The Commissioner has adopted new rules pertaining to special education that went into effect last Wednesday.  Among other things worthy of your attention, we would point out two highlights:

1. If the parent is “unable to speak English” written notices must be provided “in the parent’s native language, unless it is clearly not feasible to do so.”

2. It’s the IEP you have to translate for the parent—not the ARD meeting. The rules specify that “all of the text in the student’s IEP in English is accurately translated into the target language in written form. The IEP translated into the target language must be a comparable rendition of the IEP in English and not a partial translation or summary of the IEP in English.”

Here are the rules:

http://tea.texas.gov/About_TEA/Laws_and_Rules/Commissioner_Rules_(TAC)/Adopted/15_11_Adopted_Amendments_to_19_TAC_Chapter_89,_Subchapter_AA

DAWG BONE: MAKE SURE YOUR SPECIAL ED STAFF IS UP TO SPEED WITH THE NEW RULES.