Senate Bill 2809 Summary

• Expands the Mississippi Dyslexia Therapy Scholarship for Students with Dyslexia Program to allow Certified Academic Language Therapists (CALT) to deliver dyslexia therapy services alongside licensed dyslexia therapists.

• Amends the definition of "dyslexia therapy" to include instruction delivered by either a Mississippi Department of Education licensed dyslexia therapist or a certified academic language therapist using Orton-Gillingham based methods.

• Permits school districts to employ certified academic language therapists to provide dyslexia therapy services to eligible students in Grades 1-12 diagnosed with dyslexia.

• Modifies Section 37-106-71 to allow certified academic language therapists to qualify for recruitment and placement funding under the Mississippi Dyslexia Education Forgivable Loan Program, with up to $50,000 annually per school district.

• Takes effect July 1, 2023.