Justice Department Secures Agreement with Texas Education Agency to Ensure Testing Accommodations for People with Dyslexia

AUSTIN, Texas - The United States has reached a settlement with the Texas Education Agency (TEA), a state agency responsible for certifying teachers to teach in classrooms across the state of Texas, to resolve alleged violations of Title II of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) in the administration of the Science of Teaching Reading (STR) examination, a standardized examination required for the issuance of certain teacher certification fields in Texas.

The Department of Justice received an ADA complaint alleging that an individual with dyslexia and dysgraphia was denied oral administration as an alternative testing arrangement for the STR examination. The complaint prompted an investigation by the U.S. Attorney's Office for the Western District of Texas. The ADA prohibits public entities from administering a licensing program in a manner that subjects individuals with disabilities to discrimination because of those disabilities.

Under the settlement agreement, the TEA agrees that it will allow a qualified reader or text-to-speech technology as an alternative testing arrangement for the STR examination for testing candidates who otherwise establish through appropriate documentation that such modifications are appropriate, including for individuals who are diagnosed with dyslexia. Additionally, to resolve the complaint, the TEA will provide the requested modifications to the complainant when they take the STR examination.

"Preparing for professional certification examinations is a stressful time for anyone, let alone people with disabilities who may also worry that their requests for alternative testing arrangements may be rejected," said U.S. Attorney Jaime Esparza for the Western District of Texas. "People with dyslexia should not be denied the testing accommodations they deserve. The ADA requires such modifications to ensure that people with disabilities are not being graded on their disabilities, and unfairly denied access to their chosen professions."

Assistant U.S. Attorney David Goode represented the government during the resolution process. For more information about the ADA, visit www.ada.gov, or call the Department of Justice's tollfree information line at (800) 514-0301 or (800) 514-0383 (TDD). Information about filing a complaint, including instructions for filing a complaint online, can be found at https://www.justice.gov/crt/how-file-complaint.

The claims resolved by the settlement are allegations only and there has been no determination of liability.

###