Today, the Texas Education Agency (TEA) released an HB 3 in 30 K-2 Diagnostics video, along with a PowerPoint document and related materials. The changes to kindergarten through grade 2 diagnostics include requiring the commissioner to adopt by rule a single kindergarten instrument that addresses the three developmental domains, including reading. The commissioner must determine the performance of the reading instrument adopted, and results of the reading instrument must be reported by districts and charter schools to parents in writing no later than the 60th calendar after the administration of the instrument. The commissioner must further ensure that a kindergarten through grade 2 reading instrument is made available to districts at no cost.
LEA’s must use TX-KEA or the commissioner-approved alternative diagnostic tool. The agency will release a letter of interest (LOI) to kindergarten reading diagnostic vendors to determine the alternative tool. The tool must be: 1) multidimensional and include emergent literacy reading and writing, as well as language; 2) online and available in English and Spanish; and 3) provide reports to teachers and administrators and have capacity to meet TEA-compliant data reporting requirements listed in the TEDS Data Standards.
Districts and charter schools have the option to choose from TPRI and Tejas LEE for grades 1 and 2, which will be available at no cost on the CLI Engage platform. Districts and charter schools that opt for an alternative diagnostic must ensure that it meets the criteria for reading diagnosis in TEC, §28.006. Districts and charter schools may reference the Grades 1 and 2 rubrics to ensure that a vendor meets the criteria.