AUTHOR'S / SPONSOR'S STATEMENT OF INTENT
Under the Education Code, each school district is required to appoint at least one employee to act as a liaison officer to students in the conservatorship of the state. A liaison officer assists these students with school enrollments and transfers. Currently, the Texas Education Agency (TEA) is not required to maintain a statewide list of employees appointed to the position of liaison in Texas school districts and liaison officers are not required to receive training. These issues can be addressed by creating a master list of all the employed liaison officers and requiring training for these liaisons.
S.B. 832 requires TEA to maintain a list of all district liaisons and provide training and information to the district liaisons on the best practices for facilitating the enrollment in or transfer to a public school of children in foster care. Requiring TEA to maintain a master list will provide greater accountability by certifying that these liaisons are in place across the state. Existing training materials could be more effectively and efficiently administered if a list was made readily available. With S.B. 832, the public school system in Texas can guarantee that there are liaisons in place at public schools and ensure that the education of foster children is being properly supported.
As proposed, S.B. 832 amends current law relating to training for school district liaisons who assist students in the conservatorship of the state with school enrollments and transfers.
RULEMAKING AUTHORITY
This bill does not expressly grant any additional rulemaking authority to a state officer, institution, or agency.
SECTION BY SECTION ANALYSIS
SECTION 1. Amends Section 33.904, Education Code, as follows:
Sec. 33.904. LIAISON FOR CERTAIN CHILDREN IN CONSERVATORSHIP OF STATE. (a) Creates this subsection from existing text and makes no further changes.
(b) Requires the Texas Education Agency to:
(1) maintain a list of all district liaisons appointed under Subsection (a); and
(2) provide training and information to the district liaisons on best
practices for facilitating the enrollment in or transfer to a public school of
children who are in the conservatorship of the state.
SECTION 2. Effective date: upon passage or September 1, 2013.