Texas Education Agency 1
Directions: This worksheet contains both procedural and substantive Texas state dyslexia requirements, according to
the Texas Education Code (TEC) §38.003, the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA), 20 U.S.C. §§1400-
1419, the Texas Administrative Code (TAC), 19 TAC §74.28, and The Dyslexia Handbook, Procedures Concerning
Dyslexia and Related Disorders (2018) (The Dyslexia Handbook).
We recommend that schools or local education agencies (LEAs) develop teams to work together to complete this
worksheet. Teams should NOT view this as a part of TEA’s special education differentiated monitoring and support
process. Rather, teams should use this tool to gather evidence about, and reflect on, their current dyslexia
programming to strengthen internal systems and programming. This document is for your internal use only and
should not be submitted to TEA.
This worksheet contains six items that are key for implementing a school-wide dyslexia program: (1) screening,
(2) evaluation and identification, (3) instruction, (4) parent/guardian participation, (5) written documentation
requirements, and (6) teacher training. Teams are asked to consider each requirement, provide a source of
evidence to confirm that requirement, and list any action steps needed to meet or exceed the minimal
requirements. A list of resources is available at the end of this worksheet.
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Texas State Dyslexia Requirements Worksheet
Texas Education Agency This resource was developed by AIR
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under contract 701-19-043 2
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Item Requirements Documentation Action Steps
Goal: Screening procedures accurately identify students who are at-risk of having dyslexia in order to provide early identification and intervention.
Screening
Screen or test for dyslexia at appropriate times as required by state law (TEC
§38.003).
Report through the Texas Student Data System (TSDS) Public Education
Information Management System (PEIMS) the number of enrolled students
who have been identified as having dyslexia (TEC §48.009(b)(1)).
Meet state requirements regarding screening by grade span and
administration timelines. (TEC §38.003(a); TEC §28.006(c)-(c-2)):
• Kindergarten students screened at the end of the school year,
• Grade 1 students screened before January 31 (The Dyslexia Handbook, p.
10).
• Administer K–2 early reading instruments,
• Administer Grade 7 reading instruments for students who were not
proficient on Grade 6 STAAR.
Report, in writing, to a student’s parent or guardian the student’s results on
reading instruments (TEC §28.006(d)(2)).
Report required data through PEIMS and submissions: PEIMS reporting
requirement E1644-C222 Dyslexia Risk Code
Evidence Source:
Texas Education Agency This resource was developed by AIR
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under contract 701-19-043 3
Item Requirements Documentation Action Steps
Goal: The evaluation and identification of students with dyslexia is multi-faceted and involves both federal and state requirements. Therefore, it is
imperative that districts and schools have systems that encourage timely evaluation and identification of students with dyslexia to provide proper
intervention.
Texas Education Agency This resource was developed by AIR
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Evaluation and Identification
The district has written procedures for identification and monitoring
implementation for students with dyslexia and related disorders. (19 TAC
§74.28).
Procedures are in place to provide early identification, intervention, and
support. (TEC §28.006).
• Apply the results of early reading instruments to instruction.
[TEC §28.006(a)(3)].
• Ensure that a student determined to have dyslexia during screening or
testing or accommodated because of dyslexia may not be rescreened or
retested for dyslexia for the purpose of reassessing the student’s need for
accommodations until the district reevaluates the information obtained
from previous screening or testing of the student. [TEC §38.003(b-1)].
• Ensure that identification of dyslexia is made by an Admission, Review, and
Dismissal (ARD) or Section 504 committee of persons knowledgeable about
the reading process, dyslexia and dyslexia instruction, the assessments
used, and the meaning of the collected data. (The Dyslexia Handbook, p. 98;
34 C.F.R §300.306).
• When evaluation for dyslexia or related disorders is recommended, the
procedures meet the requirements, as applicable, of:
– the IDEA (34 C.F.R. §§300.304 − 300.309);
– Section 504 (34 C.F.R. §104.35).
Procedures and systems for identification of, students with dyslexia are
implemented consistently across all sites. [19 TAC §§74.28(b), (i); TEC §38.003].
Report required data through PEIMS and submissions: PEIMS reporting
requirement E1530-C088 Dyslexia Indicator Code
Report required data through PEIMS and submissions: PEIMS reporting
requirement E1650-C224 Dyslexia Services Code
Evidence Source:
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text.
Texas Education Agency This resource was developed by AIR
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under contract 701-19-043 5
Item Requirements Documentation Action Steps
Goal: The goal is to implement instruction that is systematic, explicit, and evidence-based to meet the educational needs of a student with dyslexia and
include the requirements outlined in The Dyslexia Handbook.
