HawaiiPublic schools would screen young students for dyslexia-related reading needs
The measure would require public schools to screen young students for dyslexia-related needs, provide reading support, and train educators in structured instruction.
What it does
Starting in the 2027-2028 school year, public schools would screen students in kindergarten through third grade and new students for dyslexia-related reading needs.
Students identified with dyslexia or flagged as struggling readers would receive evidence-based support and progress monitoring through Hawaii's existing multi-level support system.
Education staff and future general and special education teachers would receive training in structured reading instruction, with funding proposed for screeners in fiscal year 2026-2027.
Argument forEarlier screening and targeted instruction could help schools identify reading difficulties sooner and connect students with support.
Argument againstSchools may face added workload and uncertain resources because the appropriation amount is blank while screening, intervention, and training duties are broad.
More detail
Public schools would give department-approved screening for dyslexia-related reading and language needs. The screening would cover all students in kindergarten through third grade and students entering a Hawaii public school for the first time. Schools would add the screening to the existing universal screening process. The screening would measure reading and language skills such as sound awareness, decoding, spelling, oral reading, and language use. Schools would use developmentally appropriate parts of the listed assessment. The screening requirement would begin with the 2027-2028 school year.
Public schools would provide evidence-based reading interventions and track progress for students identified with dyslexia or flagged as struggling readers. The requirement would apply to students identified through the screening process and to students identified as having dyslexia. Schools would provide the interventions through Hawaii's multi-tiered support system, which uses ongoing observation and data to guide instruction. The text does not state a separate funding or approval condition for these interventions. Schools would provide interventions and monitor progress after students are identified or flagged through the screening process.
The Department of Education would offer staff training and work with higher-education teacher programs on structured reading instruction. Training would cover staff in complex areas and public schools, as well as general and special education teacher candidates. Structured reading instruction would use explicit, step-by-step teaching, practice, immediate feedback, and ongoing progress checks. The bill includes a general-revenue appropriation for screeners, but the dollar amount is blank in the supplied text. The Department of Education would spend the appropriation on the bill's purposes. The funding provision applies to fiscal year 2026-2027; no separate start date is stated for the training or higher-education collaboration.
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Where it stands
- Introduced
- Passed House
- Passed Senate
- To Governor
- Became Law
Looking ahead
No hearings or votes scheduled.
History
- 2026
- Jul 14Act 242, 07/13/2026 (Gov. Msg. No. 1344).Latest
- Jul 14Act 242, on 07/13/2026 (Gov. Msg. No. 1344).Became Law
- May 8Received notice of passage on Final Reading in House (Hse. Com. No. 888).Minor
- May 7Transmitted to Governor.
- May 6Passed Final Reading, as amended (CD 1). Ayes, 25; Aye(s) with reservations: none . 0 No(es): none. 0 Excused: none.Major
- Vote recorded Passed Final Reading as amended in CD 1. Result: pass.Lower
- May 6Passed Final Reading as amended in CD 1 with none voting aye with reservations; Representative(s) Pierick voting no (1) and none excused (0).Major
- May 6Received notice of Final Reading (Sen. Com. No. 816).Minor
- May 1The Conference committee recommends that the measure be PASSED, WITH AMENDMENTS. The votes of the Senate Conference Managers were as follows: 3 Aye(s): Senator(s) Kim, Kidani, DeCorte; Aye(s) with reservations: none ; 0 No(es): none; and 0 Excused: none.Minor
- Vote recorded The Conference committee recommends that the measure be PASSED, WITH AMENDMENTS. Result: pass.Upper
- Vote recorded The Conference Committee recommends that the measure be Passed, with Amendments. Result: pass.Lower
- May 1The Conference Committee recommends that the measure be Passed, with Amendments. The votes were as follows: 5 Ayes: Representative(s) Woodson, Lee, M., La Chica, Olds, Souza; Ayes with reservations: none; 0 Noes: none; and 0 Excused: none.Minor
- May 1Reported from Conference Committee (Conf Com. Rep. No. 179-26) as amended in (CD 1).
- May 1Forty-eight (48) hours notice Wednesday, 05-06-26.
- May 1Reported from Conference Committee as amended CD 1 (Conf. Com. Rep. No. 179-26).
- May 148 Hrs. Notice (as amended CD 1) 05-06-26
- Apr 30Conference Committee Meeting will reconvene on Friday 05-01-26 1:30PM in conference room 229.
- Apr 29Conference Committee Meeting will reconvene on Thursday 04-30-26 1:37PM in conference room 229.
- Apr 28Conference Committee Meeting will reconvene on Wednesday 04-29-26 1:30PM in conference room 229.
- Apr 27Bill scheduled for Conference Committee Meeting on Tuesday, 04-28-26 1:35PM in conference room 229.
- Apr 22Received notice of Senate conferees (Sen. Com. No. 719).Minor
- Apr 21Senate Conferees Appointed: Kim Chair; Kidani Co-Chair; DeCorte.
- Apr 20House Conferees Appointed: Woodson, Lee, M. Co-Chairs; La Chica, Olds, Souza.
