By Nelson S.B. No. 247
75R2864 ESH-D
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
1-1 AN ACT
1-2 relating to compulsory attendance in public schools.
1-3 BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
1-4 SECTION 1. Section 25.085(b), Education Code, is amended to
1-5 read as follows:
1-6 (b) Unless specifically exempted by Section 25.086, a child
1-7 who is at least six years of age, or who is younger than six years
1-8 of age and has previously been enrolled in first grade, and who has
1-9 not completed the academic year in which the child's 18th [17th]
1-10 birthday occurred shall attend school.
1-11 SECTION 2. Section 25.086(a), Education Code, is amended to
1-12 read as follows:
1-13 (a) A child is exempt from the requirements of compulsory
1-14 school attendance if the child:
1-15 (1) attends a private or parochial school that
1-16 includes in its course a study of good citizenship;
1-17 (2) is eligible to participate in a school district's
1-18 special education program under Section 29.003 and cannot be
1-19 appropriately served by the resident district;
1-20 (3) has a physical or mental condition of a temporary
1-21 and remediable nature that makes the child's attendance infeasible
1-22 and holds a certificate from a qualified physician specifying the
1-23 temporary condition, indicating the treatment prescribed to remedy
1-24 the temporary condition, and covering the anticipated period of the
2-1 child's absence from school for the purpose of receiving and
2-2 recuperating from that remedial treatment;
2-3 (4) is expelled in accordance with the requirements of
2-4 law;
2-5 (5) is at least 17 years of age and:
2-6 (A) is attending, with the permission of the
2-7 child's parent or guardian or as required by court order, a course
2-8 of instruction to prepare for the high school equivalency
2-9 examination; or
2-10 (B) has received a high school diploma or high
2-11 school equivalency certificate;
2-12 (6) is at least 16 years of age and is attending a
2-13 course of instruction to prepare for the high school equivalency
2-14 examination, if the child is recommended to take the course of
2-15 instruction by a public agency that has supervision or custody of
2-16 the child under a court order;
2-17 (7) is enrolled in the Texas Academy of Mathematics
2-18 and Science;
2-19 (8) is enrolled in the Texas Academy of Leadership in
2-20 the Humanities; or
2-21 (9) is specifically exempted under another law.
2-22 SECTION 3. This Act applies beginning with the 1997-1998
2-23 school year.
2-24 SECTION 4. The importance of this legislation and the
2-25 crowded condition of the calendars in both houses create an
2-26 emergency and an imperative public necessity that the
2-27 constitutional rule requiring bills to be read on three several
3-1 days in each house be suspended, and this rule is hereby suspended,
3-2 and that this Act take effect and be in force from and after its
3-3 passage, and it is so enacted.