Instruction
Purchase or develop programs that include critical, evidence-based
components of dyslexia instruction (19 TAC §74.28(e); The Dyslexia Handbook,
pp. 40-42).
Procedures and systems for instruction of students with dyslexia are
implemented consistently across all sites (19 TAC §§74.28(b), (i); TEC §38.003).
Implement instruction that is systematic, explicit, and evidence-based to meet
the educational needs of a student with dyslexia (TEC §38.0032 (B)).
Provide students with services of a teacher trained in dyslexia and related
disorders (TAC §74.28(i)).
Evidence Source:
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text.
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text.
Texas Education Agency This resource was developed by AIR
®
under contract 701-19-043 6
Item Requirements Documentation Action Steps
Goal: The goal is to ensure procedures are in place in order to communicate, notify, and inform parents/guardians throughout the process of evaluation
and identification of dyslexia. It is imperative that these procedures are systemic and implemented consistently throughout all sites (e.g., district, school, and
grade levels).
Parent/Guardian Participation
Procedures are in place to communicate, notify, and inform parents. These
procedures include the following:
Provide prior written notice to parents/guardians of the proposal to evaluate
students for dyslexia at least five school days before evaluation or
identification. (TAC §74.28(f); 34 C.F.R. §300.503).
Obtain parent or guardian permission to evaluate the student for dyslexia or
related disorder (34 C.F.R. §300.300).
Provide parents/guardians of children suspected to have dyslexia or a related
disorder a copy of or link to The Dyslexia Handbook. (19 TAC §74.28(j)).
Provide a parent /guardian education program. (19 TAC §74.28 (k)).
Inform parents/guardians of their rights under the IDEA or Section 504. (34
C.F.R. §300.504 (IDEA Procedural Safeguards Notice), §104.36 (Section 504
Procedural Safeguards)).
Inform parents/guardians of all services and options available to students
eligible under the IDEA and Section 504. (19 TAC §74.28(h)).
Provide notice to applicable parents and guardians of a Texas State Library
and Archives Commission program that proves free access to audiobooks.
(Senate Bill 2075).
Evidence Source:
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text.
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text.
Texas Education Agency This resource was developed by AIR
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under contract 701-19-043 7
Item Requirements Documentation Action Steps
Goal: Documentation is required through both state and federal laws. As with other items, it is imperative that sites establish procedures for obtaining the
required documentation.
Required Written Documentation
Procedures are in place for obtaining the following documentation:
Documentation that the notice of evaluation has been provided in writing to
parent/guardian (34 C.F.R. §300.503).
Documentation that parents/guardians were provided notice of their rights
(procedural safeguards; 34 C.F.R. §300.504).
Documentation of parent/guardian consent for evaluation (34 C.F.R.
§300.300).
Documentation of the evaluation data (34 C.F.R. §300; 19 TAC §89.1011(c)).
Documentation of decisions made by the committee of knowledgeable
persons (34 C.F.R. §§300.306, 300.309, 300.311, 300.324, 300.504).
Documentation of eligibility, services, and placement options and decisions
(34 C.F.R. §§300.306, 300.309, 300.311, 300.324, 300.504).
Prior written notice is given at least 5 school days before the LEA proposes to
initiate or change the identification, evaluation, or placement of a student
[(TAC §74.28(f); 34 C.F.R §300.503].
Prior written notice is also required at least 5 school days before an LEA
refuses to evaluate (34 C.F.R. §300.503).
Evidence Source:
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text.
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text.
Texas Education Agency This resource was developed by AIR
®
under contract 701-19-043 8
Item Requirements Documentation Action Steps
Goal: Educators must be adequately trained to evaluate, identify, and instruct students with dyslexia.
Teacher Training
Provide ongoing training about dyslexia to educators to ensure that campus
planning and decision-making committee addresses dyslexia instructional
strategies and professional development activities (19 TAC §§74.28(e), 232.11;
TEC §21.054(b)).
Ensure all teachers providing dyslexia services are trained in dyslexia and
related disorders [19 TAC §74.28(i)].
Ensure educators receive adequate training to administer each screening
instrument and evaluation measures [19 TAC §74.28(d)].
Evidence Source:
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text.
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text.
Texas Education Agency This resource was developed by AIR
®
under contract 701-19-043 9
Resources
Item Resource
Screening • The Dyslexia Handbook (pp. 7–20)
– Criteria for English and Spanish Screening Instruments (p. 2)
– Sources and examples of screening data (p. 15)
– Universal Screening and data review for reading risk (p. 17)
• The National Center on Intensive Intervention (NCII) Screening Tools Chart
– This resource provides users with the screening tools chart that can be helpful in selecting the appropriate
screening tool/s for students.
