Bill Text: TX SR709 | 2025-2026 | 89th Legislature | Enrolled

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Bill Title: Suspending limitations on conference committee jurisdiction, S.B. No. 568.

Sponsorship: Partisan Bill (Republican 1)

Status: (Passed) 2025-05-31 - Reported enrolled [SR709 Detail]

Download: Texas-2025-SR709-Enrolled.html

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By: Bettencourt S.R. No. 709

SENATE RESOLUTION
BE IT RESOLVED by the Senate of the State of Texas, 89th
Legislature, Regular Session, 2025, That Senate Rule 12.03 be
suspended in part as provided by Senate Rule 12.08 to enable the
conference committee appointed to resolve the differences on
Senate Bill 568 (relating to special education in public schools,
including funding for special education under the Foundation
School Program) to consider and take action on the following
matters:
(1) Senate Rule 12.03(1) is suspended to permit the
committee to change, alter, or amend text not in disagreement in
proposed SECTION 5 of the bill, by amending added Section
29.001(c)(6)(C), Education Code, to read as follows:
(C) appropriately trained personnel are
available to students with disabilities who have significant
behavioral support needs, including by making behavioral support
training available to each paraprofessional or teacher placed in
a classroom or other setting that is intended to provide
specialized behavioral supports to a student with a disability,
as needed or at regular intervals as provided in the student's
individualized education program;
Explanation: This change is necessary to clarify to whom
behavioral support training must be made available to ensure
appropriately trained personnel are available to students with
disabilities who have significant behavioral support needs.
(2) Senate Rule 12.03(4) is suspended to permit the
committee to add text on a matter not included in either the house
or senate version of the bill in proposed SECTION 12 of the bill,
in amended Section 29.008(c), Education Code, to read as follows:
If a [residential] placement primarily for care or treatment
reasons involves a private [residential] facility in which the
education program is provided by the school district, the portion
of the costs that includes appropriate education services, as
determined by the school district's admission, review, and
dismissal committee, shall be paid from local, state, and federal
education funds.
Explanation: This change is necessary to allow school
districts to pay the cost for certain placements in a private
facility from local funds.
(3) Senate Rule 12.03(2) is suspended to permit the
committee to omit text not in disagreement by omitting the
portion of proposed SECTION 24 of the bill that adds Section
29.024, Education Code. The omitted text reads:
Sec. 29.024. GRANT PROGRAM PROVIDING TRAINING IN
DYSLEXIA FOR TEACHERS AND STAFF. (a) From money appropriated or
otherwise available for the purpose, the commissioner shall
establish a program to award grants each school year to school
districts and open-enrollment charter schools to increase local
capacity to appropriately serve students with dyslexia.
(b) A school district, including a school district acting
through a district charter issued under Subchapter C, Chapter 12,
or an open-enrollment charter school, including a charter school
that primarily serves students with disabilities, as provided
under Section 12.1014, is eligible to apply for a grant under
this section if the district or school submits to the
commissioner a proposal on the use of grant funds that:
(1) incorporates evidence-based and
research-based design; and
(2) increases local capacity to appropriately serve
students with dyslexia by providing:
(A) high-quality training to classroom
teachers and administrators in meeting the needs of students with
dyslexia; or
(B) training to intervention staff resulting
in appropriate credentialing related to dyslexia, with priority
for training staff to earn the credentials necessary to become a
licensed dyslexia therapist or certified academic language
therapist.
(c) The commissioner shall create an external panel of
stakeholders, including parents of students with disabilities,
to provide assistance in the selection of applications for the
award of grants under this section.
(d) A grant awarded to a school district or
open-enrollment charter school under this section is in addition
to the Foundation School Program money that the district or
charter school is otherwise entitled to receive. A grant awarded
under this section may not come out of Foundation School Program
money.
(e) The commissioner and any grant recipient selected
under this section may accept gifts, grants, and donations from
any public or private source, person, or group to implement and
administer the grant. The commissioner and any grant recipient
selected under this section may not require any financial
contribution from parents to implement and administer the grant.
(f) A regional education service center may administer
grants awarded under this section.
Explanation: This change is necessary to omit language
that would authorize the commissioner of education to establish a
grant program to provide training in serving students with
dyslexia to school district and open-enrollment charter school
teachers and staff.
(4) Senate Rule 12.03(1) is suspended to permit the
committee to change, alter, or amend text not in disagreement in
proposed SECTION 27 of the bill, by amending Section 29.042(a),
Education Code, to read as follows:
Subject to Subsection (c), the agency shall provide each student
approved as provided by this subchapter a grant of not more than
$1,500 to purchase supplemental [special education] services and
supplemental [special education] instructional materials.
Explanation: This change is necessary to provide the
amount of the grant provided under Subchapter A-1, Chapter 29,
Education Code.
(5) Senate Rule 12.03(4) is suspended to permit the
committee to add text on a matter not included in either the house
or senate version of the bill in proposed SECTION 27 of the bill,
by adding Section 29.042(f), Education Code, to read as follows:
(f) A regional education service center designated to
administer the program under this subchapter for a school year is
entitled to receive not more than four percent of the amount
appropriated for purposes of making grants under this subchapter
for that school year for the costs of administering the program.
Explanation: This change is necessary to clarify the
amount of money a regional education service center may receive
for administering the program under Subchapter A-1, Chapter 29,
Education Code.
(6) Senate Rule 12.03(1) is suspended to permit the
committee to change, alter, or amend text not in disagreement in
proposed SECTION 28 of the bill, in amended Section 29.045,
Education Code, to read as follows:
Subject to available funding the agency shall approve each
student who meets the program eligibility criteria established
under Section 29.044 and assign to the student an account
maintained under Section 29.042(b).
Explanation: This change is necessary to ensure that the
approval of and assignment of accounts to eligible students under
the program under Subchapter A-1, Chapter 29, Education Code, are
subject to available funding.
(7) Senate Rule 12.03(2) is suspended to permit the
committee to omit text not in disagreement by omitting the
portion of proposed SECTION 63 of the bill that adds Section
48.306, Education Code. The omitted text reads:
Sec. 48.306. PARENT-DIRECTED SERVICES FOR STUDENTS
RECEIVING SPECIAL EDUCATION SERVICES GRANT. (a) A student to
whom the agency awards a grant under Subchapter A-1, Chapter 29,
is entitled to receive an amount of $1,500 or a greater amount
provided by appropriation.
(b) The legislature shall include in the appropriations
for the Foundation School Program state aid sufficient for the
agency to award grants under Subchapter A-1, Chapter 29, in the
amount provided by this section.
(c) A student may receive one grant under Subchapter A-1,
Chapter 29, unless the legislature appropriates money for an
additional grant in the General Appropriations Act.
(d) A regional education service center designated to
administer the program under Subchapter A-1, Chapter 29, for a
school year is entitled to an amount equal to four percent of each
grant awarded under that subchapter for that school year.
(e) Notwithstanding Section 7.057, a determination of
the commissioner under this section is final and may not be
appealed.
Explanation: This change is necessary to omit language
that would provide an entitlement to a grant under Subchapter
A-1, Chapter 29, Education Code, or to an amount for
administering the program under that subchapter.
_______________________________
President of the Senate
I hereby certify that the
above Resolution was adopted by
the Senate on May 31, 2025, by the
following vote: Yeas 31, Nays 0.
_______________________________
Secretary of the Senate