On May 18, 2018, Governor Henry McMaster signed into law Act 213, which directed districts to begin implementation of a Multi-Tiered System of Supports (MTSS). MTSS addresses the needs of the whole child – academically, behaviorally, socially, and emotionally – through a holistic and personalized system of learning that incorporates academics and social emotional into one framework. A core component of Act 213 involves both identifying and supporting students with reading difficulties, including dyslexia.
To better serve students with dyslexia, the SC Learning Disorders Task Force (LDTF) recommended the development of a statewide dyslexia handbook. In March 2020, the South Carolina Department of Education (SCDE) assembled a committee of representatives from the educational, medical, and research fields to begin writing the handbook using a framework provided by the LDTF.
South Carolina Dyslexia Handbook
The handbook will serve as a resource for educators on effective reading instruction and interventions for students with reading difficulties including dyslexia. The handbook covers areas such as the qualities of effective Tier 1 (core) reading instruction, how to screen students for reading difficulties and progress monitor, and how educators can best serve students identified as having dyslexia or other reading difficulties. It also contains resources for parents as well as teacher professional development information.
