Senate bill would carve out assistive‑technology use for IEP/504 students from SCOPE Act restrictions
Loading...
Summary
Senate Bill 1447, introduced by Senator Menendez, would create an exception to the SCOPE Act standards so that students with IEPs or Section 504 accommodations can continue to use assistive‑technology software and devices even when those products collect data. Disability Rights Texas supported the measure in committee.
Senate Bill 1447 would create a limited exception to the SCOPE Act standards for students with individualized education programs and Section 504 plans, ensuring that required assistive‑technology tools remain available to students who need them.
Sponsor Senator Jose Menendez told the committee the SCOPE Act (passed earlier as HB 18) required TEA to adopt standards for permissible electronic devices and software used by school districts and charter schools, but that the standards inadvertently prevented access to assistive technologies used as reasonable accommodations. The transcript cites examples such as text‑to‑speech, speech‑to‑text, communication boards and captioning tools.
Alexander Zabak of Disability Rights Texas testified in favor of SB 1447, saying the exception would resolve the tension between the SCOPE Act and federal protections under IDEA and Section 504. "By providing an exception for students with disabilities, school districts and students will have better guidance on what accommodations can be provided under the SCOPE Act standards," he told the committee.
Action: The committee opened public testimony on SB 1447, received invited testimony from Disability Rights Texas, and closed testimony; the item was left pending.
Why it matters: The carve‑out aims to preserve access to assistive technology that many students rely on to access instruction. If left unaddressed, TEA standards implementing the SCOPE Act could have denied or delayed those accommodations.
