81R1793 PAM-D
 
  By: Martinez Fischer H.B. No. 2759
 
 
 
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
 
AN ACT
  relating to transfer of a student of limited English proficiency
  out of a public school bilingual education or special language
  program.
         BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
         SECTION 1.  Section 29.056(g), Education Code, is amended to
  read as follows:
         (g)  A district may transfer a student of limited English
  proficiency out of a bilingual education or special language
  program for the first time or a subsequent time if the student is
  able to participate equally in a regular all-English instructional
  program as determined by:
               (1)  agency-approved tests administered at the end of
  each school year to determine the extent to which the student has
  developed oral and written language proficiency and specific
  language skills in both the student's primary language and English;
               (2)  satisfactory performance on the reading
  assessment instrument under Section 39.023(a) or an English
  language arts assessment instrument under Section 39.023(c), as
  applicable, with the assessment instrument administered in
  English[, or, if the student is enrolled in the first or second
  grade, an achievement score at or above the 40th percentile in the
  reading and language arts sections of an English standardized test
  approved by the agency]; and
               (3)  other indications of a student's overall progress,
  including [agency-approved] criterion-referenced test scores,
  [tests and the results of a] subjective teacher evaluation, and
  parental evaluation.
         SECTION 2.  This Act applies beginning with the 2009-2010
  school year.
         SECTION 3.  This Act takes effect immediately if it receives
  a vote of two-thirds of all the members elected to each house, as
  provided by Section 39, Article III, Texas Constitution.  If this
  Act does not receive the vote necessary for immediate effect, this
  Act takes effect September 1, 2009.