House Bill 3

Dyslexia Allotment

Since the 2013–2014 school year, districts in Texas have been required to report the number of students enrolled in the district who are identified as having dyslexia or a related disorder to the Texas Education Agency (Texas Education Code (TEC) §48.009). Starting with the 2019¬2020 school year, districts are entitled to an annual allotment equal to the basic allotment multiplied by 0.10 or a greater amount provided by appropriation for students identified with dyslexia or a related disorder (HB 3 Dyslexia Allotment) and who are:

• • receiving services for dyslexia or a related disorder through special education under the Individuals with Education Act (IDEA) or Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act; or

  • receiving instruction that meets applicable dyslexia program criteria established by the State Board of Education (SBOE) provided by a person with specific training (see Chapter IV in the Dyslexia Handbook (2018) for program criteria); or

  • permitted to use modifications in the classroom or accommodations in the administration of assessments under TEC §39.023.

Furthermore, districts are entitled to receive the HB 3 Dyslexia Allotment for a student who is identified with dysgraphia only and meets one of the requirements. Although a student identified with dyscalculia may be eligible to receive special education or Section 504 services, dyscalculia is not one of the dyslexia related conditions identified in TEC §38.003(d)(1)-(2). As such, a student with dyscalculia should not be coded in TSDS PEIMS under the Dyslexia or a Related Disorder Indicator, and such a student does not generate funding through the HB 3 Dyslexia Allotment (unless the student has also been identified with dyslexia or a related disorder and meets one of the requirements described above).

Use of Funds

Districts should determine the most effective use of the funds so that students identified with dyslexia or a related disorder receive maximum benefit of the financial resources allocated through HB 3. The following recommendations should be considered when determining the most effective use of funds:

• dyslexia therapist training for teachers

• dyslexia screening, progress monitoring, and/or evaluation tools

• evidence-based dyslexia intervention materials and/or curriculum

• dyslexia identification training for evaluation personnel

• evidence-based early intervention programs in reading

• professional development in the science of teaching reading

• dyslexia therapist positions and/or stipends for dyslexia therapists

In addition, HB 3 stipulates that a district may use an amount not to exceed 20 percent of the allotment provided to contract with a private provider to provide supplemental academic services. A qualifying student may not be excused from school to receive supplemental academic services provided under this provision.

To report the use of funds districts are required to use program intent code (PIC) 37 and districts are required to spend 100% of the dyslexia allotment funds on services for students with dyslexia.

Maintenance of Effort (MOE) Requirement

School districts and open-enrollment charter schools may use HB 3 Dyslexia Allotment funds towards meeting the MOE requirement that specifies they must spend at least the same amount of state and local funds to provide services to students with disabilities that were spent in the previous fiscal year. Districts must comply with the MOE requirement to receive IDEA-B funding each fiscal year (34 C.F.R. § 300.203).

Senate Bill 2075

Senate Bill (SB) 2075 requires school districts to notify the parents or guardians of students determined, on the basis of dyslexia screening or reading instrument results to have dyslexia or a related disorder, or to be at risk for dyslexia or other reading difficulties, to have access to the Talking Book Program (TBP) maintained by the Texas State Library and Archives Commission. The TBP provides students with reading disabilities the ability to borrow audiobooks free of charge, and includes over 100,000 titles, hundreds of which are in Spanish.

Additionally, SB 2075 requires the TEA to:

• effectively audit, monitor, and periodically conduct site visits of all school districts to ensure that districts are complying with this requirement, including the program approved by the SBOE;

• identify any problems school districts experience in complying with the requirements, including the program approved by the SBOE under this section; and

• develop reasonable and appropriate remedial strategies to address school district noncompliance.

Along with existing materials accessible through the TEA website, the agency will develop high-quality resources, including minimum-standards guidelines and best practice frameworks regarding dyslexia screening and treatment. Auditing and monitoring as described in SB 2075 will be conducted by the Office of Special Populations and Monitoring. Additional guidance will be provided over the next two years regarding such procedures.

(Source:Texas Education Agency, 2019)