By: Kolkhorst S.B. No. 935
(In the Senate - Filed March 4, 2015; March 9, 2015, read
first time and referred to Committee on Education; April 20, 2015,
reported adversely, with favorable Committee Substitute by the
following vote: Yeas 11, Nays 0; April 20, 2015, sent to printer.)
Click here to see the committee vote
COMMITTEE SUBSTITUTE FOR S.B. No. 935 By: Kolkhorst
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
AN ACT
relating to the establishment of a reading excellence team pilot
program.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
SECTION 1. Subchapter A, Chapter 28, Education Code, is
amended by adding Section 28.0061 to read as follows:
Sec. 28.0061. READING EXCELLENCE TEAM PILOT PROGRAM.
(a) Using funds appropriated for that purpose, the commissioner
shall establish a reading excellence team pilot program in
accordance with this section.
(b) A school district is eligible to participate in the
pilot program if, as determined by the commissioner, the district
has low student performance on:
(1) a reading instrument administered in accordance
with Section 28.006(c); or
(2) a third grade reading assessment instrument
administered under Section 39.023(a).
(c) The pilot program must:
(1) establish reading excellence teams composed of
reading instruction specialists;
(2) allow an eligible school district to request the
assistance of a reading excellence team; and
(3) provide a reading excellence team to a requesting
eligible school district to:
(A) review with the district the results of the
assessments described under Subsection (b) to determine campuses
and classrooms for kindergarten through third grade with the
greatest need of assistance; and
(B) work with teachers on campuses and in
classrooms identified under Paragraph (A) to provide training
necessary to improve student reading outcomes.
(d) The commissioner shall adopt rules to administer this
section, including rules establishing qualifications and criteria
for selecting reading instruction specialists for a reading
excellence team.
(e) This section expires September 1, 2021.
SECTION 2. The commissioner of education shall establish
the pilot program under Section 28.0061, Education Code, as added
by this Act, not later than September 1, 2016.
SECTION 3. 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, 2015.
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