On Board Online • January 12, 2026
By Caroline Bobick
Deputy Director of Governmental and External Relations
On Dec. 11, Gov. Kathy Hochul signed legislation to create a center for dyslexia and dysgraphia within the State Education Department (SED).
The original bill (S.5569/A.2687) was carried in the Legislature by Senator Patricia Fahy and Assemblyman Robert Carroll and is aligned with one of the recommendations of the New York State Dyslexia and Dysgraphia Task Force, which the Legislature created in 2024.
With initial funding of $250,000, the Center for Dyslexia and Dysgraphia will set explicit standards for teacher preparation programs and universal screening for students in kindergarten through fifth grade.
The Center also is directed to create a comprehensive guidebook on dyslexia and dysgraphia for educators, school administrators and professional development providers. The guidebook will be updated at least every five years.
"By signing this legislation, I am celebrating alongside the thousands of families across New York who are navigating the educational system due to their child's learning disability," Gov.Hochul said. "By establishing this Center, New York is doubling down on our commitment to ensuring all students, including those with learning disabilities, have the best classroom outcomes."
The enactment of this law comes about one and a half years after the state budget included a provision directing SED to provide school districts with instructional best practices for the teaching of reading to PK-3 students that are evidence- and science-based. School districts have certified that their curriculum and instructional practices being used in the current school year are in line with SED's instructional best practices.
NYSSBA's position on the bill was "no objection."
"We recognize that new screening protocols could entail costs for districts, but we note that the Legislature left many details to SED," said Brian Fessler, NYSSBA's chief advocacy officer. "Guidance on dyslexia and dysgraphia can dovetail with efforts to ensure schools are using the most effective strategies to have students read on grade level."