By Bob Katzen

Gov. Charlie Baker signed into law a bill that would require the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education to issue guidelines to assist districts in developing screening procedures or protocols for students that demonstrate one or more potential indicators of dyslexia and other neurological learning disabilities.

“Children with dyslexia are bright and capable but frequently struggle in school because they lack access to the services they need to learn to read,” said Sen. Barbara L’Italien (D-Andover), the sponsor of the original bill. “This bill helps ensure that children with dyslexia can access research-based reading strategies so that they can learn to read and succeed just like their typically developing peers.”

“Literacy is a critical skill for all students in the commonwealth. This screening will help teachers identify students at risk for dyslexia, who will need early intervention before they fail, and target instruction diagnostically in the areas proven to help these students succeed,” said Nancy Duggan, Executive Director of Decoding Dyslexia Massachusetts.