Rep Soper and Hamrick present Senate Bill 200 for dyslexia screening in schools

Senate Bill 200, aimed at enhancing dyslexia screening and early literacy support in Colorado, took center stage during the House Education Committee meeting on April 16, 2025. Representative Soper, a co-sponsor of the bill, shared a personal account of his struggles with dyslexia, emphasizing the importance of early intervention in education. He highlighted that many students with dyslexia go unnoticed, often due to the limitations of current literacy assessments that fail to identify specific reading deficits.

Soper pointed out a staggering statistic: 50% of inmates in Colorado's prisons are dyslexic, underscoring the critical need for early identification and support. "If we don't catch the kids by third grade, it's four times the amount of interventions needed later," he warned, stressing the bill's goal to provide teachers with the tools to recognize at-risk students early on.

The bill mandates that local education providers implement universal dyslexia screening for students from kindergarten to third grade. It allows teachers to use a comprehensive set of evidence, beyond just test scores, to identify reading deficiencies. This approach aims to engage parents more effectively by ensuring they receive clear information about their child's reading challenges.

Representative Hamrick, the bill's other co-sponsor, reinforced the urgency of the initiative, noting that up to 40% of fourth graders in Colorado do not meet grade-level reading expectations. "Without early intervention, these students face increasing academic challenges," she stated, highlighting the bill as a vital lifeline for struggling readers.

Senate Bill 200 has already garnered significant support, passing unanimously in the Senate with 30 bipartisan co-sponsors. As the bill moves forward, it promises to reshape how Colorado addresses dyslexia, aiming to ensure that no child’s struggle with reading goes unseen or unsupported.