By: Paxton, et al. S.B. No. 2075
(Miller)
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
AN ACT
relating to public school compliance with dyslexia screening,
reading instrument requirements, and a requirement that a school
district notify certain parents or guardians of a program providing
students with reading disabilities the ability to borrow audiobooks
free of charge.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
SECTION 1. Section 7.028(a), Education Code, is amended to
read as follows:
(a) Except as provided by Section 28.006, 29.001(5),
29.010(a), 38.003, or 39.057, the agency may monitor compliance
with requirements applicable to a process or program provided by a
school district, campus, program, or school granted charters under
Chapter 12, including the process described by Subchapter F,
Chapter 11, or a program described by Subchapter B, C, D, E, F, H, or
I, Chapter 29, or Subchapter A, Chapter 37, [or Section 38.003,] and
the use of funds provided for such a program under Subchapter C,
Chapter 42, only as necessary to ensure:
(1) compliance with federal law and regulations;
(2) financial accountability, including compliance
with grant requirements; and
(3) data integrity for purposes of:
(A) the Public Education Information Management
System (PEIMS); and
(B) accountability under Chapters 39 and 39A.
SECTION 2. Section 28.006, Education Code, is amended by
adding Subsections (g-2) and (l) to read as follows:
(g-2) In accordance with a notification program developed
by the commissioner by rule, a school district shall notify the
parent or guardian of each student determined, on the basis of a
screening under Section 38.003 or other basis, to have dyslexia or a
related disorder, or determined, on the basis of reading instrument
results, to be at risk for dyslexia or other reading difficulties,
of the program maintained by the Texas State Library and Archives
Commission providing students with reading disabilities the
ability to borrow audiobooks free of charge.
(l) The agency by rule shall develop procedures designed to
allow the agency to:
(1) effectively audit and monitor and periodically
conduct site visits of all school districts to ensure that
districts are complying with this section;
(2) identify any problems school districts experience
in complying with this section; and
(3) develop reasonable and appropriate remedial
strategies to address school district noncompliance and ensure the
purposes of this section are accomplished.
SECTION 3. Section 38.003, Education Code, is amended by
amending Subsection (c) and adding Subsection (c-1) to read as
follows:
(c) Subject to Subsection (c-1), the [The] State Board of
Education shall adopt any rules and standards necessary to
administer this section.
(c-1) The agency by rule shall develop procedures designed
to allow the agency to:
(1) effectively audit and monitor and periodically
conduct site visits of all school districts to ensure that
districts are complying with this section, including the program
approved by the State Board of Education under this section;
(2) identify any problems school districts experience
in complying with this section, including the program approved by
the State Board of Education under this section; and
(3) develop reasonable and appropriate remedial
strategies to address school district noncompliance and ensure the
purposes of this section are accomplished.
SECTION 4. This Act applies beginning with the 2019-2020
school year.
SECTION 5. The Texas Education Agency is required to
implement a provision of this Act only if the legislature
appropriates money specifically for that purpose. If the
legislature does not appropriate money specifically for that
purpose, the Texas Education Agency may, but is not required to,
implement a provision of this Act using other appropriations
available for that purpose.
SECTION 6. 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, 2019.