By Reyna of Bexar                                     H.B. No. 2703
         77R6122 ESH-D                           
                                A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
 1-1                                   AN ACT
 1-2     relating to school district special education advocacy programs.
 1-3           BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
 1-4           SECTION 1.  Subchapter A, Chapter 29, Education Code, is
 1-5     amended by adding Section 29.016 to read as follows:
 1-6           Sec. 29.016.  SPECIAL EDUCATION ADVOCACY PROGRAM.  (a)  From
 1-7     funds appropriated for that purpose, the agency shall make grants
 1-8     to school districts for special education advocacy programs to
 1-9     assist low-income families that have a child who is or may be
1-10     eligible for the district's special education program.
1-11           (b)  A district that receives a grant under this section may
1-12     contract with a nonprofit organization to establish and operate the
1-13     district's special education advocacy program.
1-14           (c)  A district or nonprofit organization operating a special
1-15     education advocacy program shall:
1-16                 (1)  disseminate information about the school
1-17     district's special education program and the special education
1-18     advocacy program to  low-income families by methods including
1-19     placing advertisements in local newspapers or neighborhood
1-20     newspapers, placing notices in church and community organization
1-21     newsletters, and posting notices in public places and neighborhood
1-22     businesses;
1-23                 (2)  appoint a special education advocate for each
1-24     low-income family that has a child who is or is likely to be
 2-1     eligible for the school  district's special education program;
 2-2                 (3)  maintain records concerning each low-income family
 2-3     for whom a special education advocate is appointed, showing the
 2-4     child's  educational problem as identified by the school district
 2-5     or the advocate, the actions the advocate took on the family's
 2-6     behalf, and the status of the case; and
 2-7                 (4)  account for all expenditures of funds in
 2-8     connection with the program.
 2-9           (d)  A special education advocate appointed under Subsection
2-10     (c) shall:
2-11                 (1)  meet with the family for an initial consultation;
2-12                 (2)  represent the family at meetings and conferences
2-13     in the schools, including any meeting of the team required under 20
2-14     U.S.C.  Section 1414(d)(1)(B) and its subsequent amendments;
2-15                 (3)  make necessary phone calls in connection with
2-16     obtaining special services for the child;
2-17                 (4)  write necessary letters in connection with
2-18     obtaining special services for the child;
2-19                 (5)  consult with school staff to establish the
2-20     necessary special education program; and
2-21                 (6)  meet with the family as necessary due to changes
2-22     in the child's condition.
2-23           (e)  In this section, "low-income family" means a family that
2-24     is receiving financial assistance under Chapter 31, Human Resources
2-25     Code, food stamps administered under Chapter 33, Human Resources
2-26     Code, or benefits under the state Medicaid program.
2-27           SECTION 2.  This Act takes effect September 1, 2001.