Texas 2009 - 81st Regular

Texas Senate Bill SB1125 Compare Versions

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1	1	81R8723 CAE-D
2	2	By: Zaffirini S.B. No. 1125
3	3
4	4
5	5	A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
6	6	AN ACT
7	7	relating to transition and employment services for public school
8	8	students enrolled in special education programs.
9	9	BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
10	10	SECTION 1. Section 29.011, Education Code, is amended to
11	11	read as follows:
12	12	Sec. 29.011. TRANSITION PLANNING. (a) The commissioner
13	13	shall by rule adopt procedures for compliance with federal
14	14	requirements relating to transition services for students who are
15	15	enrolled in special education programs under this subchapter. The
16	16	procedures must:
17	17	(1) provide that transition planning begins for a
18	18	student not later than when the student reaches 14 years of age; and
19	19	(2) specify the manner in which a student's admission,
20	20	review, and dismissal committee must consider, and if appropriate,
21	21	address the following issues in the student's individualized
22	22	education program:
23	23	(A) [(1)] appropriate student involvement in the
24	24	student's transition to life outside the public school system;
25	25	(B) [(2)] if the student is younger than 18 years
26	26	of age, appropriate parental involvement in the student's
27	27	transition;
28	28	(C) [(3)] if the student is at least 18 years of
29	29	age, appropriate parental involvement in the student's transition,
30	30	if the parent is invited to participate by the student or the school
31	31	district in which the student is enrolled;
32	32	(D) [(4)] any postsecondary education options;
33	33	(E) [(5)] a functional vocational evaluation;
34	34	(F) [(6)] employment goals and objectives;
35	35	(G) [(7)] if the student is at least 18 years of
36	36	age, the availability of age-appropriate instructional
37	37	environments;
38	38	(H) [(8)] independent living goals and
39	39	objectives; and
40	40	(I) [(9)] appropriate circumstances for
41	41	referring a student or the student's parents to a governmental
42	42	agency for services.
43	43	(b) The commissioner shall require each school district or
44	44	shared services arrangement to designate an employee as the school
45	45	transition and employment services specialist to serve as the
46	46	district's or shared services arrangement's expert on transition
47	47	and employment services for students enrolled in special education
48	48	programs under this subchapter. An individual designated under
49	49	this subsection must meet minimum requirements established by the
50	50	commissioner.
51	51	SECTION 2. Subchapter A, Chapter 29, Education Code, is
52	52	amended by adding Sections 29.0111 and 29.0112 to read as follows:
53	53	Sec. 29.0111. TRANSITION INFORMATION. The agency shall
54	54	develop a Performance-Based Monitoring Analysis System indicator
55	55	regarding the success of students enrolled in special education
56	56	programs in transitioning to life outside the public school system,
57	57	including secondary transitions and post-school outcomes.
58	58	Sec. 29.0112. TRANSITION AND EMPLOYMENT MANUAL. (a) The
59	59	agency shall develop a comprehensive transition and employment
60	60	manual for students enrolled in special education programs and
61	61	their parents to assist in the transition to life outside the public
62	62	school system. The manual must contain information specific to
63	63	this state regarding:
64	64	(1) transition services;
65	65	(2) employment and supported employment services;
66	66	(3) social security programs;
67	67	(4) community and long-term services and support;
68	68	(5) postsecondary educational programs and services;
69	69	(6) information sharing with health and human services
70	70	agencies and providers;
71	71	(7) guardianship and alternatives to guardianship;
72	72	(8) self-advocacy, person-directed planning, and
73	73	self-determination; and
74	74	(9) contact information for all relevant state
75	75	agencies.
76	76	(b) The agency must update the transition and employment
77	77	manual at least once every two years.
78	78	(c) The agency shall post the transition and employment
79	79	manual on the agency's website in a manner that permits the manual
80	80	to be easily identified and accessed.
81	81	(d) A school district shall:
82	82	(1) maintain a copy of the transition and employment
83	83	manual at each campus in the district; and
84	84	(2) provide one copy of the transition and employment
85	85	manual to each student enrolled in a special education program and
86	86	the student's parent at the first meeting of the student's
87	87	admission, review, and dismissal committee at which transition is
88	88	discussed or the first meeting that occurs after September 1, 2009,
89	89	if a student has already had an admission, review, and dismissal
90	90	committee meeting discussing transition.
91	91	SECTION 3. This Act applies beginning with the 2009-2010
92	92	school year.
93	93	SECTION 4. This Act takes effect immediately if it receives
94	94	a vote of two-thirds of all the members elected to each house, as
95	95	provided by Section 39, Article III, Texas Constitution. If this
96	96	Act does not receive the vote necessary for immediate effect, this
97	97	Act takes effect September 1, 2009.