85R11769 GCB-D
 
  By: Miller, Bonnen of Brazoria, Zerwas, H.B. No. 1886
      Guillen, Fallon, et al.
 
 
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
 
AN ACT
  relating to dyslexia screening and testing, the employment of
  dyslexia specialists by regional education service centers, and the
  development by the Texas Education Agency of a list of training
  opportunities for educators regarding dyslexia.
         BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
         SECTION 1.  Subchapter B, Chapter 8, Education Code, is
  amended by adding Section 8.061 to read as follows:
         Sec. 8.061.  DYSLEXIA SPECIALIST. Each regional education
  service center shall employ as a dyslexia specialist a person
  licensed as a dyslexia therapist under Chapter 403, Occupations
  Code, to provide school districts served by the center with support
  and resources that are necessary to assist students with dyslexia
  and the families of students with dyslexia.
         SECTION 2.  Sections 38.003(a) and (b-1), Education Code,
  are amended to read as follows:
         (a)  Students enrolling in public schools in this state shall
  be screened or tested, as appropriate, for dyslexia and related
  disorders at appropriate times in accordance with a program
  approved by the State Board of Education. The program must include
  screening at the end of the school year of each student in
  kindergarten and each student in the first grade.
         (b-1)  Unless otherwise provided by law, a student
  determined to have dyslexia during screening or testing under
  Subsection (a) or accommodated because of dyslexia may not be
  rescreened or retested for dyslexia for the purpose of reassessing
  the student's need for accommodations until the district
  reevaluates the information obtained from previous screening or
  testing of the student.
         SECTION 3.  Subchapter A, Chapter 38, Education Code, is
  amended by adding Section 38.0032 to read as follows:
         Sec. 38.0032.  DYSLEXIA TRAINING OPPORTUNITIES. (a) The
  agency shall annually develop a list of training opportunities
  regarding dyslexia that satisfy the requirements of Section
  21.054(b). The list of training opportunities must include at
  least one opportunity that is available online.
         (b)  A training opportunity included in the list developed
  under Subsection (a) must:
               (1)  comply with the knowledge and practice standards
  of an international organization on dyslexia; and
               (2)  enable an educator to:
                     (A)  understand and recognize dyslexia; and
                     (B)  implement instruction that is systematic,
  explicit, and evidence-based to meet the educational needs of a
  student with dyslexia.
         SECTION 4.  Section 38.003, Education Code, as amended by
  this Act, applies beginning with the 2017-2018 school year.
         SECTION 5.  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, 2017.