District Guidance on Dyslexia Policies

House Bill (HB) 253 (2026) amended KRS 158.307 to require each local board of education to "develop a policy addressing the implementation of a program for the identification of and strategies for assisting students in kindergarten through grade three (3) with dyslexia."    

KRS 158.307 defines "dyslexia" as a "specific learning disability that is neurological in origin. It is characterized by difficulties with accurate or fluent word recognition and by poor spelling and decoding abilities. These difficulties typically result from a deficit in the phonological component of language that is often unexpected in relation to other cognitive abilities and the provision of effective classroom instruction. Secondary consequences may include problems in reading comprehension and reduced reading experience that can impede the growth of vocabulary and background knowledge." 

Reading is the foundational life skill - the basis for all other learning - with a lasting impact on success in school and beyond. 

Local Dyslexia Policy Requirements

As provided in HB 253, Section 2, "[t]he local board policies shall include but not be limited to: 

​(a) The definition and characteristics of dyslexia;   

(b) A process for identifying students who are displaying characteristics of dyslexia;   

(c) A process for the utilization of evaluation tools to accurately identify students who are displaying characteristics of dyslexia. Any qualified dyslexia evaluation tool utilized by a local district shall address but not be limited to the following components:  

1. ​Phonological awareness and phonemic awareness;  

2. Sound symbol recognition;  

3. Alphabet knowledge;  

4. Decoding skills;  

5. Encoding skills; and  

6. Rapid naming;   

(d) A process for how evaluation tools are administered and evaluated by trained district personnel or licensed professionals;   

(e) A process for outreach to parents of students identified with or displaying the characteristics of dyslexia with information and resource materials and how dyslexia may be addressed in the student's educational setting;   

(f) Identification of evidence-based interventions, structured multisensory and literacy approaches to teach language and reading skills, and accommodations that schools may utilize to provide services to students identified as having dyslexia; and   

(g) A process for monitoring a student’s progress after the positive identification, including assessments to ascertain whether the intervention services improve the student's language processing and reading skills."   

Effective intervention is essential to ensure struggling readers receive appropriate scaffolding and coherent accelerated learning, aligned with strong, daily Tier 1 universal/core instruction grounded in a high-quality instructional resource (HQIR). 

Whenever possible, schools should begin by providing support in the general education classroom to ensure access to appropriate grade-level learning. In order to intervene before a student's performance falls below grade level, schools must screen all students in accordance with KRS 158.305.  

In addition to the Dyslexia Toolkit, the Kentucky Department of Education has identified model policy recommendations to assist schools and districts in supporting students displaying characteristics of dyslexia. These recommendations include best practices for screening, intervention and family engagement.  

The Kentucky Department of Education has developed a Dyslexia Toolkit and a list of approved universal screeners and reading diagnostic tools to assist districts in developing and implementing their local dyslexia policy. In KDE's Dyslexia Toolkit, schools and districts can find more information on: 

Per HB 253, Section 2, "[b]y June 30, 2028, and June 30 of each year thereafter for five (5) years, each local school district shall provide the department the following data for the current school year: 

Please email the Early Literacy team​ with any questions.​​​​​