(a) Each school district shall administer during the
first six weeks of the school year the diagnostic reading instrument
specified in subsection (c) of this section to each student in Grade
7 whose performance on the Grade 6 statewide reading assessment did
not meet the passing standard. The admission, review, and dismissal
committee or the Section 504 committee for each student who was administered
an alternate form of the state assessment in reading may determine
if the diagnostic assessment is appropriate for use with that student.
(b) A student in Grade 7 who does not have a score
for the statewide reading assessment in Grade 6 may be given an equivalent
comprehension assessment. If that student does not meet the passing
standard, then the student must be administered the diagnostic reading
assessment specified in subsection (c) of this section.
(c) A school district must use the Texas Middle School
Fluency Assessment and/or an alternate diagnostic reading instrument
approved by the Texas Education Agency (TEA). A district may submit
to the TEA an alternate diagnostic reading instrument for approval.
(d) An alternate diagnostic reading instrument must:
(1) be based on published scientific research in reading;
(2) be age and grade-level appropriate, valid, and
reliable;
(3) identify specific skill difficulties in word analysis,
fluency, and comprehension; and
(4) assist the teacher in making individualized instructional
decisions based on the assessment results.
(e) A school district shall provide additional reading
instruction and intervention to each student in Grade 7 who did not
meet the passing standard on the Grade 6 state assessment in reading
as appropriate to improve the student's reading skills in the areas
of need identified by the diagnostic reading assessment.
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