[Congressional Record Volume 170, Number 141 (Wednesday, September 11, 2024)]
[Senate]
[Pages S5991-S5992]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]

  SA 3253. Mr. CASSIDY submitted an amendment intended to be proposed 
by him to the bill S. 4638, to authorize appropriations for fiscal year 
2025 for military activities of the Department of Defense, for military 
construction, and for defense activities of the Department of Energy, 
to prescribe military personnel strengths for such fiscal year, and for 
other purposes; which was ordered to lie on the table; as follows:

       At the end of part I of subtitle F of title V, insert the 
     following:

     SEC. 578. REVIEW OF SPECIAL EDUCATION PROCESSES AND 
                   PROCEDURES OF DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE EDUCATION 
                   ACTIVITY.

       (a) In General.--The Director of the Department of Defense 
     Education Activity (in this section referred to as ``DODEA'') 
     shall review the special education processes and procedures 
     in place within DODEA to locate, identify (through screening 
     or other evidence-based tools), evaluate, and refer children 
     with disabilities from birth to age 21 and provide evidence-
     based interventions and supports for students with 
     disabilities.
       (b) Consistency With Existing Law.--The review required by 
     subsection (a) shall be conducted consistent with child-find 
     requirements under Department of Defense Instruction 1342.12, 
     the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (20 U.S.C. 
     1400 et seq.), and part 300 of title 34, Code of Federal 
     Regulations.
       (c) Provision of Special Education Materials and 
     Information to Congress.--As part of the review required by 
     subsection (a), the Director shall provide to the appropriate 
     congressional committees the following:

[[Page S5992]]

       (1) A briefing on the special education processes and 
     procedures of DODEA, particularly those for locating, 
     identifying, evaluating, and referring for specific learning 
     disabilities, including dyslexia.
       (2) Documents, including documents not publicly available, 
     related to subsection (d).
       (d) Provision of Materials and Information to Congress.--
       (1) In general.--Not later than 60 days after the date of 
     the enactment of this Act, as part of the review required by 
     subsection (a), the Director shall provide to the appropriate 
     congressional committees the following information regarding 
     any screening programs of DODEA as that information pertains 
     to locating and identifying, including screening, for early 
     literacy skill development in children in DODEA schools:
       (A) A description of the following:
       (i) The extent to which DODEA ensures that it locates and 
     identifies, including by screening, children enrolled in an 
     elementary school operated by DODEA for deficiencies in early 
     literacy skill development.
       (ii) The extent to which DODEA ensures that it locates, 
     identifies, and screens new enrollees in each such school 
     regardless of year, unless the new enrollee has already been 
     identified with a specific learning disability, including 
     dyslexia.
       (iii) The extent to which DODEA ensures it provides 
     comprehensive literacy instruction (as defined in section 
     2221(b)(1) of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 
     1965 (20 U.S.C. 6641(b)(1))).
       (iv) The extent to which DODEA provides high-quality 
     training for school personnel, particularly specialized 
     instructional support personnel (as defined in section 
     8101(47)(A)(ii) of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act 
     of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 7801(47)(A)(ii))) related to early 
     literacy, reading, and specific learning disabilities, 
     including dyslexia.
       (v) The extent to which DODEA ensures that each district of 
     schools operated by DODEA employs at least one specialized 
     instructional support personnel who specializes in early 
     literacy, reading, and specific learning disabilities, 
     including dyslexia.
       (B) Information with respect to the following:
       (i) The number of children at schools operated by DODEA 
     screened for deficiencies in early literacy skill 
     development, including dyslexia, each year and the grade in 
     which those children were screened.
       (ii) The number and types of early literacy screening tools 
     used by DODEA each year.
       (iii) The total number of children evaluated and identified 
     with specific learning disabilities, disaggregated by 
     dyslexia and other reading disabilities, as applicable, that 
     are served by DODEA.
       (iv) The total number of such children described in 
     subparagraph (C), disaggregated by each subgroup of student 
     (as defined in section 1111(c)(2) of the Elementary and 
     Secondary Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 6311(c)(2))).
       (v) The number of days, on average, from referral from the 
     screening program to evaluation for specific learning 
     disabilities, including dyslexia.
       (vi) The type of professional conducting intervention 
     programs for children with early literacy challenges and 
     specific learning disabilities, particularly dyslexia.
       (vii) A list of, and descriptions of materials related to, 
     early literacy and reading interventions used by DODEA to 
     provide special education and related services to children 
     with specific learning disabilities, particularly dyslexia.
       (viii) The number of trainings per year provided by DODEA 
     to school personnel on screening for evaluating and providing 
     services to children with early literacy challenges and 
     specific learning disabilities, particularly dyslexia.
       (ix) A list of organizations outside of DODEA, if 
     applicable, that are consulted with on such screening 
     programs and related reading intervention programs.
       (2) Protection of personally identifiable information.--The 
     Director shall ensure that any information provided to the 
     appropriate congressional committees under paragraph (1) does 
     not reveal personally identifiable information.
       (e) Assessment of Definitions Used by DODEA.--As part of 
     the review required by subsection (a), the Director shall 
     provide to the appropriate congressional committees a 
     description of how DODEA's definitions of the following terms 
     align with or differ from the following definitions:
       (1) Comprehensive literacy instruction.--The term 
     ``comprehensive literacy instruction'' has the meaning given 
     that term in section 2221(b)(1) of the Elementary and 
     Secondary Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 6641(b)(1)).
       (2) Specific learning disabilities.--The term ``specific 
     learning disabilities'' has the meaning of that term under 
     section 300.309 of title 34, Code of Federal Regulations.
       (3) Screening program.--The term ``screening program'' 
     means a screening program that is--
       (A) evidence-based and proven for validity and reliability 
     to measure early literacy and reading skills;
       (B) efficient and low-cost; and
       (C) readily available.
       (4) Evidence-based.--The term ``evidence-based'' has the 
     meaning given that term in section 8101(21)(A)(i) of the 
     Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 
     7801(21)(A)(i)).
       (f) Dyslexia Definition Used by DODEA.--As part of the 
     review required by subsection (a), the Director shall provide 
     to the appropriate congressional committee the definition of 
     ``dyslexia'' used by DODEA.
       (g) Appropriate Congressional Committees Defined.--In this 
     section, the term ``appropriate congressional committees'' 
     means--
       (1) the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions 
     and the Committee on Armed Services of the Senate; and
       (2) the Committee on Education and the Workforce and the 
     Committee on Armed Services of the House of Representatives.
                                 ______