually to the superintendent of public
29 instruction regarding the district's efforts to screen and identify students with dyslexia.
30 Before June first of each even-numbered year, the superintendent of public instruction
31 shall compile the information and report to the legislative management.
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1 6. For purposes of this section, "dyslexia" means a specific learning disability that is
2 neurological in origin and characterized by difficulties with accurate or fluent
3 recognition of words and poor spelling and decoding abilities, independent of the
4 individual's general intelligence level.
5 SECTION 3. A new section to chapter 15.1-34 of the North Dakota Century Code is created
6 and enacted as follows:
7 Dyslexia - Training to teachers, administrators, and ancillary staff.
8 1. At least once every year, each school district shall provide to elementary school
9 teachers and administrators a minimum of one hour of professional development on
10 dyslexia identification and intervention. Each school district shall encourage ancillary
11 and support staff to participate in the professional development. The training must
12 include:
13 a. Phonological awareness;
14 b. Sound symbol recognition;
15 c. Alphabet knowledge;
16 d. Decoding skills;
17 e. Rapid naming skills; and
18 f. Encoding.
19 2. Each school district shall report the professional development hours to the department
20 of public instruction.
21 3. The superintendent of public instruction shall collaborate with regional education
22 associations to disseminate information, training materials, and notice of training
23 opportunities to school districts and nonpublic schools.
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Statutes affected: INTRODUCED: 15.1-02-16
FIRST ENGROSSMENT: 15.1-02-16