Bill Text: TX HB43 | 2015-2016 | 84th Legislature | Introduced
Bill Title: Relating to the creation of a task force to evaluate state assessment instruments administered to public school students with significant cognitive disabilities.
Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Democrat 1-0)
Status: (Introduced - Dead) 2015-02-09 - Referred to Public Education [HB43 Detail]
Download: Texas-2015-HB43-Introduced.html
| 84R2390 MK-D | ||
| By: González | H.B. No. 43 | |
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| relating to the creation of a task force to evaluate state | ||
| assessment instruments administered to public school students with | ||
| significant cognitive disabilities. | ||
| BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: | ||
| SECTION 1. DEFINITION. In this Act, "STAAR Alternate 2 | ||
| assessment instrument" means the State of Texas Assessments of | ||
| Academic Readiness Alternate 2 assessment instrument. | ||
| SECTION 2. TASK FORCE ON STATE ASSESSMENT INSTRUMENTS | ||
| ADMINISTERED TO STUDENTS WITH SIGNIFICANT COGNITIVE DISABILITIES. | ||
| (a) A task force is established under this Act for the purpose of | ||
| evaluating the effectiveness of the STAAR Alternate 2 assessment | ||
| instrument for significantly cognitively disabled students. | ||
| (b) The task force is composed of at least 40 members | ||
| appointed by the director of assessments for special populations in | ||
| the Texas Education Agency. Each of the following groups must | ||
| represent approximately one-third of the membership of the task | ||
| force: | ||
| (1) special education teachers who have experience | ||
| working with significantly cognitively disabled students; | ||
| (2) school administrators and school district central | ||
| office administrators, with appointments reflecting the geographic | ||
| diversity of the state; and | ||
| (3) parents of significantly cognitively disabled | ||
| students, and any community members with an interest in the subject | ||
| of the task force, including university professors and other family | ||
| members of significantly cognitively disabled students. | ||
| (c) The members of the task force shall select an | ||
| independent assessment expert group to assist the task force in the | ||
| performance of its duties. | ||
| (d) The director of assessments for special populations in | ||
| the Texas Education Agency shall serve as the presiding officer of | ||
| the task force. | ||
| (e) The director of assessments for special populations in | ||
| the Texas Education Agency shall make appointments to the task | ||
| force not later than the 60th day after the effective date of this | ||
| Act. The director shall fill a vacancy in the task force by the | ||
| appointment of another person with the same qualifications as the | ||
| original appointee. | ||
| (f) The director of assessments for special populations in | ||
| the Texas Education Agency shall call the initial meeting of the | ||
| task force on or before February 1, 2016. The task force shall meet | ||
| at the times and places that the director determines are | ||
| appropriate. | ||
| (g) The task force is not subject to Chapter 2110, | ||
| Government Code. | ||
| SECTION 3. DUTIES OF TASK FORCE. (a) The task force shall | ||
| evaluate whether the STAAR Alternate 2 assessment instrument is an | ||
| effective and appropriate assessment instrument for significantly | ||
| cognitively disabled students. | ||
| (b) The task force shall consult with the independent | ||
| assessment expert group while conducting its evaluation. | ||
| SECTION 4. REPORT. Not later than February 1, 2018, the | ||
| task force shall deliver a report to the commissioner of education | ||
| detailing the task force's findings and recommendations. The report | ||
| shall be made available on the Texas Education Agency's Internet | ||
| website. | ||
| SECTION 5. EXPIRATION. The task force is abolished and this | ||
| Act expires March 1, 2018. | ||
| SECTION 6. EFFECTIVE DATE. This Act takes effect September | ||
| 1, 2015. | ||
