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TITLE 19EDUCATION
PART 2TEXAS EDUCATION AGENCY
CHAPTER 89ADAPTATIONS FOR SPECIAL POPULATIONS
SUBCHAPTER AACOMMISSIONER'S RULES CONCERNING SPECIAL EDUCATION SERVICES
DIVISION 2CLARIFICATION OF PROVISIONS IN FEDERAL REGULATIONS
RULE §89.1040Eligibility Criteria

      (iii) for a student of less than school age, an individual qualified by the Texas Education Agency to teach a student of his or her age.

  (10) Speech impairment. A student with a speech impairment is one who has been determined to meet the criteria for speech or language impairment as stated in 34 CFR, §300.8(c)(11). The multidisciplinary team that collects or reviews evaluation data in connection with the determination of a student's eligibility based on a speech impairment must include a certified speech and hearing therapist, a certified speech and language therapist, or a licensed speech/language pathologist.

  (11) Traumatic brain injury. A student with a traumatic brain injury is one who has been determined to meet the criteria for traumatic brain injury as stated in 34 CFR, §300.8(c)(12). The multidisciplinary team that collects or reviews evaluation data in connection with the determination of a student's eligibility based on a traumatic brain injury must include a licensed physician, in addition to the licensed or certified practitioners specified in subsection (b)(1) of this section.

  (12) Visual impairment.

    (A) A student with a visual impairment is one who has been determined to meet the criteria for visual impairment as stated in 34 CFR, §300.8(c)(13). Information from a variety of sources must be considered by the multidisciplinary team that collects or reviews evaluation data in connection with the determination of a student's eligibility based on visual impairment in order to determine the need for specially designed instruction as stated in 34 CFR, §300.39(b)(3), and must include:

      (i) a medical report by a licensed ophthalmologist or optometrist that indicates the visual loss stated in exact measures of visual field and corrected visual acuity, at a distance and at near range, in each eye. If exact measures cannot be obtained, the eye specialist must so state and provide best estimates. The report should also include a diagnosis and prognosis whenever possible and whether the student has:

        (I) no vision or visual loss after correction; or

        (II) a progressive medical condition that will result in no vision or a visual loss after correction;

      (ii) a functional vision evaluation by a certified teacher of students with visual impairments or a certified orientation and mobility specialist. The evaluation must include the performance of tasks in a variety of environments requiring the use of both near and distance vision and recommendations concerning the need for a clinical low vision evaluation;

      (iii) a learning media assessment by a certified teacher of students with visual impairments. The learning media assessment must include recommendations concerning which specific visual, tactual, and/or auditory learning media are appropriate for the student and whether or not there is a need for ongoing evaluation in this area; and

      (iv) as part of the full individual and initial evaluation, an orientation and mobility evaluation conducted by a person who is appropriately certified as an orientation and mobility specialist. The evaluation must be conducted in a variety of lighting conditions and in a variety of settings, including in the student's home, school, and community, and in settings unfamiliar to the student.

    (B) A person who is appropriately certified as an orientation and mobility specialist must participate in any reevaluation as part of the multidisciplinary team, in accordance with 34 CFR, §§300.122 and 300.303-300.311, in evaluating data used to make the determination of the student's need for specially designed instruction.

    (C) A person who is appropriately certified as an orientation and mobility specialist must participate, as part of a multidisciplinary team, in accordance with 34 CFR, §§300.122 and 300.303-300.311, in evaluating data used in making the determination of the student's eligibility as a student with a visual impairment.

  (13) Noncategorical. A student between the ages of 3-5 who is evaluated as having an intellectual disability, an emotional disturbance, a specific learning disability, or autism may be described as noncategorical early childhood.


Source Note: The provisions of this §89.1040 adopted to be effective March 6, 2001, 26 TexReg 1837; amended to be effective November 11, 2007, 32 TexReg 8129; amended to be effective January 1, 2015, 39 TexReg 10446; amended to be effective December 2, 2015, 40 TexReg 8642; amended to be effective February 15, 2018, 43 TexReg 763; amended to be effective March 14, 2021, 46 TexReg 1466; amended to be effective October 5, 2021, 46 TexReg 6533; amended to be effective June 7, 2022, 47 TexReg 3248

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