| |
|
|
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
|
|
|
AN ACT
|
|
|
relating to alternative education programs for middle school |
|
|
students. |
|
|
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
|
|
SECTION 1. Section 29.081, Education Code, is amended by |
|
|
amending Subsection (d) and adding Subsection (e-1) to read as |
|
|
follows: |
|
|
(d) For purposes of this section, "student at risk of |
|
|
dropping out of school" includes each student who is under 26 years |
|
|
of age and who: |
|
|
(1) was not advanced from one grade level to the next |
|
|
for one or more school years; |
|
|
(2) if the student is in grade 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, or |
|
|
12, did not maintain an average equivalent to 70 on a scale of 100 in |
|
|
two or more subjects in the foundation curriculum during a semester |
|
|
in the preceding or current school year or is not maintaining such |
|
|
an average in two or more subjects in the foundation curriculum in |
|
|
the current semester; |
|
|
(3) did not perform satisfactorily on an assessment |
|
|
instrument administered to the student under Subchapter B, Chapter |
|
|
39, and who has not in the previous or current school year |
|
|
subsequently performed on that instrument or another appropriate |
|
|
instrument at a level equal to at least 110 percent of the level of |
|
|
satisfactory performance on that instrument; |
|
|
(4) if the student is in prekindergarten, |
|
|
kindergarten, or grade 1, 2, or 3, did not perform satisfactorily on |
|
|
a readiness test or assessment instrument administered during the |
|
|
current school year; |
|
|
(5) is pregnant or is a parent; |
|
|
(6) has been placed in an alternative education |
|
|
program in accordance with Section 37.006 during the preceding or |
|
|
current school year; |
|
|
(7) has been expelled in accordance with Section |
|
|
37.007 during the preceding or current school year; |
|
|
(8) is currently on parole, probation, deferred |
|
|
prosecution, or other conditional release; |
|
|
(9) was previously reported through the Public |
|
|
Education Information Management System (PEIMS) to have dropped out |
|
|
of school; |
|
|
(10) is a student of limited English proficiency, as |
|
|
defined by Section 29.052; |
|
|
(11) is in the custody or care of the Department of |
|
|
Protective and Regulatory Services or has, during the current |
|
|
school year, been referred to the department by a school official, |
|
|
officer of the juvenile court, or law enforcement official; |
|
|
(12) is homeless, as defined by 42 U.S.C. Section |
|
|
11302, and its subsequent amendments; or |
|
|
(13) resided in the preceding school year or resides |
|
|
in the current school year in a residential placement facility in |
|
|
the district, including a detention facility, substance abuse |
|
|
treatment facility, emergency shelter, psychiatric hospital, |
|
|
halfway house, or foster group home. |
|
|
(e-1) Each school district may provide alternative |
|
|
education programs for students at risk of dropping out of school |
|
|
who are in grade 6, 7, or 8. The district may partner with a private |
|
|
or public community-based organization to assist in providing |
|
|
expanded learning opportunities for students at risk of dropping |
|
|
out. A program under this subsection must educate students about |
|
|
each endorsement described by Section 28.025(c-1) and |
|
|
postsecondary education and career opportunities by: |
|
|
(1) including experiential, project-based learning |
|
|
activities related to the endorsements; and |
|
|
(2) incorporating volunteer business and industry |
|
|
mentors from the local community. |
|
|
SECTION 2. This Act applies beginning with the 2015-2016 |
|
|
school year. |
|
|
SECTION 3. This Act takes effect immediately if it receives |
|
|
a vote of two-thirds of all the members elected to each house, as |
|
|
provided by Section 39, Article III, Texas Constitution. If this |
|
|
Act does not receive the vote necessary for immediate effect, this |
|
|
Act takes effect September 1, 2015. |