SRC-JJJ S.B. 870 76(R)BILL ANALYSIS
Senate Research CenterS.B. 870
By: Cain
Education
6/23/1999
Enrolled
DIGEST
Currently, parents or guardians of special education students are provided
with a brochure explaining the procedural safeguards in the Individuals
with Disabilities Education Act as required by federal law. The brochure
does not include the information about the special education process which
parents need in order to effectively participate in their child's
Admissions Review and Dismissal meetings. S.B. 870 will establish
provisions regarding the right of parents to information concerning special
education.
PURPOSE
As enrolled, S.B. 870 establishes provisions regarding the right of parents
to information concerning special education.
RULEMAKING AUTHORITY
This bill does not grant any additional rulemaking authority to a state
officer, institution, or agency.
SECTION BY SECTION ANALYSIS
SECTION 1. Amends Chapter 26, Education Code, by adding Section 26.0081,
as follows:
Sec. 26.0081. RIGHT TO INFORMATION CONCERNING SPECIAL EDUCATION. Requires
the Texas Education Agency (TEA) to produce and provide to school districts
sufficient copies of a comprehensive, easily understood document that
explains the process by which an individualized educational program is
developed for a student in a special education program and the rights and
responsibilities of a parent concerning the process. Requires the document
to contain information the parent needs to effectively participate in an
admission review, and dismissal committee meeting for the child. Provides
that TEA will ensure that each school district provides the document
required to the parent under certain conditions.
SECTION 2. Requires TEA to ensure that each school district provides the
required document not later than June 1, 2001, to the parent of or the
person standing in parental relation to each child participating in the
district's special education program.
SECTION 3. Effective date: September 1, 1999.
SECTION 4. Emergency clause.