AUTHOR'S / SPONSOR'S STATEMENT OF INTENT

 

In 2010, an interim joint committee was charged to study early detection and treatment of dyslexia and related disorders in Texas.  The committee included members of both the house and senate as well as experts on dyslexia from around the state.

 

Several of the recommendations from that committee were enacted during the 82nd Legislature, Regular Session, 2011, in S.B. 866.

 

One of the committee's main recommendations was that Texas find a way to count the number of students in its schools who have been identified as having dyslexia.  Since 1985, statute has required that schools identify and treat dyslexia but it can be difficult to get a handle on the problem and how it is being addressed without having such a count.  Other states, including Louisiana, have been able to capture that number through their schools.

 

S.B. 185 requires the Texas Education Agency to use the Public Education Information Management System to track how many students have been identified as having dyslexia.

 

As proposed, S.B. 185 amends current law relating to information regarding the number of public school students with dyslexia.

 

RULEMAKING AUTHORITY

 

Rulemaking authority is expressly granted to the commissioner of education in SECTION 1 (Section 42.006, Education Code) of this bill.

 

SECTION BY SECTION ANALYSIS

 

SECTION 1.  Amends Section 42.006, Education Code, by adding Subsection (a-1), as follows:

 

(a-1)  Requires the commissioner of education by rule to require each school district and open-enrollment charter school to report through the Public Education Information Management System information regarding the number of students enrolled in the district or school who are identified as having dyslexia.  Requires the Texas Education Agency to maintain the information provided in accordance with this subsection.

 

SECTION 2.  Effective date: upon passage or September 1, 2013.