By: Zaffirini S.B. No. 1125
(In the Senate - Filed February 25, 2009; March 13, 2009,
read first time and referred to Committee on Education;
April 16, 2009, reported adversely, with favorable Committee
Substitute by the following vote: Yeas 6, Nays 1; April 16, 2009,
sent to printer.)
COMMITTEE SUBSTITUTE FOR S.B. No. 1125 By: West
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
AN ACT
relating to transition and employment services for public school
students enrolled in special education programs.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
SECTION 1. Section 29.011, Education Code, is amended to
read as follows:
Sec. 29.011. TRANSITION PLANNING. (a) The commissioner
shall by rule adopt procedures for compliance with federal
requirements relating to transition services for students who are
enrolled in special education programs under this subchapter. The
procedures must:
(1) provide that transition planning begins for a
student not later than when the student reaches 14 years of age; and
(2) specify the manner in which a student's admission,
review, and dismissal committee must consider, and if appropriate,
address the following issues in the student's individualized
education program:
(A) [(1)] appropriate student involvement in the
student's transition to life outside the public school system;
(B) [(2)] if the student is younger than 18 years
of age, appropriate parental involvement in the student's
transition;
(C) [(3)] if the student is at least 18 years of
age, appropriate parental involvement in the student's transition,
if the parent is invited to participate by the student or the school
district in which the student is enrolled;
(D) [(4)] any postsecondary education options;
(E) [(5)] a functional vocational evaluation;
(F) [(6)] employment goals and objectives;
(G) [(7)] if the student is at least 18 years of
age, the availability of age-appropriate instructional
environments;
(H) [(8)] independent living goals and
objectives; and
(I) [(9)] appropriate circumstances for
referring a student or the student's parents to a governmental
agency for services.
(b) The commissioner shall require each school district or
shared services arrangement to designate an employee as the school
transition and employment services coordinator to serve as the
district's or shared services arrangement's specialist on
transition and employment services for students enrolled in special
education programs under this subchapter. An individual designated
under this subsection must meet minimum transition training
requirements established by the commissioner.
SECTION 2. Subchapter A, Chapter 29, Education Code, is
amended by adding Sections 29.0111 and 29.0112 to read as follows:
Sec. 29.0111. TRANSITION INFORMATION. The agency shall
develop a Performance-Based Monitoring Analysis System indicator
regarding the preparation of students enrolled in special education
programs to transition to life outside the public school system.
Sec. 29.0112. TRANSITION AND EMPLOYMENT MANUAL. (a) The
agency, with assistance from the Health and Human Services
Commission, shall develop a comprehensive transition and
employment manual for students enrolled in special education
programs and their parents to assist in the transition to life
outside the public school system. The agency may contract with a
private entity to prepare the manual.
(b) The transition and employment manual must contain
information specific to this state regarding:
(1) transition services;
(2) employment and supported employment services;
(3) social security programs;
(4) community and long-term services and support;
(5) postsecondary educational programs and services;
(6) information sharing with health and human services
agencies and providers;
(7) guardianship and alternatives to guardianship;
(8) self-advocacy, person-directed planning, and
self-determination; and
(9) contact information for all relevant state
agencies.
(c) The transition and employment manual must be produced in
an electronic format and posted on the agency's website in a manner
that permits the manual to be easily identified and accessed.
(d) The agency must update the transition and employment
manual posted on the agency's website at least once every two years.
(e) The agency shall develop a summary document of the
transition and employment manual that briefly describes each topic
addressed in the manual and includes contact information for each
agency or program described in the manual. The summary must include
information about obtaining access to the complete manual.
(f) The agency must update the summary required under
Subsection (e) not later than the 30th day after the date the
transition and employment manual is updated in accordance with
Subsection (d).
(g) A school district shall:
(1) maintain at each campus in the district a hard copy
of the transition and employment manual that is posted on the
agency's website;
(2) on request, assist a parent or student in
obtaining access to the transition and employment manual; and
(3) provide one hard copy of the summary document
required under Subsection (e) to each parent of a student enrolled
in a special education program or adult student enrolled in a
special education program at:
(A) the first meeting of the student's admission,
review, and dismissal committee at which transition is discussed;
or
(B) the first committee meeting that occurs after
September 1, 2009, if a student has already had an admission,
review, and dismissal committee meeting discussing transition.
SECTION 3. This Act applies beginning with the 2009-2010
school year.
SECTION 4. This Act takes effect immediately if it receives
a vote of two-thirds of all the members elected to each house, as
provided by Section 39, Article III, Texas Constitution. If this
Act does not receive the vote necessary for immediate effect, this
Act takes effect September 1, 2009.
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