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A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
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AN ACT
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relating to the provision of courses in behavioral modification by |
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disciplinary alternative education programs and juvenile justice |
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alternative education programs. |
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BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
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SECTION 1. Section 37.008(a), Education Code, is amended |
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to read as follows: |
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(a) Each school district shall provide a disciplinary |
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alternative education program that: |
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(1) is provided in a setting other than a student's |
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regular classroom; |
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(2) is located on or off of a regular school campus; |
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(3) provides for the students who are assigned to the |
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disciplinary alternative education program to be separated from |
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students who are not assigned to the program; |
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(4) focuses on English language arts, mathematics, |
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science, history, and self-discipline; |
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(5) offers a course in behavioral modification; |
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(6) provides for students' educational and behavioral |
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needs; |
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(7) [(6)] provides supervision and counseling; and |
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(8) employs only teachers who [(7) requires that to
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teach in an off-campus disciplinary alternative education program,
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each teacher] meet all certification requirements established |
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under Subchapter B, Chapter 21[; and
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[(8) notwithstanding Subdivision (7), requires that
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to teach in a disciplinary alternative education program of any
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kind, each teacher employed by a school district during the
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2003-2004 school year or an earlier school year meet, not later than
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the beginning of the 2005-2006 school year, all certification
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requirements established under Subchapter B, Chapter 21]. |
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SECTION 2. Section 37.011(d), Education Code, is amended |
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to read as follows: |
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(d) A juvenile justice alternative education program must |
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focus on English language arts, mathematics, science, social |
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studies, and self-discipline and must offer a course in behavioral |
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modification. Each school district shall consider course credit |
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earned by a student while in a juvenile justice alternative |
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education program as credit earned in a district school. Each |
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program shall administer assessment instruments under Subchapter |
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B, Chapter 39, and shall offer a high school equivalency program. |
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The juvenile board or the board's designee, with the parent or |
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guardian of each student, shall regularly review the student's |
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academic progress. In the case of a high school student, the board |
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or the board's designee, with the student's parent or guardian, |
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shall review the student's progress towards meeting high school |
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graduation requirements and shall establish a specific graduation |
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plan for the student. The program is not required to provide a |
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course necessary to fulfill a student's high school graduation |
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requirements other than a course specified by this subsection. |
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SECTION 3. This Act applies beginning with the 2007-2008 |
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school year. |
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SECTION 4. This Act takes effect immediately if it receives |
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a vote of two-thirds of all the members elected to each house, as |
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provided by Section 39, Article III, Texas Constitution. If this |
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Act does not receive the vote necessary for immediate effect, this |
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Act takes effect September 1, 2007. |