| 1 | 1 | | 81R5626 CAE-D |
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| 2 | 2 | | By: Hochberg H.B. No. 828 |
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| 3 | 3 | | |
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| 4 | 4 | | |
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| 5 | 5 | | A BILL TO BE ENTITLED |
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| 6 | 6 | | AN ACT |
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| 7 | 7 | | relating to a grant available to school districts to provide |
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| 8 | 8 | | services to students with disabilities. |
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| 9 | 9 | | BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
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| 10 | 10 | | SECTION 1. Subchapter A, Chapter 29, Education Code, is |
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| 11 | 11 | | amended by adding Section 29.018 to read as follows: |
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| 12 | 12 | | Sec. 29.018. SPECIAL EDUCATION GRANT. (a) From funds |
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| 13 | 13 | | appropriated for the purposes of this section, federal funds, or |
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| 14 | 14 | | any other funds available, the commissioner shall make grants |
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| 15 | 15 | | available to school districts to assist districts in covering the |
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| 16 | 16 | | cost of educating students with disabilities. |
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| 17 | 17 | | (b) A school district is eligible to apply for a grant under |
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| 18 | 18 | | this section if: |
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| 19 | 19 | | (1) the district does not receive sufficient funds, |
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| 20 | 20 | | including state funds provided under Section 42.151 and federal |
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| 21 | 21 | | funds, for a student with disabilities to pay for the special |
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| 22 | 22 | | education services provided to the student; or |
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| 23 | 23 | | (2) the district does not receive sufficient funds, |
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| 24 | 24 | | including state funds provided under Section 42.151 and federal |
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| 25 | 25 | | funds, for all students with disabilities in the district to pay for |
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| 26 | 26 | | the special education services provided to the students. |
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| 27 | 27 | | (c) A school district that applies for a grant under this |
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| 28 | 28 | | section must provide the commissioner with a report comparing the |
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| 29 | 29 | | state and federal funds received by the district for students with |
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| 30 | 30 | | disabilities and the expenses incurred by the district in providing |
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| 31 | 31 | | special education services to students with disabilities. |
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| 32 | 32 | | (d) Expenses that may be included by a school district in |
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| 33 | 33 | | applying for a grant under this section include the cost of training |
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| 34 | 34 | | personnel to provide special education services to a student with |
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| 35 | 35 | | disabilities. |
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| 36 | 36 | | (e) A school district that receives a grant under this |
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| 37 | 37 | | section must educate students with disabilities in the least |
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| 38 | 38 | | restrictive environment that is appropriate to meet the student's |
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| 39 | 39 | | educational needs. |
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| 40 | 40 | | (f) The commissioner shall adopt rules as necessary to |
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| 41 | 41 | | administer this section. |
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| 42 | 42 | | SECTION 2. This Act applies beginning with the 2009-2010 |
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| 43 | 43 | | school year. |
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| 44 | 44 | | SECTION 3. This Act takes effect September 1, 2009. |
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