Sec. 12.012.  APPLICABILITY OF LAWS AND RULES TO HOME-RULE SCHOOL DISTRICT.  (a)  A home-rule school district is subject to federal and state laws and rules governing school districts, except that a home-rule school district is subject to:
(1)  this code only to the extent that the applicability to a home-rule school district of a provision of this code is specifically provided;
(2)  a rule adopted under this code by the State Board of Education or the commissioner only if the code provision authorizing the rule specifically applies to a home-rule school district;  and
(3)  all requirements of federal law and applicable court orders relating to eligibility for and the provision of special education and bilingual programs.
(b)  An employee of a home-rule school district who qualifies for membership in the Teacher Retirement System of Texas shall be covered under the system in the same manner and to the same extent as a qualified employee employed by an independent school district is covered.
(c)  This section does not permit a home-rule school district to discriminate against a student who has been diagnosed as having a learning disability, including dyslexia or attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder.  Discrimination prohibited by this subsection includes denial of placement in a gifted and talented program if the student would otherwise be qualified for the program but for the student's learning disability.  This section does not permit a home-rule school district to, on the basis of race, socioeconomic status, learning disability, or family support status, place a student in a program other than the highest-level program necessary to ensure the student's success.
Added by Acts 1995, 74th Leg., ch. 260, Sec. 1, eff. May 30, 1995.