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A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
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AN ACT
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relating to an exemption from compulsory public school attendance |
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for children who have completed grade 10 and are attending an |
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institution of higher education or a trade school or are employed as |
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an apprentice. |
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BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
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SECTION 1. Section 25.086(a), Education Code, is amended to |
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read as follows: |
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(a) A child is exempt from the requirements of compulsory |
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school attendance if the child: |
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(1) attends a private or parochial school that |
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includes in its course a study of good citizenship; |
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(2) is eligible to participate in a school district's |
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special education program under Section 29.003 and cannot be |
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appropriately served by the resident district; |
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(3) has a physical or mental condition of a temporary |
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and remediable nature that makes the child's attendance infeasible |
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and holds a certificate from a qualified physician specifying the |
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temporary condition, indicating the treatment prescribed to remedy |
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the temporary condition, and covering the anticipated period of the |
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child's absence from school for the purpose of receiving and |
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recuperating from that remedial treatment; |
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(4) is expelled in accordance with the requirements of |
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law in a school district that does not participate in a mandatory |
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juvenile justice alternative education program under Section |
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37.011; |
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(5) is at least 17 years of age and: |
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(A) is attending a course of instruction to |
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prepare for the high school equivalency examination, and: |
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(i) has the permission of the child's parent |
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or guardian to attend the course; |
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(ii) is required by court order to attend |
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the course; |
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(iii) has established a residence separate |
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and apart from the child's parent, guardian, or other person having |
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lawful control of the child; or |
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(iv) is homeless as defined by 42 U.S.C. |
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Section 11302; or |
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(B) has received a high school diploma or high |
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school equivalency certificate; |
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(6) is at least 16 years of age and is attending a |
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course of instruction to prepare for the high school equivalency |
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examination, if: |
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(A) the child is recommended to take the course |
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of instruction by a public agency that has supervision or custody of |
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the child under a court order; or |
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(B) the child is enrolled in a Job Corps training |
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program under the Workforce Investment Act of 1998 (29 U.S.C. |
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Section 2801 et seq.); |
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(7) is at least 16 years of age and is enrolled in a |
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high school diploma program under Chapter 18; |
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(8) is enrolled in the Texas Academy of Mathematics |
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and Science under Subchapter G, Chapter 105; |
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(9) is enrolled in the Texas Academy of Leadership in |
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the Humanities; |
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(10) is enrolled in the Texas Academy of Mathematics |
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and Science at The University of Texas at Brownsville; |
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(11) is enrolled in the Texas Academy of International |
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Studies; [or] |
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(12) is specifically exempted under another law; or |
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(13) has completed grade 10 and, with the permission |
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of the child's parent or guardian: |
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(A) attends an institution of higher education or |
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a career or technical school; or |
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(B) is employed as an apprentice. |
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SECTION 2. 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, 2013. |