| |
| |
|
|
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
|
|
|
AN ACT
|
|
|
relating to the creation of an advisory committee to review special |
|
|
education programs available in public schools. |
|
|
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
|
|
SECTION 1. Subchapter A, Chapter 29, Education Code, is |
|
|
amended by adding Section 29.0061 to read as follows: |
|
|
Sec. 29.0061. SPECIAL EDUCATION PROGRAM REVIEW ADVISORY |
|
|
COMMITTEE. (a) In this section, "committee" means the special |
|
|
education program review advisory committee established under this |
|
|
section. |
|
|
(b) The special education program review advisory committee |
|
|
is established under this section to review special education |
|
|
services and procedures in public schools. |
|
|
(c) The committee is composed of 12 members, appointed as |
|
|
follows: |
|
|
(1) four members appointed by the governor; |
|
|
(2) four members appointed by the lieutenant governor; |
|
|
and |
|
|
(3) four members appointed by the speaker of the house |
|
|
of representatives. |
|
|
(d) In making appointments under Subsection (c), the |
|
|
governor, lieutenant governor, and speaker of the house of |
|
|
representatives shall coordinate to ensure the committee includes |
|
|
at least two members who are related to a child who receives special |
|
|
education services. The committee must also include stakeholders |
|
|
with relevant experience with children who receive special |
|
|
education services. |
|
|
(e) The governor shall designate the presiding officer of |
|
|
the committee. |
|
|
(f) Members of the committee shall be appointed not later |
|
|
than October 1, 2017. |
|
|
(g) The committee must meet at least four times at the call |
|
|
of the presiding officer. Committee members may participate |
|
|
remotely in a committee meeting through a telephone conference |
|
|
call. |
|
|
(h) The agency shall provide administrative support to the |
|
|
committee. |
|
|
(i) The committee shall conduct a review of: |
|
|
(1) the procedure by which a child gains access to |
|
|
special education programs; |
|
|
(2) the admission, review, and dismissal committee |
|
|
process; |
|
|
(3) agency procedures for handling complaints |
|
|
regarding special education programs; |
|
|
(4) agency training and resources related to the |
|
|
education of children who have a traumatic brain injury; and |
|
|
(5) the required qualifications for a teacher's aide |
|
|
that is assigned to a special education program. |
|
|
(j) Not later than September 1, 2018, the committee shall |
|
|
submit to the governor, the lieutenant governor, and each member of |
|
|
the legislature a report that includes: |
|
|
(1) a description of the activities of the committee; |
|
|
(2) the committee's findings in the review under |
|
|
Subsection (i); and |
|
|
(3) recommendations for improvements to special |
|
|
education programs in public schools. |
|
|
(k) The committee is abolished and this section expires on |
|
|
December 1, 2018. |
|
|
SECTION 2. 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. |