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The Tennessee Conservative [By Jason Vaughn] –
A bill being considered in the Tennessee General Assembly seeks to expand the Individualized Education Act (IEA) to allow a child with dyslexia to be eligible for the individualized education account program.
John Patton, Tennessee State Director for the American Federation for Children, told the Tennessee Conservative – “It (the bill) expands the IEA (special needs ESA program) to include a category called ‘specific learning disabilities’ (SLD). Basically what it does is expand the IEA to include dyslexia, which is the main disability under this SLD category.”
The IEA already includes the following disabilities as defined by the State Board of Education:
- Autism
- Deaf-blindness
- Hearing impairments
- Intellectual disability
- Orthopedic impairments
- Traumatic brain injury
- Visual impairments
- Developmental delay
- Multiple disabilities
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The House bill (HB0751) is sponsored by Representative Debra Moody (R-Covington-District 81) and the Senate version (SB1158) is sponsored by Senator Ferrell Haile (R-Gallatin-District 18).
HB0751 is scheduled to be heard in the House Education Instruction Subcommittee on March 15th.
SB1158 is scheduled to be heard in the Senate Education Committee on March 16th.
If you support this legislation, contact the Republican members of these committees prior to their meetings next week.
House Education Instruction Subcommittee
Scott Cepicky (Chair) – rep.scott.cepicky@capitol.tn.gov – (615) 741-3005
Bruce Griffey – rep.bruce.griffey@capitol.tn.gov – (615) 741-6804
Kirk Haston – rep.kirk.haston@capitol.tn.gov – (615) 741-0750
Tim Hicks – rep.tim.hicks@capitol.tn.gov – (615) 741-1717
Debra Moody – rep.debra.moody@capitol.tn.gov – (615) 741-3774
John Ragan – rep.john.ragan@capitol.tn.gov – (615) 741-4400
Todd Warner – rep.todd.warner@capitol.tn.gov – (615) 741-4170
Terri Lynn Weaver – rep.terri.lynn.weaver@capitol.tn.gov – (615) 741-2192
Senate Education Committee
Jon Lundberg (Acting Chair) – sen.jon.lundberg@capitol.tn.gov – (615) 741-5761
Mike Bell – sen.mike.bell@capitol.tn.gov – (615) 741-1946
Rusty Crowe – sen.rusty.crowe@capitol.tn.gov – (615) 741-2468
Ferrell Haile – sen.ferrell.haile@capitol.tn.gov – (615) 741-1999
Joey Hensley – sen.joey.hensley@capitol.tn.gov – (615) 741-3100
Brian Kelsey – sen.brian.kelsey@capitol.tn.gov – (615) 741-3036
Bill Powers – sen.bill.powers@capitol.tn.gov – (615) 741-2374
Dawn White – sen.dawn.white@capitol.tn.gov – (615) 741-6853
