S. 3010 — 21st Century Dyslexia Act

This section amends definitions under the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA)—which provides special education and related services to eligible children with disabilities aged 3 through 21—by (1) adding dyslexia to the list of conditions qualifying a child as a "child with a disability" (i.e., alongside intellectual disabilities, autism, specific learning disabilities, and others); (2) establishing a definition of "dyslexia" as an unexpected difficulty in reading for an individual who has the intelligence to be a much better reader, most commonly caused by a difficulty in phonological processing (the appreciation of the individual sounds of spoken language), which affects the ability of an individual to speak, read, and spell; and (3) revising the definition of "specific learning disability" by striking "dyslexia," from subparagraph (B) and striking language in subparagraph (C) on environmental factors and inserting "or dyslexia." The section also inserts a new section 608A directing local educational agencies and other agencies, when determining eligibility for or providing accommodations or services under IDEA's main grant program (Part B), to ensure equal access for all eligible children, including those from low-income families, low socioeconomic status families, and who are limited English proficient.