H.B. No. 1165
1-1 AN ACT
1-2 relating to the testing of certain deaf or blind students enrolled
1-3 at institutions of higher education.
1-4 BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
1-5 SECTION 1. Section 51.306, Education Code, is amended by
1-6 adding Subsection (l) to read as follows:
1-7 (l) An institution may not require a deaf or blind student
1-8 to take the test required by this section as a condition for
1-9 enrollment in an upper division course or require a deaf or blind
1-10 student to participate in a remediation program as a result of the
1-11 test. This subsection expires September 1, 1995.
1-12 SECTION 2. Effective September 1, 1995, Section 51.306,
1-13 Education Code, is amended by adding Subsections (n) and (o) to
1-14 read as follows:
1-15 (n) This section applies to a blind student only if the test
1-16 is administered to that student in large print or Braille or is
1-17 administered by audio cassette or by a reader, as appropriate to
1-18 that student.
1-19 (o) This section does not apply to a deaf student.
1-20 SECTION 3. Subchapter F, Chapter 51, Education Code, is
1-21 amended by adding Section 51.3061 to read as follows:
1-22 Sec. 51.3061. TESTING AND REMEDIAL COURSEWORK FOR DEAF
1-23 STUDENTS. (a) In this section:
1-24 (1) "Agency" means the Central Education Agency.
2-1 (2) "Coordinating board" means the Texas Higher
2-2 Education Coordinating Board.
2-3 (3) "Deaf student" means a student who is a deaf
2-4 person, as defined by Section 54.205(a) of this code.
2-5 (4) "Institution of higher education" has the meaning
2-6 assigned by Section 61.003 of this code.
2-7 (b) A deaf student who enrolls at an institution of higher
2-8 education must take the Stanford Achievement Test, nationally
2-9 normed on the hearing-impaired population by Gallaudet University,
2-10 if the student:
2-11 (1) is a full-time or part-time freshman enrolled in a
2-12 certificate or degree program that contains nine or more semester
2-13 credit hours of general education courses or the equivalent of
2-14 those courses; or
2-15 (2) is a transfer student from an institution that is
2-16 not an institution of higher education, has less than 60 semester
2-17 credit hours, and has not previously taken the test required by
2-18 this section.
2-19 (c) The agency shall administer the test.
2-20 (d) A deaf testing committee is established to advise the
2-21 coordinating board and the State Board of Education on required
2-22 performance standards on the test and required remedial coursework
2-23 for students who fail the test.
2-24 (e) The deaf testing committee consists of the following 10
2-25 members:
2-26 (1) a person appointed by the agency's testing and
2-27 evaluation division;
3-1 (2) a person appointed by the agency's office on deaf
3-2 education;
3-3 (3) an administrator of the deaf student services
3-4 program of the Texas State Technical College System;
3-5 (4) a vice-president of the Southwest Collegiate
3-6 Institute for the Deaf;
3-7 (5) a person appointed by Eastfield College's deaf
3-8 support services program;
3-9 (6) a person appointed by Houston Community College's
3-10 deaf support services program;
3-11 (7) a person appointed by Eastfield College's
3-12 Gallaudet extension program;
3-13 (8) a person with expertise in deaf student services
3-14 from an institution of higher education, appointed by the
3-15 coordinating board; and
3-16 (9) two persons appointed by the coordinating board.
3-17 SECTION 4. Notwithstanding Section 51.3061, Education Code,
3-18 as added by this Act, deaf students who enroll at institutions of
3-19 higher education are required to take the test prescribed by that
3-20 section beginning with the fall semester in 1995.
3-21 SECTION 5. Not later than May 1, 1995, the Texas Higher
3-22 Education Coordinating Board and the State Board of Education shall
3-23 establish performance standards for the test required under Section
3-24 51.3061, Education Code, as added by this Act, and shall establish
3-25 remedial coursework requirements for students who fail the test.
3-26 SECTION 6. Except as provided by Section 2 of this Act, this
3-27 Act takes effect immediately.
4-1 SECTION 7. The importance of this legislation and the
4-2 crowded condition of the calendars in both houses create an
4-3 emergency and an imperative public necessity that the
4-4 constitutional rule requiring bills to be read on three several
4-5 days in each house be suspended, and this rule is hereby suspended,
4-6 and that this Act take effect and be in force according to its
4-7 terms, and it is so enacted.