Bill
HB 5081
Starting 2026–2027, each Michigan district/ISD/charter must employ at least one teacher trained in Orton–Gillingham based dyslexia instruction.
Status snapshot
- Introduced: March 13, 2025 (Rep. Kathy Schmaltz).
- Legislative actions show the bill progressed through both houses and was signed by the Governor on June 20, 2025, with an indicated effective date of September 1, 2025. (The bill text establishes an operational start in the 2026–2027 school year—see “Timing” below.)
- Companion bill: SB 2459.
Purpose and intent
HB 5081 adds section 1253 to the Revised School Code (1976 PA 451; MCL 380.1–380.1852) to ensure that each school district, intermediate school district (ISD), and public school academy employs at least one teacher trained to assist pupils with dyslexia using the principles of the Orton–Gillingham approach. The aim is to improve early identification and instruction for students with reading difficulties, including dyslexia, by ensuring local access to specialized instructional expertise.
Key provisions
- New requirement: Beginning with the 2026–2027 school year, each school district board, ISD board, or public school academy board must employ at least one teacher whose duties include assisting pupils with dyslexia and who has received training in Orton–Gillingham approach principles.
- Training standard: The Orton–Gillingham training must meet standards set forth by the International Dyslexia Association (IDA).
- Annual professional learning: The teacher designated under this section must receive not less than 10 hours of professional learning per year focused on assisting pupils with dyslexia.
- Definition of Orton–Gillingham approach principles (as specified in the bill): instructional components that (a) incorporate phonemic awareness, phonics, vocabulary, fluency, and comprehension into daily lessons; (b) use a proven multisensory approach; (c) break reading/spelling into smaller skills and build cumulatively; and (d) employ multisensory strategies (sight, hearing, touch, movement).
Who is affected
- Directly: School districts, ISDs, and public school academies (charter schools) in Michigan — each must ensure employment of at least one trained teacher.
- Students: Pupils with dyslexia or reading difficulties who would have access to a teacher trained in evidence-based multisensory reading instruction.
- Teachers and administrators: Responsibilities for hiring, assignment, and ongoing professional learning; potential need to recruit or train existing staff to meet the requirement.
- Potential fiscal impacts: Districts may incur costs for hiring, training, or reallocating staff and for providing the required 10 hours/year of professional learning. The bill text does not specify state funding or a grant mechanism.
Timing and implementation notes
- Operational requirement start: the statute specifies the requirement begins with the 2026–2027 school year.
- Legal effective date: legislative records indicate the bill was signed and listed as effective September 1, 2025. Districts should plan according to the statutory school-year start (2026–2027) for meeting the employment/training requirement.
- Compliance considerations: Districts should identify or develop IDA-aligned training options and plan for hiring or certifying at least one teacher per district/academy/ISD. Rural or small districts may face recruitment challenges.
Potential issues for districts to consider
- Availability of IDA-standard training and qualified instructors.
- Costs for training and hiring; whether state or local funding will be provided.
- Whether one trained teacher per district is sufficient to meet student need across multiple schools within a district or ISD.
For more detail, see the bill text adding Sec. 1253 to the Revised School Code and companion SB 2459.
Compiled from official sources — confirm details with the bill’s official record.
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