Reducing Barriers to Learning Act of 2015
This bill amends the Department of Education Organization Act to create an Office of Specialized Instructional Support within the Department of Education (ED) to improve specialized instructional support services in schools. "Specialized instructional support services" are assessment, diagnosis, counseling, educational, therapeutic, and other services provided by qualified professionals as part of a comprehensive program to meet student needs.
The bill amends the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965 to authorize ED to award competitive matching grants to states to: (1) establish or expand specialized instructional support services and programs at the state level that are designed to provide technical assistance, coordination, and support to specialized instructional support services and programs addressing barriers to learning within local educational agencies and individual schools; and (2) hire and support specialized instructional support services coordinators to provide such assistance, coordination, and support.
References to pupil services and pupil services personnel are replaced with references to specialized instructional support services and specialized instructional support personnel.