Texas Dyslexia Reform: Implementing a Policy in Its Infancy

Texas is the first school that provided guidance to dyslexic students in 1985 and continues to set standards for dyslexia education reform (T. Flanders, Personal Communications, 30th August 2011). . Until recently, the use of assistive technology (AT) for students with mild disabilities was rarely considered, especially in the field of dyslexia education and intervention (Edyburn, 2006, p. 18). With the passage of Senator 866, the pursuit of reform is crucial to running classroom technology programs for dyslexic students (Texas Senate - Informational News and Events of the 82nd Legislative Council)

This bill is the latest of a series of teacher evaluation policy reforms that have been implemented nationwide in recent years. In New York we reviewed the evaluation of the teacher in 2012, but after thinking that 96% of the teachers were effective last year, Cuomo wants to reform the system again. According to teachers and instructor development centers of the US Nonprofit Institute for Social Science, each state has plans to introduce a new system between 2011 and 2019, except for California. Teacher evaluation includes state tests, district tests, classroom observations, student and guardian surveys, teacher self assessment, course plan assessment, professional learning measurements, and so on.

As part of the ambitious reform program, the New York City Education Department (NYCDOE) has implemented a new trial-based promotion policy for third graders from 2003 to 2004. Policies expanded from fifth grade from 2004 to 2005, seventh grade from 2005 to sixth grade, and from the year 2008 to 2009 until the eighth grade. For these grade general education students, in order to be promoted, it is necessary to meet the promotion standards of English language education (ELA) and mathematical evaluation. In other words, you need to achieve Level 2 or higher in both evaluations. The performance improvement policy is not based on a single standard. Students can prove the basic abilities of ELA and mathematics by conducting standardized tests done in academic year or August or by checking the portfolio of their work.