BILL ANALYSIS

Senate Research Center	H.B. 3864
87R8466 MLH-D	By: Murr (Powell)
	Education
	5/19/2021
	Engrossed

AUTHOR'S / SPONSOR'S STATEMENT OF INTENT

School districts have the authority under state law to adopt a policy excusing a student from attending school to visit an accredited institution of higher education during the student's junior or senior year of high school for the purpose of determining the student's interest in attending the institution. As education evolves to meet the needs of the future, the acknowledgement of future student paths that do not include attending college should be addressed as well. H.B. 3864 seeks to provide access to a broader range of career opportunities for students to explore by authorizing a district to adopt a similar attendance policy for students visiting a professional's workplace for the purpose of determining the student's interest in pursuing a career in the professional's field.

H.B. 3864 amends current law relating to excused absences from public school for certain students to visit a professional's workplace for a career investigation day.

RULEMAKING AUTHORITY

This bill does not expressly grant any additional rulemaking authority to a state officer, institution, or agency.

SECTION BY SECTION ANALYSIS

SECTION 1.  Amends Section 25.087, Education Code, by adding Subsection (b-8) and amending Subsection (d), as follows:

(b-8)  Authorizes a school district to excuse a student from attending school for a career investigation day to visit a professional at the professional's workplace during the student's junior and senior years of high school for the purpose of determining the student's interest in pursuing a career in the professional's field, provided that:

(1)  the district is prohibited from excusing for this purpose more than two days during the student's junior year and two days during the student's senior year; and

(2)  the district adopts:

(A)  a policy to determine when an absence is authorized to be excused for this purpose; and

(B)  a procedure to verify that the student's visit at the professional's workplace did occur.

(d)  Prohibits a student whose absence is excused under certain subsections, including Subsection (b-8), from being penalized for that absence and requires that the student be counted as if the student attended school for purposes of calculating the average daily attendance of students in the school district. Requires that a student whose absence is excused under certain subsections, including Subsection (b-8), to be allowed a reasonable time to make up school work missed on those days.

SECTION 2.  Provides that this Act applies beginning with the 2021-2022 school year.

SECTION 3.  Effective date: upon passage or September 1, 2021.