79R7772 BDH-D
By: Uresti H.B. No. 2859
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
AN ACT
relating to student codes of conduct and school discipline.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
SECTION 1. Section 37.001, Education Code, is amended by
adding Subsections (b) and (e) and amending Subsection (d) to read
as follows:
(b) The commissioner by rule shall adopt standards for
student conduct and enforcement of student codes of conduct,
including standards related to due process. A school district's
student code of conduct and enforcement of the code of conduct must
conform to standards adopted under this subsection.
(d) Each school year, a school district shall:
(1) provide parents notice of and information
regarding the student code of conduct;
(2) require parents and students to review the code of
conduct during a meeting conducted by a school representative; and
(3) require that parents and students sign an
agreement of understanding after the code of conduct and its
consequences have been reviewed in a meeting under Subdivision (2).
(e) Each campus in a school district shall review the
student code of conduct with campus administrators and teachers at
a meeting held before the first day of instruction each school year.
The review may not be considered required staff development for
purposes of Section 21.451.
SECTION 2. Subchapter A, Chapter 37, Education Code, is
amended by adding Section 37.0051 to read as follows:
Sec. 37.0051. CAMPUS COMMUNITY SERVICE. (a) Before
suspending a student or assigning a student to detention for
engaging in disruptive behavior, other than behavior described by
Section 37.006 or 37.007, the principal or other appropriate
administrator shall consider assigning the student to campus
community service as provided by this section.
(b) A student assigned to campus community service must:
(1) perform the service under the supervision of a
teacher other than the teacher of a class in which the student is
enrolled, during the teacher's conference period or other time
period convenient for the teacher; and
(2) perform campus community service duties as
required by the teacher and approved by the principal or other
appropriate administrator.
(c) If a student fails to complete a campus community
service assignment, the campus may suspend the student, require a
meeting between the student and a campus administrator, or
otherwise appropriately discipline the student.
(d) The commissioner by rule may determine activities and
tasks that are not appropriate for campus community service
assignments.
SECTION 3. This Act applies beginning with the 2005-2006
school year.
SECTION 4. This Act takes effect immediately if it receives
a vote of two-thirds of all the members elected to each house, as
provided by Section 39, Article III, Texas Constitution. If this
Act does not receive the vote necessary for immediate effect, this
Act takes effect September 1, 2005.