H.R. 5769 — 21st Century Dyslexia Act

This section amends the definitions in Section 602 of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) by (1) adding dyslexia to the list of conditions that qualify a child as a "child with a disability" (i.e., alongside intellectual disabilities, specific learning disabilities, and others); (2) defining 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 that affects the ability to speak, read, and spell; and (3) revising the definition of "specific learning disability" to strike exclusions for dyslexia and environmental, cultural, or economic disadvantage and insert dyslexia. The section also requires local educational agencies, in determining eligibility for or providing accommodations or services under IDEA Title I, to ensure equal access for eligible children from low-income families, low socioeconomic status families, and limited English proficient children. (Thus, the changes explicitly recognize dyslexia under IDEA, which provides federal funding for special education and related services to approximately 7.5 million children with disabilities.)