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A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
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AN ACT
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relating to dyslexia screening and testing, the employment of |
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dyslexia specialists by regional education service centers, and the |
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development by the Texas Education Agency of a list of training |
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opportunities for educators regarding dyslexia. |
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BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
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SECTION 1. Subchapter B, Chapter 8, Education Code, is |
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amended by adding Section 8.061 to read as follows: |
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Sec. 8.061. DYSLEXIA SPECIALIST. Each regional education |
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service center shall employ as a dyslexia specialist a person |
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licensed as a dyslexia therapist under Chapter 403, Occupations |
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Code, to provide school districts served by the center with support |
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and resources that are necessary to assist students with dyslexia |
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and the families of students with dyslexia. |
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SECTION 2. Sections 38.003(a) and (b-1), Education Code, |
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are amended to read as follows: |
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(a) Students enrolling in public schools in this state shall |
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be screened or tested, as appropriate, for dyslexia and related |
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disorders at appropriate times in accordance with a program |
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approved by the State Board of Education. The program must include |
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screening at the end of the school year of each student in |
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kindergarten and each student in the first grade. |
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(b-1) Unless otherwise provided by law, a student |
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determined to have dyslexia during screening or testing under |
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Subsection (a) or accommodated because of dyslexia may not be |
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rescreened or retested for dyslexia for the purpose of reassessing |
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the student's need for accommodations until the district |
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reevaluates the information obtained from previous screening or |
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testing of the student. |
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SECTION 3. Subchapter A, Chapter 38, Education Code, is |
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amended by adding Section 38.0032 to read as follows: |
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Sec. 38.0032. DYSLEXIA TRAINING OPPORTUNITIES. (a) The |
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agency shall annually develop a list of training opportunities |
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regarding dyslexia that satisfy the requirements of Section |
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21.054(b). The list of training opportunities must include at |
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least one opportunity that is available online. |
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(b) A training opportunity included in the list developed |
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under Subsection (a) must: |
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(1) comply with the knowledge and practice standards |
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of an international organization on dyslexia; and |
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(2) enable an educator to: |
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(A) understand and recognize dyslexia; and |
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(B) implement instruction that is systematic, |
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explicit, and evidence-based to meet the educational needs of a |
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student with dyslexia. |
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SECTION 4. Section 38.003, Education Code, as amended by |
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this Act, applies beginning with the 2017-2018 school year. |
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SECTION 5. This Act takes effect immediately if it receives |
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a vote of two-thirds of all the members elected to each house, as |
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provided by Section 39, Article III, Texas Constitution. If this |
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Act does not receive the vote necessary for immediate effect, this |
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Act takes effect September 1, 2017. |