By Uher H.B. No. 2645
76R7751 BDH-D
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
1-1 AN ACT
1-2 relating to the compulsory attendance age for 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 yet reached the child's 17th [18th] birthday shall attend
1-10 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 in a school district that does not participate in a mandatory
2-5 juvenile justice alternative education program under Section
2-6 37.011;
2-7 (5) [is at least 17 years of age and:]
2-8 [(A) is attending a course of instruction to
2-9 prepare for the high school equivalency examination, and:]
2-10 [(i) has the permission of the child's
2-11 parent or guardian to attend the course;]
2-12 [(ii) is required by court order to attend
2-13 the course;]
2-14 [(iii) has established a residence
2-15 separate and apart from the child's parent, guardian, or other
2-16 person having lawful control of the child; or]
2-17 [(iv) is homeless as defined by 42 U.S.C.
2-18 Section 11302; or]
2-19 [(B) has received a high school diploma or high
2-20 school equivalency certificate;]
2-21 [(6)] is at least 16 years of age and is attending a
2-22 course of instruction to prepare for the high school equivalency
2-23 examination, if the child is recommended to take the course of
2-24 instruction by a public agency that has supervision or custody of
2-25 the child under a court order;
2-26 (6) [(7)] is enrolled in the Texas Academy of
2-27 Mathematics and Science;
3-1 (7) [(8)] is enrolled in the Texas Academy of
3-2 Leadership in the Humanities; or
3-3 (8) [(9)] is specifically exempted under another law.
3-4 SECTION 3. This Act applies beginning with the 1999-2000
3-5 school year.
3-6 SECTION 4. The importance of this legislation and the
3-7 crowded condition of the calendars in both houses create an
3-8 emergency and an imperative public necessity that the
3-9 constitutional rule requiring bills to be read on three several
3-10 days in each house be suspended, and this rule is hereby suspended,
3-11 and that this Act take effect and be in force from and after its
3-12 passage, and it is so enacted.