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Surrounded by smiling supporters and curious fourth graders, Gov. Jared Polis on Friday signed a bill into law that will require universal dyslexia screenings in Colorado schools starting in the 2027-28 school year.
The sunny signing ceremony outside the front doors of Lukas Elementary School in Westminster was a momentous occasion. For students, it was the only thing besides lunch separating them from the start of summer break. For advocates of children with dyslexia, it was the culmination of a dogged effort to ensure students with the most common learning disability are flagged early so they can get the help they need.
The dyslexia bill, one of three education bills signed into law at the ceremony, was especially personal to some lawmakers. Rep. Matt Soper, a Republican representing western Colorado and one of the bill sponsors, has dyslexia and talked about his reading struggles growing up. Polis noted that both his father and his fifth grade daughter have dyslexia.
Sen. Kyle Mullica, a Democrat representing parts of Adams County and one of the bill sponsors, choked up as he talked about the mental health toll dyslexia once took on his daughter, who’s now a sixth grader.
“I’m going to go home and tell my daughter that we did something for her today,” he said. “I’m going to tell all those students who are falling through the cracks that we’ve done something for them.”