FRANKFORT, Ky. (Jan. 21, 2026) — Legislation that would strengthen how Kentucky schools identify and support students with reading and writing difficulties was approved by the House Primary and Secondary Education Committee on Wednesday.
Rep. Samara Heavrin (R-Leitchfield) is sponsoring the bill. She said it seeks to expand literacy support in schools by formally recognizing dysgraphia in state education law and improving early screening, intervention, and teacher preparation related to reading and writing disorders.
House Bill 389 would define dysgraphia in statute and require the Kentucky Department of Education (KDE) to annually update its dyslexia toolkit to include guidance and evidence-based strategies for identifying and supporting students with both dyslexia and dysgraphia.
The legislation would also require that literacy screeners and diagnostic tools used by school districts be approved by KDE and that districts report data on the implementation of evidence-based instructional practices.
“This bill was brought to me a few years ago by moms in my district,” Heavrin said. “I really wanted to focus on the dyslexia and dysgraphia portion so that we could strengthen identification and support.”
Heavrin emphasized the bill is not intended to mandate specific instructional approaches, but rather to provide clarity and consistency across districts while allowing KDE to guide best practices.
Committee members largely expressed support for the legislation, highlighting gaps in early intervention and the burden placed on families seeking services outside of their school district.
Rep. Tina Bojanowski (D-Louisville) said students with dyslexia and dysgraphia often fall through the cracks of the special education system. She is a co-sponsor on the bill.
“A child diagnosed with dyslexia may not be eligible for special education services,” Bojanowski said. “It’s important that we have mechanisms in place so that our kids with dyslexia and dysgraphia get the interventions and support that they need.”
Rep. James Tipton (R-Taylorsville) questioned how many local school districts currently have policies addressing dyslexia and dysgraphia. Heavrin responded that 171 districts have implemented such policies under previous legislation.
Tipton also raised concerns about the quality of screening and diagnostic tools used for early detection. KDE representative Mickey Smith told the committee that approved tools meet national standards for validity and reliability.
“We’ve worked very hard to ensure that there is both validity and reliability in classification and accuracy on all of the approved tools,” Smith said. “There won’t be a lot of changes for school districts, but we will be providing additional supports around procedures and protocols.”
Several lawmakers shared personal experiences from their time in education.
Rep. Timmy Truett (R-McKee) said students often receive accommodations through individualized education programs only after falling far behind academically.
“We’re treating the symptoms, not the problem,” Truett said. “Some of these kids with dyslexia and dysgraphia are the sharpest kids you’ve got, and right now parents are forced to go outside the school system to get help.”
Rep. Scott Lewis (R-Hartford) echoed those concerns, saying access to services has long been a challenge for families, particularly in rural areas.
“This problem is bigger than we realize, and it’s not fair to our kids,” Lewis said. “This bill is long overdue.”
HB 389 will now head to the full House of Representatives.
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“Capitol Update” is a non-partisan publication of the Legislative Research Commission
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