Bill Text: TX SB688 | 2021-2022 | 87th Legislature | Introduced
Bill Title: Relating to the development of a special education services matrix.
Sponsorship: Partisan Bill (Democrat 1)
Status: (Introduced - Dead) 2021-03-11 - Referred to Education [SB688 Detail]
Download: Texas-2021-SB688-Introduced.html
| 87R7162 CXP-F | ||
| By: Lucio | S.B. No. 688 | |
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| relating to the development of a special education services matrix. | ||
| BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: | ||
| SECTION 1. Subchapter A, Chapter 29, Education Code, is | ||
| amended by adding Section 29.0012 to read as follows: | ||
| Sec. 29.0012. SPECIAL EDUCATION SERVICES MATRIX. (a) The | ||
| commissioner shall develop and periodically update materials for | ||
| use in evaluating the special education services provided to a | ||
| student under this subchapter, including: | ||
| (1) a special education services matrix that: | ||
| (A) identifies categories for special education | ||
| services; | ||
| (B) assigns intensity levels for the services in | ||
| each category; and | ||
| (C) produces an aggregate score to assign to each | ||
| student enrolled in a special education program under this | ||
| subchapter based on the intensity level of services the student | ||
| requires across the categories; and | ||
| (2) a handbook for using the special education | ||
| services matrix to assist school districts in determining the | ||
| nature and intensity levels of the special education services | ||
| provided to a student under this subchapter. | ||
| (b) In developing the materials under Subsection (a), the | ||
| commissioner shall: | ||
| (1) review and adapt, as appropriate, special | ||
| education services matrixes used by other states; and | ||
| (2) consult with stakeholders, including: | ||
| (A) public school finance experts; | ||
| (B) directors of school district special | ||
| education programs; | ||
| (C) superintendents of school districts; | ||
| (D) public school campus administrators; | ||
| (E) teachers certified in special education; | ||
| (F) teachers certified in general education; | ||
| (G) providers of special services that are | ||
| described as "related services" under Section 29.002(2); | ||
| (H) representatives of advocacy organizations | ||
| with an interest in special education; | ||
| (I) parents of students receiving special | ||
| education services under this subchapter; and | ||
| (J) any other person or organization the | ||
| commissioner considers appropriate. | ||
| (c) The commissioner of education shall develop a proposal | ||
| for a method of funding for special education services based on the | ||
| special education matrix developed under Subsection (a). The | ||
| proposal must include: | ||
| (1) recommendations to the legislature for changes to | ||
| the public school finance system necessary to transition the | ||
| financing of special education services provided by school | ||
| districts from the special education allotment under Section 49.102 | ||
| to an allotment based on the nature and intensity levels of the | ||
| special education services provided by districts; and | ||
| (2) a transition plan for implementing the | ||
| recommendations under Subdivision (1), including a recommended | ||
| timeline for implementation. | ||
| (d) The commissioner shall confer with the Legislative | ||
| Budget Board to develop the proposal under Subsection (c). | ||
| (e) Not later than September 1, 2022, the commissioner shall | ||
| submit written or electronic copies of the materials developed | ||
| under Subsections (a) and (c) to the lieutenant governor, the | ||
| speaker of the house of representatives, and the members of the | ||
| standing legislative committees with primary jurisdiction over | ||
| public education, and shall provide revised materials as soon as | ||
| practicable after each periodic update of the materials. | ||
| SECTION 2. This Act takes effect September 1, 2021. | ||
