2012 -- S 2609 SUBSTITUTE A

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LC02103/SUB A/4

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STATE OF RHODE ISLAND

IN GENERAL ASSEMBLY

JANUARY SESSION, A.D. 2012

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J O I N T R E S O L U T I O N

CREATING A SPECIAL LEGISLATIVE COMMISSION TO ASSESS THE EDUCATIONAL

NEEDS OF CHILDREN WITH READING DISABILITIES AND DYSLEXIA

     Introduced By: Senators Gallo, Goodwin, Paiva Weed, Lynch, and Ruggerio

     Date Introduced: March 01, 2012

     Referred To: Senate Education

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     RESOLVED, That a special legislative commission be and the same is hereby created

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consisting of twenty-one (21) members: three (3) of whom shall be members of the Senate, not

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more than two (2) from the same political party, to be appointed by the Senate President; three (3)

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of whom shall be members of the House, not more than two (2) from the same political party, to

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be appointed by the Speaker; two (2) of whom shall be parents of a child with diagnosed dyslexia,

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one of whom shall be appointed by the Senate President, and one of whom shall be appointed by

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the Speaker; one of whom shall be a licensed Rhode Island attorney, actively practicing in

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education and/or special education law, to be appointed by the Speaker; one of whom shall be the

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Chairman of the Rhode Island Board of Regents for Elementary and Secondary Education, or

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designee; one of whom shall be a member of the Rhode Island State Literacy Team, to be

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appointed by the Commissioner of the Rhode Island Department of Elementary and Secondary

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Education; one of whom shall be the President of the Rhode Island Branch of the International

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Dyslexia Association, or designee; one of whom shall be the Director of the Children’s Dyslexia

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Center of Rhode Island, or designee; one of whom shall be the President of the Rhode Island

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Association of Independent Schools, or designee; one of whom shall be the Chairperson for the

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Rhode Island Special Education Advisory Council, or designee; one of whom shall be a member

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of the Legal Services – Rhode Island Department of Elementary and Secondary Education, to be

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appointed by the Commissioner of the Rhode Island Department of Elementary and Secondary

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Education; one of whom shall be a reading research specialist from a Rhode Island University, to

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be appointed by the Senate President; one of whom shall be a faculty member of a Rhode Island

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institution of higher education with teacher pre-service programs, to be appointed by the chair of

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the Rhode Island Board of Regents for Elementary and Secondary Education board of governors

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for higher education; one of whom shall be a neuro-psychologist /evaluator from a Rhode Island

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hospital, clinic or private practice, to be appointed by the Speaker; one of whom shall be a

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psychologist with demonstrated expertise in reading acquisition and reading disabilities, to be

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appointed by the Senate President; and one of whom shall be a developmental-behavioral

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pediatrician with demonstrated expertise in diagnosis of reading disabilities, to be appointed by

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the Speaker.

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     In lieu of any appointment of a member of the legislature to a permanent advisory

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commission, a legislative study commission, or any commission created by a General Assembly

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resolution, the appointing authority may appoint a member of the general public to serve in lieu

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of a legislator, provided that the Majority Leader or the Minority Leader of the political party

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which is entitled to the appointment, consents to the member of the general public.

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     The purpose of said commission shall be to conduct a comprehensive study of the

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implications and consequences of dyslexia and to provide a comprehensive report with

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recommendations to the General Assembly on the educational needs of children with reading

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disabilities and dyslexia and all aspects of providing education to these children, including:

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     (1) Increasing awareness of dyslexia;

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     (2) Early assessment and identification of students with literacy challenges, including

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dyslexia;

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     (3) A tiered continuum of intensity for research-based instructional interventions for

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dyslexic students within the Response to Intervention model;

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     (4) Diagnosis, assessment, and progress monitoring procedures for students with reading

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disabilities and dyslexia;

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     (5) Scientifically-validated interventions to address the needs of students with literacy

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challenges, including dyslexia, consistent with guidelines established by the Partnership For

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Reading, comprising the National Institute of Child Health and Human Development, the

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National Institute for Literacy, and the United States Department of Education, based on findings

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of the National Reading Panel;

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     (6) Wide-scale personnel training plans that would increase the number of Rhode Island

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teachers who possess the Knowledge and Practice Standards for Teachers of Reading (including

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practicum experience for specialists);

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     (7) Consistency of compliance with federal law regarding eligibility for services available

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for persons with specific learning disabilities; and

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     (8) Encouraging coordination and collaboration between the Department of Elementary

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and Secondary Education, teacher preparation programs at Rhode Island institutions of higher

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education, and relevant community and professional organizations; and

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     The commission shall additionally:

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     (1) Consider current educational policies, practices, and training with regard to literacy

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challenges, including dyslexia;

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     (2) Review existing dyslexia-related legislation in other jurisdictions, including without

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limitation: California, Texas, Colorado, Louisiana, Ohio, Hawaii, Washington, Virginia,

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Alabama, and Minnesota; and

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     (3) Draft proposed legislation that furthers dyslexia awareness and implements the

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findings of the commission.

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     Forthwith upon passage of this resolution, the members of the commission shall meet on

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or before August 2012, and shall select a chairperson co-chairpersons from among the legislators,

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who shall be appointed by the Speaker and the Senate President.

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     Eleven (11) members shall constitute a quorum for purposes of approving

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recommendations and/or the commission report or other action items.

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     Vacancies in said commission shall be filled in like manner as the original appointment.

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     The membership of said commission shall receive no compensation for their services.

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     The Rhode Island Department of Elementary and Secondary Education is requested to

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provide administrative support for the commission, and all All departments and agencies of the

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state shall furnish such advice and information, documentary and otherwise, to said commission

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and its agents as is deemed necessary or desirable by the commission to facilitate the purposes of

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this resolution.

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     The Joint Committee on Legislative Services is hereby authorized and directed to provide

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suitable quarters for said commission; and be it further

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     RESOLVED, That the commission shall report its findings and recommendations to the

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General Assembly no later than January 30, 2013, and said commission shall expire on January

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30, 2014.

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LC02103/SUB A/4

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EXPLANATION

BY THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL

OF

J O I N T R E S O L U T I O N

CREATING A SPECIAL LEGISLATIVE COMMISSION TO ASSESS THE EDUCATIONAL

NEEDS OF CHILDREN WITH READING DISABILITIES AND DYSLEXIA

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     This resolution would create a twenty-one (21) member special legislative study

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commission whose purpose it would be to assess the educational needs of children with reading

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disabilities and dyslexia the co-chairpersons would be appointed by the Speaker and Senate

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President from the legislators, and the commission would report back to the General Assembly no

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later than January 30, 2013, and whose life would expire on January 30, 2014.

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