YourVoice.Now Summary
Your MoneyDyslexia would become its own disability in special-education law, and disadvantaged kids could no longer be excluded.
Your Money
Dyslexia would become its own category in federal special-education law, with a written definition. It would no longer be listed as one type of learning disability.
Today a learning problem caused mainly by environmental, cultural, or economic disadvantage does not count as a learning disability. The bill removes that rule, so these children could qualify for special-education help.
School districts would have to give all eligible children equal access to special-education help and accommodations. The law names children from low-income families and children still learning English.
More about this bill
If your child has dyslexia, federal special-ed law would name it as its own disability. Today the law lists it as just one kind of learning disability. The bill writes in what dyslexia means: trouble reading that is a surprise in a child bright enough to read much better. It most often comes from trouble hearing the separate sounds in words. The bill also ends an old rule. Today a learning problem that comes mostly from a child's surroundings, culture, or lack of money does not count. That rule would go away. A new section says schools must give all kids who qualify the same access to help. It names kids from low-income homes and kids still learning English.
Congressional Summary
21st Century Dyslexia Act This bill addresses the education of children with disabilities, with a particular focus on children with dyslexia. Currently, dyslexia is listed as one of the disabilities under the definition of specific learning disability in the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA). This bill instead removes dyslexia from the definition of specific learning disability and establishes a stand-alone definition for dyslexia within the IDEA. Specifically, the bill defines dyslexia for purposes of the IDEA as an unexpected difficulty in reading for an individual who has the intelligence to be a much better reader, most commonly caused by a difficulty in the phonological processing (the appreciation of the individual sounds of spoken language), which affects the ability of an individual to speak, read, and spell. Additionally, the bill requires a local educational agency or other agency, in determining eligibility for or providing an accommodation or service under the IDEA, to provide equal access to (1) children from low-income families, (2) children from families with low socioeconomic status, and (3) children who are limited English proficient.
Legislative Subjects
Details
- Congress
- 119th
- Chamber
- House
- Status
- summarized
- Action
- Introduced in House
- Action Date
- 2025-10-17
- Date Added
- 2026-10-08
- Source
- Congress.gov →
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