August 17, 2026
Mrs. Houchin introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Education and Workforce
To make certain revisions to the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act, and for other purposes.
Section 1. Short title
This Act may be cited as the New Improvements to Definitions for Educational Access Act
or the New IDEA Act
.
Sec. 2. Revisions to Individuals with Disabilities Education Act
The Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (20 U.S.C. 1400 et seq.) is amended—
(1)
in section 602—
(A)
in paragraph (3)—
(i)
in subparagraph (A)—
(I)
by inserting (including developmental language disorder)
after language impairments
;
(II)
by inserting spectrum disorders
after autism
; and
(III)
by inserting (including dyslexia, dyscalculia, and dysgraphia, which relate to difficulties in reading, math, and writing)
after specific learning disabilities
; and
(ii)
in subparagraph (B)(i) by inserting language or
before communication development
; and
(B)
in paragraph (30)—
(i)
in subparagraph (A), by striking listen, think
and inserting think, listen
; and
(ii)
by amending subparagraphs (B) and (C) to read as follows:
(B) Disorders included
Such term includes such conditions as word-level reading disabilities, reading comprehension disabilities, math calculation disabilities, math problem-solving and reasoning disabilities, written expression disabilities, perceptual disabilities, and brain injury. Alternative terms for commonly recognized specific learning disabilities include—
(i)
dyslexia, characterized by significant and unexpected difficulties in reading and spelling words accurately and with automaticity, typically associated with weakness in phonological processing (the appreciation of individual sounds of spoken language);
(ii)
dyscalculia, characterized by significant and unexpected difficulties in math calculation skills and understanding numbers and math facts, typically associated with weakness in fundamental number representation and processing; and
(iii)
dysgraphia, characterized by significant and unexpected difficulties in automatic formation of letters or numbers and the production of legible or coherent writing, typically associated with weakness in storing and automatically retrieving letters and numbers.
(C) Disorders not included
Such term does not include a learning problem that is primarily the result of—
(i)
visual, hearing, or motor disabilities;
(ii)
intellectual disability;
(iii)
emotional disturbance;
(iv)
a lack of appropriate instruction in reading, including in the essential components of reading instruction (as defined in section 203 of the Adult Education and Literacy Act (29 U.S.C. 3272));
(v)
lack of appropriate instruction in math; or
(vi)
limited English proficiency.; and
(2)
by inserting after section 608, the following:
608A. Provision of accommodations and services
In determining eligibility for, or providing, an accommodation or service under this title, a local educational agency or other agency shall provide equal access, to the accommodation or service, to all eligible children, including eligible children who are—
(1)
children living in low-income households; and
(2)
children with limited proficiency in English.