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A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
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AN ACT
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relating to dyslexia testing, the designation by the Texas |
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Education Agency of a dyslexia specialist, and the development by |
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the agency of a list of training opportunities for educators |
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regarding dyslexia. |
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BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
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SECTION 1. Section 38.003(a), Education Code, is amended to |
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read as follows: |
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(a) Students enrolling in public schools in this state shall |
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be tested for dyslexia and related disorders at appropriate times |
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in accordance with a program approved by the State Board of |
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Education. The program must include testing each student on |
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enrollment in kindergarten and testing each student in the first |
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grade at the end of the school year. |
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SECTION 2. 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 SPECIALIST; DYSLEXIA TRAINING |
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OPPORTUNITIES. (a) The agency shall designate an agency employee as |
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a dyslexia specialist to provide school districts with support and |
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resources that are necessary to assist students with dyslexia and |
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the families of students with dyslexia. |
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(b) The agency shall annually develop a list of training |
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opportunities regarding dyslexia that satisfy the requirements of |
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Section 21.054(b). The list of training opportunities must include |
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at least one opportunity that is available online. |
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(c) A training opportunity included in the list developed |
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under Subsection (b) 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 3. Section 38.003(a), Education Code, as amended by |
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this Act, applies beginning with the 2017-2018 school year. |
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SECTION 4. 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. |