By Naishtat                                     H.B. No. 3430

      75R9300 T                           

                                A BILL TO BE ENTITLED

 1-1                                   AN ACT

 1-2     relating to guidelines for peer mediation programs in public

 1-3     schools.

 1-4           BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:

 1-5           SECTION 1.  Chapter 33, Education Code, is amended by adding

 1-6     Subchapter E to read as follows:

 1-7                   SUBCHAPTER E.  PEER MEDIATION PROGRAMS

 1-8           Sec. 33.101.  DEFINITION.  In this subchapter, "peer

 1-9     mediation program" means a program under which disputes between

1-10     students are resolved through mediation conducted by other

1-11     students.

1-12           Sec. 33.102.  PEER MEDIATION PROGRAM ENCOURAGED.  Each school

1-13     district is encouraged to establish a peer mediation program.

1-14           Sec. 33.103.  OPTIONAL GUIDELINES FOR PEER MEDIATION

1-15     PROGRAMS.  (a)  If a school district chooses to implement a peer

1-16     mediation program, factors the school district may wish to consider

1-17     include:

1-18                 (1)  obtaining the approval of the board of trustees;

1-19                 (2)  at each school at which the program will be

1-20     implemented, obtaining the commitment of administrators and

1-21     teachers to participate in the program;

1-22                 (3)  setting campus goals for the program;

1-23                 (4)  gathering baseline data for evaluation; and

1-24                 (5)  providing information about the program to parents

 2-1     and the community.

 2-2           (b)  Training for school staff should be sufficient to enable

 2-3     them to administer a peer mediation program.

 2-4           (c)  Peer mediation trainers should:

 2-5                 (1)  have experience in implementing and running peer

 2-6     mediation programs;

 2-7                 (2)  provide both empirical and anecdotal evaluation of

 2-8     the effectiveness of peer mediation programs;

 2-9                 (3)  provide ongoing assistance and support in

2-10     maintaining peer mediation programs; and

2-11                 (4)  provide training that is appropriate for the age

2-12     of the student trained.

2-13           (d)  Training for prospective peer mediators should:

2-14                 (1)  be based on research and be appropriate for the

2-15     age of the student being trained; and

2-16                 (2)  include:

2-17                       (A)  extensive mediation skills development;

2-18                       (B)  training on the dynamics of conflict and the

2-19     ways in which different persons respond to conflict;

2-20                       (C)  guidelines on acceptable limits of behavior

2-21     for a student mediator;

2-22                       (D)  training on listening, communication, and

2-23     interpersonal skills;

2-24                       (E)  training on personal safety issues; and

2-25                       (F)  training on mediation ethics.

2-26           SECTION 2.  This Act applies beginning with the 1997-1998

2-27     school year.

 3-1           SECTION 3.  The importance of this legislation and the

 3-2     crowded condition of the calendars in both houses create an

 3-3     emergency and an imperative public necessity that the

 3-4     constitutional rule requiring bills to be read on three several

 3-5     days in each house be suspended, and this rule is hereby suspended,

 3-6     and that this Act take effect and be in force from and after its

 3-7     passage, and it is so enacted.