School districts must give certain at-risk students reading interventions and keep providing them until the student is no longer at risk or starts fourth grade.
Sec. 28.0064. EARLY LITERACY INTERVENTION FOR CERTAIN STUDENTS. (a) If a student's results on two consecutive reading instruments administered under Section 28.0063 indicate that the student is at risk, as determined by the agency, of not achieving satisfactory performance in foundational literacy, a school district shall, as soon as practicable following the receipt of the student's results, provide reading interventions to the student. (b) Reading interventions provided under Subsection (a) must: (1) include targeted instruction in the foundational literacy skills identified as areas in need of targeted instruction by the reading instrument administered under Section 28.0063; (2) ensure that the student receives the interventions during a period and at a frequency sufficient to address the areas described by Subdivision (1); (3) include effective instructional materials designed for reading intervention; (4) be provided by a person: (A) with training in reading interventions and in the applicable instructional materials described by Subdivision (3); and (B) under the oversight of the school district; (5) to the extent possible, be provided by one person for the entirety of the student's reading intervention period; and (6) meet any additional requirements adopted by the commissioner. (c) A school district shall continue providing reading intervention to a student under this section until the earlier of the date on which: (1) the student is no longer determined to be at risk, as determined by the agency, of not achieving satisfactory performance in foundational literacy on a reading instrument administered under Section 28.0063; or (2) the student begins the fourth grade. (d) In providing reading interventions under this section, a school district may not remove a student, except under circumstances for which a student enrolled in the same grade level who is not receiving reading interventions would be removed, from: (1) instruction in the foundation curriculum and enrichment curriculum adopted under Section 28.002 for the grade level in which the student is enrolled; or (2) recess or other physical activity that is available to other students enrolled in the same grade level. (e) The agency shall approve one or more products that use an automated, computerized, or other augmented method for providing reading interventions. The agency may approve a product under this subsection only if evidence indicates that the product is effective at promoting mastery of foundational literacy skills. (f) Subject to appropriation, the agency shall ensure that at least one product approved under Subsection (e) is available to school districts at no or reduced cost. (g) A student's parent or guardian may submit a written request to the administrator of the campus at which the student is enrolled to opt the student out of all or part of the reading intervention requirements under Subsection (b). A school district may not encourage or direct a parent or guardian to submit a written request under this subsection that would allow the district to not provide reading interventions to the student. (h) A school district must provide to the parent or guardian of a student receiving reading interventions under this section the notice required under Section 26.0081(d). (i) Nothing in this section may be construed to prevent or discourage reading interventions for a student whose results on a reading instrument administered under Section 28.0063 indicate that the student is at risk, as determined by the agency, of not achieving satisfactory performance in foundational literacy. (j) Nothing in this section may be construed to circumvent or supplant federal or state law regarding a student who participates in a special education program under Subchapter A, Chapter 29, or a student who is suspected to have a disability and who may be eligible to participate in a special education program under that subchapter. (k) The commissioner shall adopt rules as necessary to implement this section, including rules that define appropriate standards for implementing reading interventions that meet the requirements of Subsection (b). (l) Section 2001.0045, Government Code, does not apply to a rule adopted under this section. (m) A school district is not required to comply with the requirements of this section until the commissioner adopts a list of reading and mathematics instruments under Section 28.0063 and designates the first school year that districts must comply with this section. This subsection expires September 1, 2029. Added by Acts 2025, 89th Leg., R.S., Ch. 1065 (H.B. 2), Sec. 5.10, eff. June 20, 2025.