• TEA Technical Assistance: Child Find and Evaluation Guide
– This guide was designed to assist LEAs in meeting obligations under state and federal laws regarding screening
of at-risk students.
• CLI Engage
referral checklist for dyslexia screening website
– This site has a checklist for both kindergarten and first grade.
• Reading Instrument Alignment with Dyslexia Handbook
– This site is a TEA document that aligns the dyslexia handbook requirements with reading instruments for both
kindergarten and first grade.
Texas Education Agency This resource was developed by AIR
®
under contract 701-19-043 10
Item Resource
Evaluation and
Identification
• The Dyslexia Handbook (pp. 21–38)
– Areas for Evaluation (p. 30)
– Questions to Determine the Identification of Dyslexia (p. 32)
– Pathways for the Identification and Provision of Instruction for Students with Dyslexia (pp. 35, 159)
• Frequently Asked Questions
– This resource was released in March of 2019 and provides answers to many common questions about dyslexia
programming implementation.
• OSERS Letter
—Guidance on Dyslexia
– This resource describes the intersection of dyslexia identification under IDEA.
Instruction • Reading lesson plans from the NCII
– NCII provides evidence-based reading lesson plans to instruct students with literacy related disabilities.
• TEA Guidance: Dyslexia, Dysgraphia, and Dyscalculia in the IEP
– This resource provides ARD teams guidance for writing IEPs for students identified with these specific learning
disabilities.
• Provision of Services for Students with Dyslexia- TEA Letter
– The intent of the following resource is to provide LEAs with guidance and clarification regarding the provision
of services to students identified with dyslexia or a related disorder, including possible supports and
interventions.
• Implementation Toolkits from the NCIL
– NCIL provides teacher guides and resources to instruct students.
Texas Education Agency This resource was developed by AIR
®
under contract 701-19-043 11
Item Resource
Parental Participation • The Dyslexia Handbook (p. 116)
• SPEDTex
– This TEA sponsored website and call center provides information and resources about special education.
• Texas State Partners Resource Network
– This resource supports parents and guardians throughout the process of screening through identification and
services.
• NCII
– Resources for Parents
– This site includes resources for parents, available in both English and Spanish.
• Talking Book
– This site includes more information about the talking book program.
• NCIL: Resources for Parents and Families
– This site includes a toolkit for parents and families.
Required Written
Documentation
• The Dyslexia Handbook (p. 149)
• TEA Technical Assistance: Child Find and Evaluation Guide
– This guide was designed to assist LEAs in meeting obligations under state and federal laws regarding child find.
• TEA Guidance on Procedural Safeguards Production and Required Dissemination
– This document explains parents’ specific rights and responsibilities under IDEA.
• Notice of Procedural Safeguards
– This is the electronic version of the procedural safeguards for parents, a parent’s guide to the ARD process,
and special education rules and regulations (available in both English and Spanish).
Texas Education Agency This resource was developed by AIR
®
under contract 701-19-043 12
Item Resource
Teacher Training • The Dyslexia Handbook
– Minimum training requirements for educators providing dyslexia services (p. 44)
• IRIS Peabody Center
– The IRIS Center contains multiple modules for teachers on literacy, intensive intervention, and educating
students with dyslexia.
• Explicit Instruction Course Materials
—NCII
– The NCII contains course materials about implementing explicit instruction.
• Mathematics Course Materials
—NCII
– The NCII contains course materials to support teaching mathematics to students with disabilities.
• TEALearn
– This site provides online resources for teachers and offers Texas-approved professional learning
opportunities.
Texas Education Agency This resource was developed by AIR
®
under contract 701-19-043 13
Item Resource
General Resources • Accredited courses from Texas Education Agency
– This website provides guidance for Educator Preparation Programs (EPPs) to ensure that teacher candidates
are prepared to meet the educational needs of students with dyslexia.
• Section 504
—TX Department of Health and Human Services
– This webpage on the Navigate Life Texas website provides an in-depth overview of Section 504; What it is; Who
can qualify; and what services are available.
• Section 504: Documents from TEA
– This document contains specific guidance from TEA around Section 504 identification and services.
• Dyslexia Test Accommodations
—2019–2020 Accommodation Resources
– This webpage provides information on available dyslexia test accommodations in addition to general
information on accommodations including training and the accommodation request process.
• Provision of Services for Students with Dyslexia and Related Disorders
– This letter release in June 2018 provides LEAs with guidance and clarification regarding the provision of
services for students identified with dyslexia.
• Dyslexia Helpline: 1 (800) 232-3030
– The Dyslexia Helpline provides access to experts in the field of dyslexia to answer your questions regarding this
special population
