House Bill 3 K-2 Diagnostics Update: Alternative Kindergarten Diagnostic Tool

TEA seeks to identify a free alternative kindergarten diagnostic tool. This correspondence serves as a notice of the launch of a competitive application process through which eligible entities can apply.

Background
House Bill (HB) 3 was passed by the 86th Texas Legislature, 2019, and signed into law by Governor Abbott on June 11, 2019. Several provisions in HB 3 impact school districts and open-enrollment charter schools (districts and charter schools) serving prekindergarten through third grade students, including provisions related to kindergarten through grade 2 diagnostics. On November 21, 2019, the Texas Education Agency (TEA or agency) released an HB 3 in 30 K-2 Diagnostics video, along with a PowerPoint document and related materials.

HB 3 K-2 Diagnostics Updates
Today, the agency announces that a competitive application process is now available to determine the commissioner-approved alternative kindergarten diagnostic tool. Eligible entities may visit the Early Childhood Education web page to access the application and submit a Notice of Intent to Apply.

Overview of Changes
HB 3 requires the commissioner to adopt a kindergarten instrument that addresses the three developmental domains, including reading. That instrument is TX-KEA. LEAs must implement the TX-KEA screener or the identified alternate to determine kindergarten readiness. Students that are kindergarten ready will not need any further beginning-of-year diagnostics in Emergent Literacy-Reading, Emergent Literacy-Writing, and Language. If students are not kindergarten ready, further diagnostics may be administered in these areas with TX-KEA or other LEA-chosen diagnostic tools to inform instruction. For further information, please see the K-2 Diagnostics presentation.

Commissioner-approved Alternative Diagnostic Tools
Kindergarten
LEAs must use TX-KEA or the commissioner-approved alternative diagnostic tool. The tool must have the following characteristics: 1) Offered at no cost to LEAs; 2) Multidimensional and includes Emergent Literacy-Reading, Emergent Literacy-Writing, and Language; 3) Available online; 4) Available in English and Spanish; 5) Provides reports to teachers and administrators; 6) Meets the criteria in the Rubric for Kindergarten Diagnostic, including diagnostic components, results and reports, administration, scope and training of the diagnostic; and, 7) meet the TEA-compliant data reporting requirements listed in the TEDS Data Standards.

Grades 1 and 2
TEA also seeks to solicit proposals for a diagnostic tool offered at no cost. More information will be released on this in January 2020.

Questions
If you have any questions related to this letter regarding K-2 diagnostics under HB 3, please contact the Division of Early Childhood by email at earlychildhoodeducation@tea.texas.gov  or email HB3info@tea.texas.gov. We will be compiling answers to frequently asked questions (FAQs) on the https://tea.texas.gov/hb3 webpage as well as TEA’s Early Childhood Education webpage.

Sincerely,

Jacquie Porter,
State Director of Early Childhood Education