AUTHOR'S / SPONSOR'S STATEMENT OF INTENT
Through the Public Education Information Management System (PEIMS), the Texas Education Agency (TEA) collects a variety of information regarding disciplinary tools used on school grounds. This information, though valuable, is incomplete. TEA does not collect any information on the use of corporal punishment; the definition of "in-school suspension" is vague according to TEA; and information regarding tickets associated with behavior in school is often confused with tickets assigned for truancy.
C.S.S.B. 1304 seeks to clarify the statute regarding disciplinary reporting.
C.S.S.B. 1304 amends current law relating to school district reports concerning corporal punishment and the issuance of citations by a peace officer.
RULEMAKING AUTHORITY
Rulemaking authority is expressly granted to the commissioner of education in SECTION 2 (Section 37.0811, Education Code) of this bill.
SECTION BY SECTION ANALYSIS
SECTION 1. Amends Section 37.0011, Education Code, by adding Subsection (e), as follows:
(e) Requires a school district in which corporal punishment is permitted as a method of student discipline to report in each district Public Education Information Management System (PEIMS) submission each instance during the period covered by the submission in which a district student is subject to the use of corporal punishment. Provides that the report:
(1) is required to include for each instance information identifying:
(A) the age of the student;
(B) the sex of the student;
(C) the race or ethnicity of the student; and
(D) whether the student is eligible for special education services under Section 29.003 (Eligibility Criteria);
(2) is required to comply with the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act of 1974 (20 U.S.C. Section 1232g); and
(3) is prohibited from including personally identifiable student information.
SECTION 2. Amends Subchapter C, Chapter 37, Education Code, by adding Section 37.0811, as follows:
Section 37.0811. REPORT REGARDING CITATIONS ON CAMPUS. (a) Defines "citation" in this section.
(b) Requires the commissioner of education to adopt rules requiring a school district to report to the Texas Education Agency (TEA) information relating to the issuance of citations by a peace officer to students on a district campus. Requires TEA to collect the reports required under this section, compile the data, and make the data available to the public.
SECTION 3. Provides that this Act applies beginning with the 2013-2014 school year.
SECTION 4. Effective date: upon passage or September 1, 2013.