NC Dyslexia · Proposed Legislation · Proposed Legislation · Not Yet Enacted

HB 947 (2025) v1 — Every Child Reads (PROPOSED)

Plain English summary

House Bill 947 (2025) is a proposed North Carolina law that would require schools to screen every student in kindergarten through 3rd grade, 6th grade, and 9th grade for dyslexia, and to provide Science of Reading-based interventions through IEPs for students identified with dyslexia. It would also require dyslexia training for all K-3, 6th, and 9th grade teachers, extend Science of Reading requirements to middle school literacy instruction, add dyslexia screening to NC Pre-K, and transfer the NC Pre-K program from DHHS to the Department of Public Instruction. This bill has been referred to committee and is NOT yet law.

Key requirements

  • Local school administrative units shall screen every student in grades kindergarten through three, grade six, and grade nine for dyslexia using the State Board-adopted screening instrument (G.S. 115C-150.22(b))
  • Students identified as having dyslexia shall receive intervention strategies grounded in the Science of Reading through their IEP (G.S. 115C-150.22(c))
  • The State Board of Education shall develop informational materials about dyslexia and adopt age-appropriate screening instruments, a comprehensive assessment, and Science of Reading-based intervention strategies for local boards (G.S. 115C-12(50))
  • Local boards of education shall provide informational materials about dyslexia to parents of students who exhibit potential indicators of dyslexia on an annual basis (G.S. 115C-150.22(a))
  • If a screening indicates potential indicators of dyslexia, the local school administrative unit shall administer a comprehensive assessment adopted by the State Board (G.S. 115C-150.22(c))
  • All kindergarten through third grade, grade six, and grade nine teachers shall be trained to administer the dyslexia screening instruments (G.S. 115C-150.23(a))
  • Ongoing professional development on dyslexia identification and intervention strategies shall be made available to teachers and other school personnel (G.S. 115C-150.23(b))
  • Educator preparation programs (EPPs) training elementary and special education general curriculum teachers must include instruction in the identification of and intervention strategies for students with dyslexia (G.S. 115C-269.20(a)(3)d.)
  • EPPs training middle and high school teachers must include instruction in the identification of and intervention strategies for students with dyslexia (G.S. 115C-269.20(a)(4)d.)
  • For elementary school teachers and middle school teachers teaching under a Middle Grades license, continuing education literacy renewal credits must include at least one credit on the identification of and intervention strategies for students with dyslexia (G.S. 115C-270.30(b)(2))
  • All literacy instruction in middle schools, to the extent provided, shall be aligned with the Science of Reading as defined in G.S. 115C-83.3 (G.S. 115C-81.37)
  • NC Pre-K program must administer a dyslexia screening instrument to every participating student, with results shared with each child's kindergarten teacher at the start of the next school year (G.S. 115C-83.4B(b)(4))
  • NC Pre-K educators and administrators shall receive training to ensure appropriate instruction and intervention strategies for students who exhibit potential indicators of dyslexia (G.S. 115C-83.4B(b)(5))
  • Individual Reading Plans (IRPs) for K-3 students must be continually adjusted to include results of any dyslexia screening performed in accordance with G.S. 115C-150.22 (G.S. 115C-83.6B(a))
  • Local boards must include in their annual literacy intervention plans specific information about interventions and curricula used with students who exhibit potential indicators of dyslexia and students with dyslexia (G.S. 115C-83.6A(a))
  • Local boards must report annually to the State Board by September 1 each year including a description of literacy interventions provided to students who exhibit potential indicators of dyslexia and students with dyslexia (G.S. 115C-83.10(b)(1a))
  • Each local board shall report to the State Board by September 15, 2026 on dyslexia-related literacy interventions, curricula, and professional development including number of teachers who participated
  • The State Board shall report local board information to the Joint Legislative Education Oversight Committee by November 15, 2026
  • The NC Pre-K program shall be transferred from DHHS to the Department of Public Instruction effective July 1, 2025

Affected parties

  • Local school administrative units (must comply with screening, assessment, intervention, reporting, and planning mandates)
  • State Board of Education (must develop screening instruments, assessments, intervention strategies, and informational materials)
  • Department of Public Instruction (must implement Early Literacy Program components including dyslexia screening in NC Pre-K and assume all NC Pre-K responsibilities)
  • Educator preparation programs — EPPs (must include dyslexia identification and intervention instruction for all teacher candidates)
  • All kindergarten through 3rd grade teachers (must be trained to administer dyslexia screenings and earn continuing education credits including dyslexia content)
  • All 6th and 9th grade teachers (must be trained to administer dyslexia screenings)
  • Middle and high school teacher candidates (must receive dyslexia identification and intervention training through EPPs)
  • Middle school literacy teachers (all literacy instruction must be Science of Reading aligned)
  • NC Pre-K educators and administrators (must receive dyslexia-focused training)
  • Students in grades K-3, grade 6, and grade 9 (benefit from universal dyslexia screening)
  • Students in NC Pre-K (benefit from dyslexia screening)
  • Students identified with dyslexia (benefit from IEP-based Science of Reading interventions)
  • Parents of students exhibiting potential indicators of dyslexia (benefit from annual informational materials)

Advocacy note

PROPOSED BILL — still in committee as of April 2025 and cannot be cited as current law; if enacted, the most powerful and least-known provision would be the extension of mandatory dyslexia screening beyond K-3 to include ALL students in grade 6 and grade 9 (G.S. 115C-150.22(b)), meaning older students who were missed in early grades would have two additional mandated catch-up screening opportunities — a significant expansion beyond current NC law.

Official source

https://www.ncleg.gov/Sessions/2025/Bills/House/PDF/H947v1.pdf