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.