LANSING, Mich. — The Michigan Senate has approved a bipartisan plan that would provide important help for students with dyslexia.
The plan was approved on Wednesday. One of the goals of the plan would be to improve training for teachers. Institutions that prepare teachers would have to offer instructions on the characteristics and consequences of dyslexia. The institutions would also have to offer evidence-based interventions and accommodations for children with dyslexia, as well as methods to develop a classroom experience that better meets the needs of all students.
Students in grades K-3 would need to be screened for reading difficulties, using a universal screening assessment. The screenings would also be done for certain students in grades 4-12. There would also need to be a resource advisory committee established to make sure that no students are left behind.
“Michigan has never had a statewide, coordinated strategy to help children with dyslexia, until now,” said Senator Lana Theis. “We must remove the stigma from dyslexia and make sure our students are getting the support they need to ensure they’re getting the education they deserve. Literacy, perhaps more than anything else, is the key to unlocking a limitless future of possibility and success.”
The plan will now go to the Michigan House of Representatives for consideration.
