SECTION 89.1215. Home Language Survey

(a) For each new student enrolling for the first time in a Texas public school in any grade from prekindergarten through Grade 12, the Texas Education Agency (TEA)-developed home language survey shall be administered. This home language survey will serve as the original and only home language survey throughout the student's educational experience in Texas public schools. School districts shall require that the survey be signed by the student's parent for each student in prekindergarten through Grade 8 or by the student in Grades 9-12 as permitted under Texas Education Code, §29.056(a)(1). It is the school district's responsibility to ensure that the student's parent understands the language used in the survey and its implications. The original copy of the survey shall be kept in the student's permanent record and transferred to any subsequent Texas public school districts in which the student enrolls.

(b) The TEA-developed home language survey shall be administered in English and a language that the parents can understand. The home language survey shall include the following questions.

(1) "Which languages are used at home?"

(2) "Which languages are used by the child at home?"

(3) "If the child had a previous home setting, which languages were used? If there was no previous home setting, answer Not Applicable (N/A)."

(c) If any response on the home language survey indicates that a language other than English is or was used for communication, the student shall be tested in accordance with §89.1226 of this title (relating to Testing and Classification of Students).

(d) For students previously enrolled in a Texas public school, the receiving district shall secure the student records, including the original home language survey and language proficiency assessment committee documentation as described in §89.1220(l) of this title (relating to Language Proficiency Assessment Committee), as applicable. All attempts to contact the sending district to request records shall be documented. Multiple attempts to obtain the student's original home language survey shall be made.

(e) If a parent determines an error was made when completing the original home language survey, the parent may request a correction only if:

(1) the student has not yet been assessed for English proficiency; and

(2) corrections are made within two calendar weeks of the student's initial enrollment date in Texas public schools.

Source Note: The provisions of this §89.1215 adopted to be effective September 1, 1996, 21 TexReg 5700; amended to be effective May 28, 2012, 37 TexReg 3822; amended to be effective July 15, 2018, 43 TexReg 4731; amended to be effective April 14, 2020, 45 TexReg 2415; amended to be effective August 9, 2023, 48 TexReg 4247