By Burnam                                              H.B. No. 301
         77R1168 KKA-D                           
                                A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
 1-1                                   AN ACT
 1-2     relating to a requirement that certain school districts establish
 1-3     programs to reduce truancy.
 1-4           BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
 1-5           SECTION 1.  Subchapter C, Chapter 25, Education Code, is
 1-6     amended by adding Section 25.0911 to read as follows:
 1-7           Sec. 25.0911.  TRUANCY REDUCTION PROGRAM.  (a)  A school
 1-8     district shall establish a program to reduce truancy at a district
 1-9     campus if the student attendance rate at the campus is below 94
1-10     percent for at least two consecutive months.
1-11           (b)  A district required to establish a program under this
1-12     section shall:
1-13                 (1)  operate the program at least until the monthly
1-14     student attendance rate at the campus is at or above 94 percent;
1-15                 (2)  designate one or more district employees as
1-16     truancy caseworkers; and
1-17                 (3)  require the employee or employees designated under
1-18     Subdivision (2) to:
1-19                       (A)  promptly notify parents of students who are
1-20     absent from school without excuse;
1-21                       (B)  work cooperatively with parents and students
1-22     to improve student attendance;
1-23                       (C)  closely monitor the school attendance of
1-24     students with a history of unexcused absences; and
 2-1                       (D)  refer students with a history of unexcused
 2-2     absences and the parents of those students to any appropriate
 2-3     programs or services available to address the underlying causes of
 2-4     the failure to attend school.
 2-5           SECTION 2.  This Act applies beginning with the 2001-2002
 2-6     school year.
 2-7           SECTION 3.  This Act takes effect immediately if it receives
 2-8     a vote of two-thirds of all the members elected to each house, as
 2-9     provided by Section 39, Article III, Texas Constitution.  If this
2-10     Act does not receive the vote necessary for immediate effect, this
2-11     Act takes effect September 1, 2001.