By Bivins                                        S.B. No. 139

      75R1476 SAW-D                           

                                A BILL TO BE ENTITLED

 1-1                                   AN ACT

 1-2     relating to curriculum requirements for alternative education

 1-3     programs and juvenile justice alternative education programs.

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

 1-5           SECTION 1.  Section 37.008(a), Education Code, is amended to

 1-6     read as follows:

 1-7           (a)  Each school district shall provide an alternative

 1-8     education program that:

 1-9                 (1)  is provided in a setting other than a student's

1-10     regular classroom;

1-11                 (2)  is located on or off of a regular school campus;

1-12                 (3)  provides for the students who are assigned to the

1-13     alternative education program to be separated from students who are

1-14     not assigned to the program;

1-15                 (4)  focuses on English language arts, mathematics,

1-16     science, history, and self-discipline;

1-17                 (5)  provides for students' educational and behavioral

1-18     needs; [and]

1-19                 (6)  provides supervision and counseling; and

1-20                 (7)  permits students to meet the curriculum

1-21     requirements for high school graduation determined under Section

1-22     28.025(a).

1-23           SECTION 2.  Section 37.011(d), Education Code, is amended to

1-24     read as follows:

 2-1           (d)  A juvenile justice alternative education program must

 2-2     focus on English language arts, mathematics, science, history, and

 2-3     self-discipline.  Each program shall permit students to meet the

 2-4     curriculum requirements for high school graduation determined under

 2-5     Section 28.025(a), shall administer assessment instruments under

 2-6     Subchapter B, Chapter 39, and shall offer a high school equivalency

 2-7     program.

 2-8           SECTION 3.  This Act applies beginning with the 1997-1998

 2-9     school year.

2-10           SECTION 4.  The importance of this legislation and the

2-11     crowded condition of the calendars in both houses create an

2-12     emergency and an imperative public necessity that the

2-13     constitutional rule requiring bills to be read on three several

2-14     days in each house be suspended, and this rule is hereby suspended,

2-15     and that this Act take effect and be in force from and after its

2-16     passage, and it is so enacted.