- Apr 20Received notice of appointment of House conferees (Hse. Com. No. 786).Minor
- Apr 16Received notice of disagreement (Hse. Com. No. 599).Minor
- Apr 14House disagrees with Senate amendment (s).Minor
- Apr 10Report Adopted; Passed Third Reading. Ayes, 25; Aye(s) with reservations: none. Noes, 0 (none). Excused, 0 (none). Transmitted to House.Passed Senate
- Vote recorded Report Adopted; Passed Third Reading. Result: pass.Upper
- Apr 10Returned from Senate (Sen. Com. No. 536) in amended form (SD 1).
- Apr 9Reported from WAM (Stand. Com. Rep. No. 3651) with recommendation of passage on Third Reading.
- Apr 9One Day Notice 04-10-26.
- Apr 6The committee(s) on WAM recommend(s) that the measure be PASSED, UNAMENDED. The votes in WAM were as follows: 12 Aye(s): Senator(s) Dela Cruz, Moriwaki, DeCoite, Elefante, Hashimoto, Inouye, Kanuha, Kidani, Kim, Richards, Wakai, Fevella; Aye(s) with reservations: none ; 0 No(es): none; and 1 Excused: Senator(s) Lee, C..Minor
- Vote recorded The committee(s) on WAM recommend(s) that the measure be PASSED, UNAMENDED. Result: pass.Upper
- Apr 1The committee(s) on WAM will hold a public decision making on 04-06-26 10:32AM; Conference Room 211 & Videoconference.
- Mar 30Reported from EDU (Stand. Com. Rep. No. 3262) with recommendation of passage on Second Reading, as amended (SD 1) and referral to WAM.
- Mar 30Report adopted; Passed Second Reading, as amended (SD 1) and referred to WAM.Minor
- Mar 23The committee(s) on EDU recommend(s) that the measure be PASSED, WITH AMENDMENTS. The votes in EDU were as follows: 4 Aye(s): Senator(s) Kim, Kidani, Hashimoto, DeCorte; Aye(s) with reservations: none ; 0 No(es): none; and 1 Excused: Senator(s) Fukunaga.Minor
- Vote recorded The committee(s) on EDU recommend(s) that the measure be PASSED, WITH AMENDMENTS. Result: pass.Upper
- Mar 20The committee(s) on EDU has scheduled a public hearing on 03-23-26 1:11PM; Conference Room 229 & Videoconference.
- Mar 10Received from House (Hse. Com. No. 163).Minor
- Mar 10Passed First Reading.Minor
- Mar 10Referred to EDU, WAM.Minor
- Mar 6Reported from FIN (Stand. Com. Rep. No. 938-26), recommending passage on Third Reading.
- Vote recorded Passed Third Reading. Result: pass.Lower
- Mar 6Passed Third Reading with none voting aye with reservations; Representative(s) Pierick voting no (1) and Representative(s) Perruso, Sayama excused (2). Transmitted to Senate.Passed House
- Mar 3The committee on FIN recommend that the measure be PASSED, UNAMENDED. The votes were as follows: 16 Ayes: Representative(s) Todd, Takenouchi, Hartsfield, Hussey, Keohokapu-Lee Loy, Kitagawa, Kusch, Lee, M., Miyake, Morikawa, Perruso, Templo, Yamashita, Alcos, Gedeon, Reyes Oda; Ayes with reservations: none; 0 Noes: none; and 0 Excused: none.Minor
- Vote recorded The committee on FIN recommend that the measure be PASSED, UNAMENDED. Result: pass.Lower
- Feb 27Bill scheduled to be heard by FIN on Tuesday, 03-03-26 2:00PM in House conference room 308 VIA VIDEOCONFERENCE.
- Feb 19Reported from EDN (Stand. Com. Rep. No. 492-26) as amended in HD 1, recommending passage on Second Reading and referral to FIN.
- Vote recorded Passed Second Reading as amended in HD 1 and referred to the committee(s) on FIN. Result: pass.Lower
- Feb 19Passed Second Reading as amended in HD 1 and referred to the committee(s) on FIN with none voting aye with reservations; Representative(s) Pierick voting no (1) and none excused (0).Minor
- Feb 17The committee on EDN recommend that the measure be PASSED, WITH AMENDMENTS. The votes were as follows: 9 Ayes: Representative(s) Woodson, La Chica, Amato, Evslin, Kapela, Kila, Olds, Muraoka, Souza; Ayes with reservations: none; 0 Noes: none; and 1 Excused: Representative(s) Garrett.Minor
- Vote recorded The committee on EDN recommend that the measure be PASSED, WITH AMENDMENTS. Result: pass.Lower
- Feb 13Bill scheduled to be heard by EDN on Tuesday, 02-17-26 2:00PM in House conference room 309 VIA VIDEOCONFERENCE.
- Jan 26Introduced and Pass First Reading.Minor
- Jan 26Referred to EDN, FIN, referral sheet 2Minor
- Jan 23Pending introduction.Introduced
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