2022 -- H 7606

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LC004869

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     STATE OF RHODE ISLAND

IN GENERAL ASSEMBLY

JANUARY SESSION, A.D. 2022

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A N   A C T

RELATING TO EDUCATION -- CURRICULUM

     

     Introduced By: Representatives Quattrocchi, Price, Nardone, Roberts, Fenton-Fung, and
Filippi

     Date Introduced: March 02, 2022

     Referred To: House Education

     It is enacted by the General Assembly as follows:

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     SECTION 1. The general assembly hereby adopts the following findings:

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     1. Dyslexia is a specific learning disability that is neurobiological in origin, characterized

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by difficulties with accurate or fluent word recognition and by poor spelling and decoding abilities

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that typically result from a deficiency in the phonological component of language, and often

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unexpected in relation to other cognitive abilities and the provision of effective classroom

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instruction, with secondary consequences which include problems with reading comprehension and

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reduced reading experience that can impede growth of vocabulary and background knowledge. See

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International Dyslexia Association.

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     2. Twenty percent (20%) of school age children in the United States are dyslexic. See, the

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Yale Center for Dyslexia and Creativity.

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     3. Dyslexia does not reflect an overall defect in language, but a localized weakness within

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the phonologic module of the brain, where sounds of language are put together to form words or

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break words down into sounds.

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     5. Most children identified as having characteristics of dyslexia and related disorders can

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be remediated successfully by explicit, systematic, multisensory instruction in phonics and

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morphology.

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     6. Research suggests that learning to read and write in cursive benefits the development of

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cognitive, motor, and literacy skills. See, Cursive Writing Benefits To Help Dyslexic Children,

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StartWrite India, July 2018, medium.com.

 

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     7. The instruction in cursive handwriting has been associated with improved academic

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outcomes for students with learning disabilities such as dyslexia. See, Why Bother With Cursive,

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Diana Hanbury King, 2015, dyslexiaida.org; Cursive Handwriting Helps Students Overcome

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Dyslexia, 2016, newroom.domtar.com.

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     8. When intervention is delayed, it takes four (4) times as long to intervene in fourth grade

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as it does in late kindergarten because of brain development and because of the increase in content

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for students to learn as they grow older. See, National Institute of Child Health and Human

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Development.

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     SECTION 2. Chapter 16-22 of the General Laws entitled "Curriculum [See Title 16

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Chapter 97 - the Rhode Island Board of Education Act]" is hereby amended by adding thereto the

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following section:

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     16-22-23.1. Instruction in handwriting in public school curriculum.

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     (a) All school districts shall incorporate instruction on cursive handwriting into the

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curriculum for students in elementary school.

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     (b) The curriculum shall include activities and instructional materials that promotes

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students to become proficient in reading cursive and writing in cursive legibly by the end of grade

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three (3) in elementary school.

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     SECTION 3. This act shall take effect upon passage.

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EXPLANATION

BY THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL

OF

A N   A C T

RELATING TO EDUCATION -- CURRICULUM

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     This act would provide that all school districts shall incorporate cursive handwriting into

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elementary school curriculum in order to be proficient by third grade.

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     This act would take effect upon passage.

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