By Reyna of Bexar H.B. No. 2705 77R7457 QS-D A BILL TO BE ENTITLED 1-1 AN ACT 1-2 relating to the use of a spell checker during the TASP test by 1-3 students with learning disabilities. 1-4 BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: 1-5 SECTION 1. Section 51.306(u), Education Code, is amended to 1-6 read as follows: 1-7 (u) A student who has been diagnosed as having a learning 1-8 disability or disorder that impairs the student's spelling ability, 1-9 including dyslexia or a related disorder as those terms are defined 1-10 by Section 38.003, by a qualified professional whose license or 1-11 credentials are appropriate to diagnose the disability or disorder 1-12 as determined by the board may use a spell checker or an equivalent 1-13 spelling aid, as determined by the board, during a writing or 1-14 composition portion of a test required under this section. A 1-15 student who has been diagnosed as having dyslexia or a related 1-16 disorder, as those terms are defined by Section 38.003, or a 1-17 specific learning disability in mathematics by a qualified 1-18 professional whose license or credentials are appropriate to 1-19 diagnose the disorder or disability as determined by the board and 1-20 who completes the developmental program prescribed by the 1-21 institution may be required to retake the test once but may not be 1-22 referred to an additional developmental course or other 1-23 developmental program or precluded from enrolling in an upper 1-24 division course because of the student's performance on the test. 2-1 SECTION 2. This Act takes effect immediately if it receives 2-2 a vote of two-thirds of all the members elected to each house, as 2-3 provided by Section 39, Article III, Texas Constitution. If this 2-4 Act does not receive the vote necessary for immediate effect, this 2-5 Act takes effect September 1, 2001.