By Dutton                                             H.B. No. 3025
         76R8091 CAS-F                           
                                A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
 1-1                                   AN ACT
 1-2     relating to programs for public school students with autism or
 1-3     pervasive development disorder.
 1-4           BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
 1-5           SECTION 1.  Chapter 29, Education Code, is amended by adding
 1-6     Subchapter J to read as follows:
 1-7             SUBCHAPTER J.  PROGRAMS FOR STUDENTS WITH AUTISM OR
 1-8                       PERVASIVE DEVELOPMENT DISORDER
 1-9           Sec. 29.351.  DEFINITIONS.  In this subchapter:
1-10                 (1)  "Autism" means a developmental disability that
1-11     significantly affects verbal and nonverbal communication and social
1-12     interaction, is generally evident before age three, and adversely
1-13     affects a child's educational performance and that may include
1-14     engaging in repetitive activities and stereotyped movements,
1-15     resisting environmental change or change in daily routines, and
1-16     responding in an unusual manner to sensory experiences.  The term
1-17     includes a disability for which a diagnosis of "autistic-like" has
1-18     been made.
1-19                 (2)  "Pervasive development disorder" includes a
1-20     developmental disorder for which a diagnosis of Asperger's syndrome
1-21     has been made.
1-22           Sec. 29.352.  DELIVERY OF SERVICES.  A school district shall
1-23     deliver services under this subchapter in conjunction with or in
1-24     addition to services delivered under Subchapter A, as appropriate.
 2-1           Sec. 29.353.  ASSESSMENT, ADMISSION, AND REVIEW CRITERIA.
 2-2     (a)  A student with autism or pervasive development disorder must
 2-3     be assessed under Subchapter A and this section by professionals
 2-4     who are specifically trained in autism and pervasive development
 2-5     disorder, who have worked with and observed individuals with autism
 2-6     and pervasive development disorder, and who are skilled in
 2-7     determining communication, behavioral, and developmental levels.
 2-8           (b)  During all assessments of a student with autism or
 2-9     pervasive development disorder, throughout the admission, review,
2-10     and dismissal process, and in the development of the student's
2-11     individualized education program, a school district shall address:
2-12                 (1)  extended educational services based on the
2-13     specific needs of the student, including extended year services,
2-14     in-home services, and parent training, provided in various
2-15     settings;
2-16                 (2)  predictable daily schedules that include minimal
2-17     unstructured time;
2-18                 (3)  prevocational and vocational needs of the student
2-19     if the student is 12 years of age or older or if the student is
2-20     younger than 12 years of age but addressing those needs is
2-21     appropriate, in accordance with the requirements prescribed by the
2-22     student's admission, review, and dismissal committee and federal
2-23     and state law;
2-24                 (4)  appropriate staff support in all school settings,
2-25     including off-campus settings identified in the admission, review,
2-26     and dismissal process, based on the individualized educational
2-27     needs of the student, with a preference for maximum inclusion and
 3-1     limitation on grouping of students with autism or pervasive
 3-2     development disorder in a single instructional setting; and
 3-3                 (5)  development of a behavior modification plan based
 3-4     on the social, communication, and sensory needs of the student, in
 3-5     collaboration with a qualified psychologist, a speech pathologist
 3-6     knowledgeable and trained in autism and pervasive development
 3-7     disorder, and the student's parents, that:
 3-8                       (A)  outlines objectives for improving behavioral
 3-9     and social skills in order of priority;
3-10                       (B)  is based on a functional analysis approach;
3-11                       (C)  specifies a communication system to be used
3-12     across all  settings; and
3-13                       (D)  outlines strategies for addressing the
3-14     behaviors related to autism or pervasive development disorder in
3-15     order of priority.
3-16           Sec. 29.354.  UNIQUE COMMUNICATION.  (a)  A school district
3-17     must provide a student with autism or pervasive development
3-18     disorder an education in which the student's most appropriate
3-19     system of communication is identified through the assessment
3-20     process under Subchapter A and Section 29.353 and developed on an
3-21     ongoing basis, commensurate with the communication progress of the
3-22     student, to an appropriate level of proficiency to allow the
3-23     student to communicate with others across all environments.
3-24           (b)  The communication system identified and developed may be
3-25     verbal communication or alternative communication such as signing,
3-26     gesturing, using picture symbols, or using electronic devices.
3-27           Sec. 29.355.  QUALIFICATIONS OF PERSONNEL.  Regular and
 4-1     special education teachers, psychologists, speech and language
 4-2     therapists, occupational therapists, progress assessors,
 4-3     administrators, diagnosticians, and other members of the assessment
 4-4     team, as well as others involved in the education of a student with
 4-5     autism or pervasive development disorder, must be knowledgeable in
 4-6     implementing the student's individualized education program.
 4-7           Sec. 29.356.  TRANSITION INTO REGULAR CLASS.  (a)  Each
 4-8     school district shall develop an individualized education program
 4-9     for a student with autism or pervasive development disorder that
4-10     educates the student in the least restrictive environment possible,
4-11     with appropriate support and services, to allow maximum integration
4-12     of the student with students of the same age who are not disabled.
4-13           (b)  If the least restrictive environment does not provide
4-14     for full inclusion of the student with students who are not
4-15     disabled, the school district in which the student is enrolled
4-16     shall develop and implement a transition plan for the transition of
4-17     the student into a regular class program.   This subsection applies
4-18     if a student is to be placed into a regular class in a public
4-19     school for any part of the school day.  The transition plan must:
4-20                 (1)  provide for activities and support to integrate
4-21     the student into the regular education program; and
4-22                 (2)  specify the nature of each activity and the time
4-23     spent on the activity each day.
4-24           SECTION 2.  This Act applies beginning with the 1999-2000
4-25     school year.
4-26           SECTION 3.  The importance of this legislation and the
4-27     crowded condition of the calendars in both houses create an
 5-1     emergency and an imperative public necessity that the
 5-2     constitutional rule requiring bills to be read on three several
 5-3     days in each house be suspended, and this rule is hereby suspended,
 5-4     and that this Act take effect and be in force from and after its
 5-5     passage, and it is so enacted.