SRC-TAG S.B. 589 78(R)   BILL ANALYSIS


Senate Research Center   S.B. 589
78R4708 SLO-FBy: Zaffirini
Education
3/5/2003
As Filed


DIGEST AND PURPOSE 

Currently, Texas lacks clarifying language regarding the need for
assessment of students who are visually impaired or deaf  or hard of
hearing.  As proposed, S.B. 589 allows the Texas School for the Blind and
Visually Impaired and the Texas School for the Deaf to conduct and make
reasonable charges for assessments of students in local school districts
and other education entities.  This bill defines the nature of these
schools' role in providing statewide services.   

RULEMAKING AUTHORITY

This bill does not expressly grant any additional rulemaking authority to
a state officer, institution, or agency. 

SECTION BY SECTION ANALYSIS

SECTION 1.  Amends Section 30.021, Education Code, by amending Subsections
(a) and (c) and adding Subsection (g), as follows:  
 
(a)  Provides that the Texas School for the Blind and Visually Impaired
(school) is a state agency established to serve as special school in the
continuum of statewide placements for students who are 21 years of age or
younger on September 1 of any school year  and who have a visual
impairment and who may have one or more other disabilities.  Requires the
school to provide comprehensive educational services to students who
require specialized or intensive education or related services or related
to the visual impairment.  Prohibits the school from servicing certain
students. 

(c)  Requires the school to provide short-term programs, including summer
programs, to enable and prepare visually impaired students to benefit from
other educational programs and independent functioning.   Deletes text
referencing student exchange programs and the requirement to consider
information from sources throughout the state. 

(g)  Authorizes the school, at the request of a school district or other
public or private educational entity, to conduct an assessment of a
student served by the district or other educational entity.  Authorizes
the school to charge a reasonable fee to the district or other educational
entity for conducting the assessment. 

SECTION 2.  Amends Section 30.051, Education Code, as follows:

Sec.  30.051.  PURPOSE OF TEXAS SCHOOL FOR THE DEAF.  (a)   Provides that
the Texas School for the Deaf (school) is a state agency established to
serve as a special school in the continuum of statewide placements for
students who are 21 years of age or younger on September 1 of any school
and who are deaf or hard of hearing and who may have one or more other
disabilities.  Requires the school to provide short-term programs,
including summer programs, to enable students who are deaf or hard of
hearing to develop skills so that they can  benefit from educational
programs offered by the school districts in which the students reside, and
to prepare students who are deaf or hard of hearing for independent
functioning as adults. Deletes text regarding other services      required
to be offered by the school.  Makes nonsubstantive changes.  

(b)  Adds a specific list of services to the existing mandate that the
school serve as primary statewide resource center promoting excellence in
education for students who are deaf or hard of hearing through research,
training, and demonstration projects.  

(c)  Authorizes the school, at the request of a school district or other
public or private educational entity, to conduct an assessment of a
student served by the district or other educational entity.   Authorizes
the school to charge a reasonable fee to the district or other educational
entity for conducting the assessment.  Deletes text requiring the school
to work in partnership with certain entities to provide programs to better
serve the deaf and hard of hearing.  

(d)  Adds compensatory skills and remedial academic skills to the list of
needs for which the school may conduct a cooperative program with other
agencies.  Makes a nonsubstantive change  

(e)  Prohibits the school from serving students whose needs are
appropriately addressed in a home or hospital setting, or in a residential
treatment facility. 
  
SECTION 3.  Provides that this Act applies at the beginning of the
2003-2004 school year. 

SECTION 4.  Effective date: upon passage or September 1, 2003.