FL H0377

Creates the Dyslexia Choice Academy Pilot Project as a 5-year program beginning in the 2016-2017 school year to expand the Duval County GRASP Academy by 128 students and establish academies in five additional school districts serving students with dyslexia.

Defines dyslexia as a neurological learning disability characterized by difficulties with accurate word recognition, spelling, and decoding abilities resulting from deficits in phonological language processing.

Requires Dyslexia Choice Academies to enroll 96-128 students in grades 1-8, provide evidence-based Orton-Gillingham instruction, maintain a 1-to-16 teacher-student ratio and 1-to-48 paraprofessional-student ratio, and provide one-to-one student-to-computer access.

Requires participating school districts to identify and screen students with dyslexia characteristics, provide transportation, select evidence-based curricula, and hire qualified personnel including a principal/lead teacher, school psychologist, guidance counselor, and trained teachers in dyslexia-specific methodologies.

Directs the Department of Education to consult with Duval County School Board for mentoring services, provide curriculum funding and transportation cost supplements, and submit a final report to the Legislature with a recommendation on continuing or terminating the project.