Senate adopts bill to create universal dyslexia screening framework

The Colorado Senate on April 4 adopted Senate Bill 200, which sponsors described as creating a universal dyslexia screening program for early elementary students and updating methods for assessing reading skills and identifying students with dyslexia.

Supporters said the bill is intended to identify struggling readers earlier so schools can target interventions. "Dyslexia — universal dyslexia screening is what this bill is about," Sponsor Senator Kolker said on the Senate floor as he urged colleagues to support the measure.

Senate Bill 200, as explained during debate, directs schools to use updated assessments to identify struggling readers and to support students with dyslexia; the education committee report removed a separate kindergarten-readiness permissiveness provision and made minor…