118 SRES 441 IS: Designating October 2023 as “National Learning Disabilities Awareness Month”. U.S. Senate 2023-10-30 text/xml EN Pursuant to Title 17 Section 105 of the United States Code, this file is not subject to copyright protection and is in the public domain.

III118th CONGRESS1st SessionS. RES. 441IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATESOctober 30, 2023Mr. Hickenlooper (for himself and Mr. Budd) submitted the following resolution; which was referred to the Committee on the JudiciaryRESOLUTIONDesignating October 2023 as National Learning Disabilities Awareness Month.

Whereas in section 602 of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (20 U.S.C. 1401), a specific learning disability—(1)is defined as a disorder in 1 or more of the basic psychological processes involved in understanding or in using language, spoken or written, which may manifest itself in the imperfect ability to listen, think, speak, read, write, spell, or do mathematical calculations;(2)includes conditions such as perceptual disabilities, brain injury, minimal brain dysfunction, dyslexia, and developmental aphasia; and(3)does not include a learning problem that is primarily the result of visual, hearing, or motor disabilities, of intellectual disabilities, of emotional disturbance, or of environmental, cultural, or economic disadvantage;Whereas a specific learning disability is the most prevalent disability of students who are served by parts A through D of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (20 U.S.C. 1400 et seq.), impacting 34 percent of all students who received special education services;Whereas, for academic year 2022, the National Assessment of Educational Progress reports that—(1)more than 95 percent of 4th and 8th grade students with a specific learning disability were not proficient in reading; and(2)more than 93 percent of 4th and 8th grade students with a specific learning disability were not proficient in math;Whereas the math and reading scores reported by the National Assessment of Educational Progress for academic year 2022 indicate that Black and Hispanic students with a specific learning disability experience greater opportunity gaps than White and Asian students;Whereas research shows that students with specific learning disabilities can achieve success commensurate with their peers, if given appropriate instruction and support;Whereas developmentally appropriate universal screening should begin as early as possible to assess which students demonstrate the most pervasive risk factors for specific learning disabilities; andWhereas research rooted in the science of reading establishes an evidence base of effective instructional methods for developing reading skills for students with or at risk for specific learning disabilities: Now, therefore, be it

That the Senate—(1)designates October 2023 as National Learning Disabilities Awareness Month; and(2)calls on State and local education agencies to continue to meet the needs of students with specific learning disabilities through a free and appropriate public education.