(a) (1) The Legislature finds and declares that screening pupils for risk of reading difficulties, including dyslexia, is one of many tools that educators can employ to gain information about how to support their pupilsâ learning. Screening should be considered part of a schoolâs comprehensive instructional strategy, and should be used by educators like other types of formative and summative assessments: to inform individualized instruction, measure a pupilâs progress, identify pupil learning needs, and enable parents and educators to discuss pupil needs in a more informed way. (2) The Legislature further finds and declares that early identification and intervention with evidence-based early literacy instructional strategies and materials improves literacy outcomes for pupils at risk of, and with, reading difficulties, including dyslexia. Dyslexia is the most common learning disability; however, many pupils on the dyslexia spectrum struggle every day to read without proper identification and support. By screening all pupils for risk of reading difficulties early, California can help families and teachers achieve the best learning and life outcomes for all pupils and close academic achievement gaps. (3) It is the intent of the Legislature that local educational agencies be provided funding to offset costs related to administering pupil screenings pursuant to this section if the Commission on State Mandates determines that this section contains costs mandated by the state, pursuant to Part 7 (commencing with Section 17500) of Division 4 of Title 2 of the Government Code. (b) On or before January 31, 2024, the state board shall appoint an independent panel of experts for the purpose of creating an approved list of evidence-based, culturally, linguistically, and developmentally appropriate screening instruments for pupils in kindergarten and grades 1 and 2 to assess pupils for risk of reading difficulties, including possible neurological disorders such as dyslexia, pursuant to this section. The state board shall not appoint any person to the panel of experts with a financial interest in the screening instruments under consideration. The state board shall establish a review process, including how screening instruments will be evaluated against the criteria specified in subdivision (g), for the panel to use to evaluate and approve screening instruments. This subdivision does not prohibit the state board from periodically reconstituting this expert panel or updating the review process, nor does it prohibit the expert panel from periodically amending the list of screening instruments described in subdivision (c) at the request of the state board. (c) (1) The work of the panel of experts appointed by the state board pursuant to subdivision (b) is subject to the Bagley-Keene Open Meeting Act (Article 9 (commencing with Section 11120) of Chapter 1 of Part 1 of Division 3 of Title 2 of the Government Code) and all meetings of the panel are subject to the Bagley-Keene Open Meeting Act. (2) On or before December 31, 2024, the panel of experts appointed by the state board shall, at a regularly scheduled public meeting, vote to approve a list of screening instruments pursuant to the review process and evaluation criteria established by the state board pursuant to subdivision (b). The list shall include screening instruments that are developed both for English-speaking pupils and for non-English speaking pupils, in languages reflecting the primary languages of pupils in the state, to the extent assessments in those languages are available. The panel of experts shall also identify information about the appropriate administration of each screening instrument, including the appropriate grade or grades for administration of each screening instrument. (d) On or before June 30, 2025, the governing board or body of a local educational agency serving pupils in kindergarten or grades 1 or 2 shall adopt, at a public meeting, one or more screening
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