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SENATE RESOLUTION
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BE IT RESOLVED by the Senate of the State of Texas, 89th |
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Legislature, Regular Session, 2025, That Senate Rule 12.03 be |
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suspended in part as provided by Senate Rule 12.08 to enable the |
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conference committee appointed to resolve the differences on |
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Senate Bill 568 (relating to special education in public schools, |
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including funding for special education under the Foundation |
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School Program) to consider and take action on the following |
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matters: |
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(1) Senate Rule 12.03(1) is suspended to permit the |
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committee to change, alter, or amend text not in disagreement in |
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proposed SECTION 5 of the bill, by amending added Section |
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29.001(c)(6)(C), Education Code, to read as follows: |
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(C) appropriately trained personnel are |
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available to students with disabilities who have significant |
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behavioral support needs, including by making behavioral support |
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training available to each paraprofessional or teacher placed in |
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a classroom or other setting that is intended to provide |
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specialized behavioral supports to a student with a disability, |
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as needed or at regular intervals as provided in the student's |
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individualized education program; |
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Explanation: This change is necessary to clarify to whom |
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behavioral support training must be made available to ensure |
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appropriately trained personnel are available to students with |
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disabilities who have significant behavioral support needs. |
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(2) Senate Rule 12.03(4) is suspended to permit the |
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committee to add text on a matter not included in either the house |
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or senate version of the bill in proposed SECTION 12 of the bill, |
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in amended Section 29.008(c), Education Code, to read as follows: |
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If a [residential] placement primarily for care or treatment |
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reasons involves a private [residential] facility in which the |
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education program is provided by the school district, the portion |
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of the costs that includes appropriate education services, as |
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determined by the school district's admission, review, and |
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dismissal committee, shall be paid from local, state, and federal |
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education funds. |
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Explanation: This change is necessary to allow school |
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districts to pay the cost for certain placements in a private |
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facility from local funds. |
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(3) Senate Rule 12.03(2) is suspended to permit the |
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committee to omit text not in disagreement by omitting the |
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portion of proposed SECTION 24 of the bill that adds Section |
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29.024, Education Code. The omitted text reads: |
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Sec. 29.024. GRANT PROGRAM PROVIDING TRAINING IN |
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DYSLEXIA FOR TEACHERS AND STAFF. (a) From money appropriated or |
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otherwise available for the purpose, the commissioner shall |
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establish a program to award grants each school year to school |
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districts and open-enrollment charter schools to increase local |
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capacity to appropriately serve students with dyslexia. |
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(b) A school district, including a school district acting |
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through a district charter issued under Subchapter C, Chapter 12, |
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or an open-enrollment charter school, including a charter school |
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that primarily serves students with disabilities, as provided |
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under Section 12.1014, is eligible to apply for a grant under |
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this section if the district or school submits to the |
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commissioner a proposal on the use of grant funds that: |
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(1) incorporates evidence-based and |
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research-based design; and |
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(2) increases local capacity to appropriately serve |
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students with dyslexia by providing: |
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(A) high-quality training to classroom |
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teachers and administrators in meeting the needs of students with |
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dyslexia; or |
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(B) training to intervention staff resulting |
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in appropriate credentialing related to dyslexia, with priority |
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for training staff to earn the credentials necessary to become a |
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licensed dyslexia therapist or certified academic language |
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therapist. |
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(c) The commissioner shall create an external panel of |
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stakeholders, including parents of students with disabilities, |
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to provide assistance in the selection of applications for the |
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award of grants under this section. |
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(d) A grant awarded to a school district or |
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open-enrollment charter school under this section is in addition |
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to the Foundation School Program money that the district or |
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charter school is otherwise entitled to receive. A grant awarded |
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under this section may not come out of Foundation School Program |
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money. |
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(e) The commissioner and any grant recipient selected |
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under this section may accept gifts, grants, and donations from |
