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A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
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AN ACT
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relating to school district programs to assist students in making |
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the transition back to school after certain prolonged placements |
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outside of school. |
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BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
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SECTION 1. Subchapter Z, Chapter 29, Education Code, is |
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amended by adding Section 29.921 to read as follows: |
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Sec. 29.921. PROGRAM TO ASSIST STUDENT TRANSITION BACK TO |
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SCHOOL AFTER PROLONGED PLACEMENT OUTSIDE OF SCHOOL. (a) This |
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section applies to the following facilities: |
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(1) a disciplinary alternative education program; |
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(2) a juvenile justice alternative education program; |
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(3) a residential program or facility operated by or |
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under contract with the Texas Juvenile Justice Department, a |
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juvenile board, or any other governmental entity; |
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(4) any residential treatment center; and |
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(5) a public or private hospital. |
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(b) Each school district shall establish and provide a |
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program to assist district students in making the transition back |
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to school after being in a facility listed under Subsection (a) for |
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a period equivalent to 30 instructional days or more during the |
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school year. The program must include development and |
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implementation of a personalized transition service plan for each |
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student who has been absent from school as described by this |
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subsection. The principal of the school the student attends |
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following the absence shall designate one or more appropriate |
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school employees to develop the plan. To the greatest extent |
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practicable, the plan must be developed in consultation with the |
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student and the student's parent or person standing in parental |
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relation to the student. To the extent appropriate for a particular |
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student, the plan must include: |
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(1) consideration of the best educational placement |
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for the student; |
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(2) provision of counseling, behavioral management |
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assistance, or academic assistance by the school based on |
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considerations described by Subsection (c) and the student's |
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academic, school reentry, and career and employment goals; and |
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(3) assistance concerning access to community mental |
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health or substance abuse services. |
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(c) A transition service plan under Subsection (b) must, to |
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the greatest extent practicable, take into consideration any |
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relevant aspect of the student's medical or psychological condition |
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and any education or medical or other treatment the student has |
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received while at a facility listed under Subsection (a). A school |
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employee shall request the parental consent necessary to obtain |
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information for purposes of this subsection. |
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(d) As soon as a facility listed under Subsection (a) has |
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determined the date of a student's release from the facility, the |
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facility shall give notice of that date to the school district in |
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which a student intends to attend school following release. The |
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agency shall give annual written notice to each facility of the |
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facility's duty under this subsection. This subsection applies |
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only to a student subject to compulsory attendance requirements |
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under Section 25.085. |
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SECTION 2. This Act applies to absences from public school |
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beginning with the 2013-2014 school year. |
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SECTION 3. 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. |