Addressing Dyslexia within MTSS Brief

According to the International Dyslexia Association (2017), dyslexia is a type of specific learning disability, characterized bydifficulties with accurate and/or fluent word recognition and decoding abilities. Dyslexia is specifically cited in the implementing regulations of the IDEA and in the Kansas Special Education for Exceptional Children Act, under thedefinition of specific learning disability. The International Dyslexia Association (2017) asserts it is possible to identify potential reading problems in young children even before the problems turn into reading failure. This can be done byassessing students three times a year using screening assessments that assess predictive reading skills (ex: curriculum based measures). These assessments help schools determine which students are “at risk” for reading difficulties. The process of finding students who are at-risk for reading difficulty is part of the Kansas Multi-Tier System of Supports (MTSS) framework. Consequently, schools trained in Kansas MTSS are adequately prepared to screen and identify students with reading difficulties and target students’ reading fluency and accuracy, which are characteristics of dyslexia.The following table provides information on how the Kansas MTSS process addresses some of the facts and recommendations from The International Dyslexia Association and researchers of dyslexia.