New Jersey-2012-AR129-Amended

Sponsored by:

Assemblyman NELSON T. ALBANO

District 1 (Atlantic, Cape May and Cumberland)

Assemblyman RONALD S. DANCER

District 12 (Burlington, Middlesex, Monmouth and Ocean)

Assemblyman MATTHEW W. MILAM

District 1 (Atlantic, Cape May and Cumberland)

Assemblyman PATRICK J. DIEGNAN, JR.

District 18 (Middlesex)

Co-Sponsored by:

Assemblywoman Lampitt and Assemblyman Schroeder

SYNOPSIS

Urges State Board of Education to develop endorsement to instructional certificate for teachers of students with reading disabilities, including dyslexia.

CURRENT VERSION OF TEXT

As reported by the Assembly Education Committee on March 14, 2013, with amendments.

An Assembly Resolution urging the State Board of Education to develop an endorsement for teachers of students with ¹reading disabilities, including¹ dyslexia.

Whereas, Dyslexia is a language-based learning disability characterized by difficulties with accurate or fluent word recognition and poor spelling and decoding abilities, resulting in core difficulties with reading, writing, and spelling, and sometimes spoken language; and

Whereas, An estimated 15-20% of individuals have language-based learning difficulties, and an estimated 70-85% of students who are placed in special education for a learning disability have dyslexia, making it the most prevalent learning disability in children; and

Whereas, ¹[Dyslexia affects] Reading disabilities, including dyslexia, affect¹ male and female students alike and ¹[occurs] occur¹ in individuals of all backgrounds and intellectual levels; and

Whereas, All children need basic reading and writing abilities to succeed throughout their lives, and children with ¹reading disabilities, including¹ dyslexia ¹,¹ can learn successfully with appropriate teaching methods; and

Whereas, Children with untreated ¹reading disabilities, including¹ dyslexia ¹,¹ can suffer devastating personal consequences, as ¹[it] they¹ can cause significant stress and poor self-image, discourage students from continuing in school, and lead to adults unable to achieve at their fullest potential; and

Whereas, Early identification, support, and sustained targeted services for students with ¹reading disabilities, including¹ dyslexia ¹,¹ are of the utmost importance to increase academic success and self-esteem; and

Whereas, Informed and effective instruction by skilled teachers, especially in the early grades, can prevent or ameliorate the severity of ¹reading disabilities, including¹ dyslexia ¹,¹ and related reading and language problems; and

Whereas, Students with ¹reading disabilities, including¹ dyslexia ¹,¹ require appropriate instruction and educational interventions for their specific disability, which can include multisensory structured language techniques or other similar specialized educational programs; and

Whereas, Effective educators of students with ¹reading disabilities, including¹ dyslexia ¹,¹ need considerable and specialized knowledge and skills and sufficient training and expertise to recognize early signs of risk and provide successful teaching methods; and

Whereas, New Jersey parents of children with ¹reading disabilities, including¹ dyslexia ¹,¹ have advocated for additional training of teachers, principals, and child study team members in order to increase educational services that specifically address ¹[dyslexia] these disabilities¹; and

Whereas, A State endorsement to the instructional certificate for teachers who are trained in educating students with ¹reading disabilities, including¹ dyslexia ¹,¹ will help ensure that children in New Jersey who have language-based learning disabilities are identified early and provided with appropriate instructional strategies and educational tools to help them succeed in school and throughout their lives; and

Whereas, It is in the public interest of this State to provide children struggling with ¹reading disabilities, including¹ dyslexia ¹,¹ with access to teachers who are specifically trained in instructing ¹[dyslexic] such¹ students and who can help them learn and achieve at their fullest potential; now, therefore,

Be It Resolved by the General Assembly of the State of New Jersey:

1. The State Board of Education is urged to develop an endorsement to the instructional certificate for teachers of students with ¹reading disabilities including, but not limited to,¹ dyslexia ¹[, and] ;¹ to establish eligibility and training requirements for the endorsement specific to the needs of students with ¹reading disabilities including, but not limited to,¹ dyslexia ¹; and to work with colleges and universities in the development of instructional programs for candidates for the endorsement¹. In developing the endorsement and its eligibility and training requirements, the State Board of Education is encouraged to review and consider the recommendations contained in the International Dyslexia Association's Knowledge and Practice Standards for Teachers of Reading (2010), and requirements developed by other states, such as Texas, for certification of individuals who work with students who have dyslexia.

2. Duly authenticated copies of this resolution, signed by the Speaker of the General Assembly and attested by the Clerk thereof, shall be transmitted to each member of the State Board of Education.