MS HB1037

Requires each local school district to adopt a policy for dyslexia screening in spring of kindergarten and fall of Grade 1, including assessment of phonological awareness, sound-symbol recognition, alphabet knowledge, decoding skills, encoding skills, and rapid naming.

Allows school districts to perform comprehensive dyslexia evaluations administered by licensed psychologists, psychometrists, or speech language pathologists if a student fails the initial screener.

Permits parents or legal guardians to obtain subsequent dyslexia evaluations from licensed professionals, with results that must be accepted by school districts for determining eligibility for dyslexia therapy programs or Mississippi Dyslexia Therapy Scholarships.

Establishes State Department of Education reimbursement for evaluation costs up to $1,000.00 for both district-administered and parent-obtained evaluations, subject to legislative appropriations.

Takes effect July 1, 2017.