Review of the 87th Texas Legislature: Special Education Partners Resource Network Statewide Webinar June 8, 2021 Today’s Presentation The 87th Legislature Regular Session Agenda began in January, 2021 and ran . Introduction – overview of 87th through the end of May, 2021. This Legislature. year state lawmakers considered several topics that are important to . Special Education Legislation - high students with disabilities. Learn which level summary of the ten most special education bills passed and important pieces of legislation what comes next. affecting special education and students with disabilities. Next Steps – future meetings of law makers and state implementation. Questions and Answers 2 Introduction First, some context for the 87th Legislature. The Regular Session began on January 12, 2021, and concluded on May 31, 2021. This Regular Session was far from typical given how both the COVID-19 pandemic and Winter Storm Uri affected operations. There was limited legislative activity the first two months of the Session. Health and safety protocols continued throughout the Session. Despite the unusual circumstances, state representatives filed 4,671 bills and state senators filed 2,256 bills. Thus, the workload was about the same as prior legislative sessions. 3 Introduction Texas Senate The leadership of the Senate was unchanged from the 86th Legislature. Lt. Governor Dan Patrick continued as the president of the Texas Senate. Senator Larry Taylor continued as the chairman of the Senate Education Committee. The Senate Education Committee membership included Senator Eddie Lucio, Jr as Vice-Chair, as well as Senators Bettencourt, Hall, Hughes, Menendez, Paxton, Perry, Powell, Schwertner, and West. The Senate Education Committee conducted 19 public hearings and business meetings. Introduction Texas House of Representatives The leadership of the House of Representatives was new. State representatives elected Representative Dade Phelan as the new Speaker of the House. Speaker Phelan appointed Representative Harold Dutton as the new chair of the House Public Education Committee. The House Public Education Committee membership included Representative J.M. Lozano as Vice-Chair, as well as Representatives Allen, Allison, Bell, Bernal, Buckley, Mary Gonzalez, Huberty, Ken King, Meza, Talarico, and VanDeaver. The House Public Education Committee conducted 24 public hearings and business meetings. Introduction The state’s official legislative website is a very helpful resource on the 87th Legislature. Texas Legislature Online website . Bills (including all versions from original filed to enacted) . Committees (rosters and meetings) . Hearings (including video recordings and witness lists) . Lawmakers (past and present) . Other legislative information 6 Special Education Legislation of Interest House Bill 785 (Representative Alma Allen). The bill requires an annual review of a behavioral intervention plan (BIP) for a child with a disability by the Admission, Review, and Dismissal (ARD) Committee. The bill also requires schools to review or consider recommending a BIP for a child with a disability in certain disciplinary actions. Additionally, the bill requires new notifications of the use of restraint, time-out, or certain disciplinary actions regarding a child with a disability. Scope: all students with disabilities. Effective: signed into law, in effect. 7 Special Education Legislation of Interest Senate Bill 89 (Senator Jose Menendez). The bill requires a child’s ARD Committee to conduct an individualized review for special education compensatory services due to school closures because of the COVID-19 pandemic. The bill identifies factors for the ARD Committee to consider. If the ARD Committee has already performed such a review for a child, it is not required to repeat it during the 2021-2022 school year. Scope: all students with disabilities. Effective: pending before Governor, effective upon becoming law. 8 Special Education Legislation of Interest House Bill 1252 (Representative Joe Moody). The bill increases the state’s statute of limitations period for requesting a special education due process hearing from one year to two years. Scope: all students with disabilities. Effective: pending before Governor, effective September 1, 2022. 9 Special Education Legislation of Interest House Bill 159 (Representative Mary Gonzalez). The bill improves educator development and training to serve students with disabilities. Scope: all students with disabilities. Effective: signed into law, effective September 1, 2021. 10 Special Education Legislation of Interest House Bill 2256 (Representative Bobby Guerra). The bill requires the State Board for Education Certification to create a new bilingual special education teacher certification to improve the education of students of limited English proficiency with disabilities. Scope: students with disabilities who are also English Language Learners. Effective: pending before Governor, effective September 1, 2021. 11 Special Education Legislation of Interest Senate Bill 1716 (Senator Larry Taylor). The bill establishes a state supplemental special education services grant program. Parents apply to participate and those chosen will have access to an online portal to review and select instructional materials for use by their child with a disability. Parents may also select certain educational services for their child. The state will cover the cost of materials and services up to a limit of $1,500. The child’s ARD Committee must review the program and available materials and services with parents enrolled in the program. Scope: students with disabilities admitted into program. Effective: pending before Governor, effective upon becoming law. 12 Special Education Legislation of Interest Senate Bill 776 (Senator Eddie Lucio, Jr). The bill creates an adaptive sports program through the University Interscholastic League to provide certain students with disabilities access to team sports. Scope: students with intellectual disabilities. Effective: pending before Governor, effective September 1, 2021. 13 Special Education Legislation of Interest House Bill 1525 (Representative Dan Huberty). The bill amends and refines the state’s school finance system in many areas. The bill includes provisions affecting special education, such as giving authority to the Texas Education Agency (TEA) to adjust payments to school districts and charter schools to ensure state compliance with federal Maintenance of Financial Support requirement for special education. It also revises TEA special grant programs for Dyslexia and Autism. The bill also creates a temporary Texas Commission on Special Education Funding. Scope: all students with disabilities. Effective: pending before Governor, effective September 1, 2021. 14 Special Education Legislation of Interest Senate Bill 1 (Senator Jane Nelson). The bill is the state’s biennium budget. It includes state funding for school districts and charter schools for special education. It also includes earmarks for special projects such as captioning of instructional materials grants, Dyslexia grants, and Autism grants. Scope: all students with disabilities. Effective: pending before Governor, effective September 1, 2021. 15 Special Education Legislation of Interest House Bill 2 (Representative Greg Bonnen). The bill is the state’s supplemental budget. It includes state funding for the Texas Education Agency to satisfy federal minimum state spending requirements on special education. Scope: all students with disabilities. Effective: pending before Governor, effective upon becoming law. 16 Next Steps Now that the Regular Session has ended, what is next? . Governor Abbott has until Sunday, June 20, 2021 to veto legislation. School districts and charter schools must prepare for local implementation of new school laws. TEA must support the new Texas Commission on Special Education Funding once members are appointed. State Board for Educator Certification must begin process to create new teacher certificate for bilingual special education teachers. 17 Next Steps Now that the Regular Session has ended, are state lawmakers finished with their work? . In 2021, the Governor is expected to call at least one special session, perhaps two. The Governor determines the topics for legislation during a special session. It is possible public education issues might be added to the legislative agenda. In 2022, the Legislature is expected to hold interim hearings to prepare for the 88th Legislative Session. Public testimony might be taken on topics such as meeting the needs of students with Dyslexia and related disorders. 18 Questions Question and Answer Session as Time Permits 19 Special Education Resources . Disability Rights Texas . https://www.disabilityrightstx.org/en/home/ . https://www.disabilityrightstx.org/en/category/education/ . Partners Resource Network . https://prntexas.org/ . Texas Special Education Information Center . https://www.spedtex.org/ 20 This presentation is for informational purposes and not intended to provide legal advice. Please note that the compilation of selected legislation is for informational purposes only. If you believe that you are directly affected by violations of law or have questions about your specific rights, we encourage you to seek legal counsel as soon as possible. This presentation is strictly the responsibility of the presenter. 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