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A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
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AN ACT
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relating to requiring the board of trustees of each school district |
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to create a nonvoting student trustee position on the board. |
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BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
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SECTION 1. Subchapter C, Chapter 11, Education Code, is |
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amended by adding Section 11.0512 to read as follows: |
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Sec. 11.0512. STUDENT TRUSTEE. (a) In addition to the |
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number of trustees of a school district as provided by Section |
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11.051, the board of trustees of each school district shall appoint |
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a student trustee in the manner provided by this section. |
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(b) The commissioner shall develop a uniform application |
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form to be used to solicit eligible applicants for the position of |
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student trustee. |
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(c) Except as provided by Subsection (d), the principal of |
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each high school in a school district shall: |
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(1) not later than November 1 of each year, solicit |
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applicants for appointment to the next regular term of the position |
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of student trustee of the school district using the uniform |
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application form developed under Subsection (b); |
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(2) not later than January 1, select three applicants |
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from the applications received to serve as the school's |
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recommendations for the position of student trustee; and |
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(3) send the school's recommendations and |
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corresponding applications to the president of the board of |
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trustees of the school district. |
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(d) The principal of the high school at which a current |
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student trustee is enrolled at the time of the student's |
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appointment may not solicit applicants for the position of student |
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trustee for the next regular term of the position. |
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(e) The president of the board of trustees of each school |
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district shall select two or more applicants from the applications |
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received to serve as recommendations to the board for the student |
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trustee position. |
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(f) The board of trustees of a school district may request |
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to review all applications for the position of student trustee |
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received by the board president and may request an applicant to |
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submit additional information. |
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(g) On June 1, or as soon as practicable thereafter, the |
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board by majority vote shall appoint one of the applicants to serve |
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as the student trustee for the district for a one-year term expiring |
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May 31 of the following year. |
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(h) To be eligible for appointment as a student trustee for |
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a school district, a person must: |
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(1) be enrolled as a student at a high school in the |
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district; and |
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(2) be in good academic standing as determined by the |
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school at which the student is enrolled at the time of appointment. |
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(i) Throughout a student's term as a student trustee, the |
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student must: |
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(1) remain enrolled at the school; and |
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(2) maintain a grade point average of 2.5 on a |
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four-point scale, or the equivalent. |
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(j) The principal of the school at which a student trustee |
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is enrolled shall notify the president of the board of trustees of |
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the school district if the student trustee fails to maintain the |
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qualifications required by Subsection (i). On receiving notice, |
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the president of the board of trustees of the school district shall |
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declare the position as vacant and as soon as practicable fill the |
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vacancy in the manner prescribed by Subsection (l). |
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(k) A student trustee is not a member of the board of |
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trustees of the school district for which the student is appointed. |
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A student trustee has the same powers and duties as a member of the |
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board of trustees, including the right to attend and participate in |
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meetings of the board, except that the student trustee: |
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(1) may not vote on any matter before the board or make |
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or second any motion before the board; and |
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(2) is not counted in determining whether a quorum |
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exists for a meeting of the board or in determining the outcome of |
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any vote of the board. |
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(l) A vacancy in the position of student trustee for a |
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school district shall be filled for the unexpired term by |
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appointment by the president of the board of trustees of the school |
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district in consultation with the board. |
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(m) A student trustee serves without compensation but is |
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entitled to be reimbursed for the actual expenses incurred by the |
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student in attending meetings of the board, subject to the approval |
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of the president of the board of trustees of the school district. |
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(n) A school district may grant to a student who fulfills |
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the requirements of service of a student trustee not more than one |
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academic course credit in a subject area determined appropriate by |
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the district. |
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SECTION 2. Section 11.0511, Education Code, is repealed. |
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SECTION 3. This Act takes effect September 1, 2023. |