MINUTES

SENATE COMMITTEE ON EDUCATION

Tuesday, October 30, 2012

9:30 AM

Capitol Extension, Room E1.036

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Pursuant to a notice posted in accordance with Senate Rule 11.10 and 11.18, a public hearing of the Senate Committee on Education was held on Tuesday, October 30, 2012, in the Capitol Extension, Room E1.036, at Austin, Texas.

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MEMBERS PRESENT:	MEMBERS ABSENT:
Senator Dan Patrick, Chair	Senator John Carona
Senator Kel Seliger	Senator Wendy Davis
Senator Florence Shapiro	Senator Steve Ogden
Senator Leticia Van de Putte
Senator Royce West

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A joint hearing of the Senate Committee on Education and Senate Committee on Criminal Justice Education was held.

Senator Shapiro and Senator Whitmire, as Co-Chairs, shared presiding duties throughout the hearing.

Senator Whitmire called the Criminal Justice Committee to order at 9:34 AM.

Senator Whitmire and Senator Shapiro made opening remarks to the committee.

Senator Patrick called the Education Committee to order at 9:36 AM and Senator Florence Shapiro assumed the chair.  The following business was transacted:

The Co-Chairs called the following invited witnesses to provide testimony on Senate Interim Charge #7:  Conduct a comprehensive review of school discipline practices. Specifically, review and make recommendations on:

• The effectiveness of Disciplinary Alternative Education Programs (DAEP) and Juvenile Justice Alternative Education Programs (JJAEP) in reducing student involvement in further disciplinary infractions and in promoting positive educational achievement;
• Disproportionate school discipline referrals, including suspension, expulsion, and Class C misdemeanor citations;
• The issue of "Zero Tolerance" in secondary education school discipline, the use of alternative education campuses, and the barriers to graduation. Also include the role that specialized school police departments play in these systems. Consider the impact on the juvenile justice system and the adult prison system;
• The number of students in the conservatorship of the Department of Family and Protective Services (DFPS) referred to juvenile or municipal courts, suspended, expelled, and placed in Disciplinary Alternative Education Programs (DAEP). Examine data-sharing practices between DFPS, TEA, and local education agencies, and make recommendations to increase communication between schools and DFPS to increase educational outcomes for children in foster care;
• Evidence based models used for addressing juvenile delinquency prevention that is targeted to non-adjudicated, but at-risk youth, in the school disciplinary system. (Joint Charge with Senate Committee on Criminal Justice)

See attached list.

At 10:54 AM the roll was called and a quorum was established for the Senate Committee on Education.

At 12:20 PM Senator Whitmire moved that the Committees stand recessed subject to the call of the Co-Chairs. Without objection, it was so ordered.

At 2:00 PM Senator Whitmire reconvened the meeting continuing invited and public testimony for both committees.

There being no further business, at 4:20 PM Senator Whitmire moved that the Committees stand recessed subject to the call of the Co-chairs. Without objection, it was so ordered.

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Senator Dan Patrick, Chair

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Holly Mabry McCoy, Clerk