Subdivision 1. Purpose. The department must employ a dyslexia specialist to provide technical assistance for dyslexia and related disorders and to serve as the primary source of information and support for schools in addressing the needs of students with dyslexia and related disorders. The dyslexia specialist shall also act to increase professional awareness and instructional competencies to meet the educational needs of students with dyslexia or identified with risk characteristics associated with dyslexia and shall develop implementation guidance and make recommendations to the commissioner consistent with section 122A.06, subdivision 4, to be used to assist general education teachers and special education teachers to recognize educational needs and to improve literacy outcomes for students with dyslexia or identified with risk characteristics associated with dyslexia, including recommendations related to increasing the availability of online and asynchronous professional development programs and materials.

Subd. 2. Definition. For purposes of this section, a "dyslexia specialist" means a dyslexia therapist, licensed psychologist, licensed speech-language pathologist, or certified dyslexia training specialist who has a minimum of three years of field experience in screening, identifying, and treating dyslexia and related disorders.

Subd. 3. Requirements. A dyslexia specialist shall be highly trained in dyslexia and related disorders and in using interventions and treatments that are evidence-based, multisensory, direct, explicit, structured, and sequential in the areas of phonics, phonemic awareness, vocabulary, fluency, and comprehension.

History: 1Sp2017 c 5 art 2 s 8