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any public or private source, person, or group to implement and |
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administer the grant. The commissioner and any grant recipient |
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selected under this section may not require any financial |
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contribution from parents to implement and administer the grant. |
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(f) A regional education service center may administer |
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grants awarded under this section. |
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Explanation: This change is necessary to omit language |
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that would authorize the commissioner of education to establish a |
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grant program to provide training in serving students with |
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dyslexia to school district and open-enrollment charter school |
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teachers and staff. |
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(4) Senate Rule 12.03(1) is suspended to permit the |
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committee to change, alter, or amend text not in disagreement in |
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proposed SECTION 27 of the bill, by amending Section 29.042(a), |
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Education Code, to read as follows: |
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Subject to Subsection (c), the agency shall provide each student |
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approved as provided by this subchapter a grant of not more than |
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$1,500 to purchase supplemental [special education] services and |
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supplemental [special education] instructional materials. |
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Explanation: This change is necessary to provide the |
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amount of the grant provided under Subchapter A-1, Chapter 29, |
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Education Code. |
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(5) Senate Rule 12.03(4) is suspended to permit the |
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committee to add text on a matter not included in either the house |
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or senate version of the bill in proposed SECTION 27 of the bill, |
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by adding Section 29.042(f), Education Code, to read as follows: |
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(f) A regional education service center designated to |
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administer the program under this subchapter for a school year is |
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entitled to receive not more than four percent of the amount |
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appropriated for purposes of making grants under this subchapter |
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for that school year for the costs of administering the program. |
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Explanation: This change is necessary to clarify the |
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amount of money a regional education service center may receive |
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for administering the program under Subchapter A-1, Chapter 29, |
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Education Code. |
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(6) Senate Rule 12.03(1) is suspended to permit the |
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committee to change, alter, or amend text not in disagreement in |
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proposed SECTION 28 of the bill, in amended Section 29.045, |
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Education Code, to read as follows: |
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Subject to available funding the agency shall approve each |
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student who meets the program eligibility criteria established |
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under Section 29.044 and assign to the student an account |
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maintained under Section 29.042(b). |
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Explanation: This change is necessary to ensure that the |
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approval of and assignment of accounts to eligible students under |
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the program under Subchapter A-1, Chapter 29, Education Code, are |
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subject to available funding. |
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(7) Senate Rule 12.03(2) is suspended to permit the |
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committee to omit text not in disagreement by omitting the |
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portion of proposed SECTION 63 of the bill that adds Section |
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48.306, Education Code. The omitted text reads: |
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Sec. 48.306. PARENT-DIRECTED SERVICES FOR STUDENTS |
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RECEIVING SPECIAL EDUCATION SERVICES GRANT. (a) A student to |
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whom the agency awards a grant under Subchapter A-1, Chapter 29, |
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is entitled to receive an amount of $1,500 or a greater amount |
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provided by appropriation. |
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(b) The legislature shall include in the appropriations |
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for the Foundation School Program state aid sufficient for the |
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agency to award grants under Subchapter A-1, Chapter 29, in the |
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amount provided by this section. |
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(c) A student may receive one grant under Subchapter A-1, |
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Chapter 29, unless the legislature appropriates money for an |
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additional grant in the General Appropriations Act. |
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(d) A regional education service center designated to |
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administer the program under Subchapter A-1, Chapter 29, for a |
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school year is entitled to an amount equal to four percent of each |
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grant awarded under that subchapter for that school year. |
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(e) Notwithstanding Section 7.057, a determination of |
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the commissioner under this section is final and may not be |
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appealed. |
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Explanation: This change is necessary to omit language |
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that would provide an entitlement to a grant under Subchapter |
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A-1, Chapter 29, Education Code, or to an amount for |
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administering the program under that subchapter. |
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_______________________________ |
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President of the Senate |
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I hereby certify that the |
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above Resolution was adopted by |
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the Senate on May 31, 2025, by the |
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following vote: Yeas 31, Nays 0. |
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_______________________________ |
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Secretary of the Senate |