By: Gallegos S.B. No. 2357
 
 
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
 
AN ACT
  relating to the curriculum that must be provided by a disciplinary
  alternative education program.
         BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
         SECTION 1.  Subsections (a) and (l), Section 37.008,
  Education Code, are amended to read as follows:
         (a)  Each school district shall provide a disciplinary
  alternative education program that:
               (1)  is provided in a setting other than a student's
  regular classroom;
               (2)  is located on or off of a regular school campus;
               (3)  provides for the students who are assigned to the
  disciplinary alternative education program to be separated from
  students who are not assigned to the program;
               (4)  provides structured courses in [focuses on]
  English language arts, mathematics, science, history, and
  self-discipline that are equivalent in content and rigor to courses
  in those subjects as provided in the regular classroom setting;
               (5)  provides for students' educational and behavioral
  needs;
               (6)  provides supervision and counseling;
               (7)  employs only teachers who meet all certification
  requirements established under Subchapter B, Chapter 21; [and]
               (8)  provides not less than the minimum amount of
  instructional time per day required by Section 25.082(a); and
               (9)  provides an established curriculum for each grade
  level that provides students an opportunity to achieve promotion to
  the next grade level or to graduate from high school on the same
  schedule as students in the regular classroom setting.
         (l)  A school district is required to provide in the
  district's disciplinary alternative education program a course
  necessary to fulfill a student's high school graduation
  requirements [only as provided by this subsection]. A school
  district shall offer a student removed to a disciplinary
  alternative education program an opportunity to complete
  coursework before the beginning of the next school year. The school
  district may provide the student an opportunity to complete
  coursework through any method available, including a
  correspondence course, distance learning, or summer school. The
  district may not charge the student for a course provided under this
  subsection.
         SECTION 2.  This Act applies beginning with the 2009-2010
  school year.
         SECTION 3.  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, 2009.