BILL ANALYSIS

 

 

Senate Research Center

H.B. 2623

85R21769 MM-D

By: Allen; Thompson, Senfronia (Zaffirini)

 

Education

 

5/17/2017

 

Engrossed

 

 

 

AUTHOR'S / SPONSOR'S STATEMENT OF INTENT

 

A child who returns to school following a prolonged absence, particularly for a disciplinary placement outside of the school or medical condition, faces difficulties, and a variety of individual, school, and systemic factors that must be addressed if such a child is to successfully return to school. This bill seeks to address these issues by providing for a personalized transition service plan for certain returning students.

 

H.B. 2623 would apply in cases where students are returning to school after staying in a facility for disciplinary reasons or a medical condition for 30 instructional days or more during a school year. The bill would amend the Education Code to direct the school district and the facilities from which a student is returning to develop and implement a personalized transition service plan to assist the student with transitioning back to school. The bill would require that one or more appropriate school employees, including at least one teacher, develop the plan, which would include consideration of the best educational placement for the student, available behavioral and community mental health assistance, and academic assistance.

 

H.B. 2623 amends current law relating to requiring school districts and certain facilities to assist students in making the transition back to school after certain prolonged placements outside of school.

 

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 Subchapter Z, Chapter 25, Education Code, by adding Section 25.903, as follows:

 

Sec. 25.903. ASSISTANCE FOR STUDENT TRANSITIONING BACK TO SCHOOL AFTER PROLONGED PLACEMENT OUTSIDE OF SCHOOL. (a) Provides that this section applies to a disciplinary alternative education program; a juvenile justice alternative education program; a residential program or facility operated by or under contract with the Texas Juvenile Justice Department, a juvenile board, or any other governmental entity; any residential treatment center; and a public or private hospital.

 

(b) Requires each school district and facility listed under Subsection (a) to coordinate to assist a student enrolled in the district in making the transition back to school after being in the facility for a period equivalent to 30 instructional days or more during the school year. Requires that the assistance provided by the district and the facility include development and implementation of a personalized transition service plan for each student who has been absent from school as described by this subsection. Requires the principal of the school the student attends following the absence to designate one or more appropriate school employees, including at least one teacher, and requires an appropriate supervisor employed by the facility in which the student was placed designate one or more appropriate facility employees to coordinate in developing the plan. Requires that the plan, to the greatest extent practicable, be developed in consultation with the student and the student's parent or person standing in parental relation to the student. Requires that the plan, to the extent appropriate for a particular student, include:

 

(1) consideration of the best educational placement for the student;

 

(2) provision of counseling, behavioral management assistance, as available, or academic assistance by the school based on the student's academic, school reentry, and career and employment goals; and

 

(3) assistance concerning access to community mental health or substance abuse services, as available.

 

(c) Requires the facility, as soon as practicable after a facility listed under Subsection (a) has determined the date of a student's release from the facility, to give to the school district in which the student intends to attend school following release written notice of that date and that the facility is prepared to begin coordinating with the district to develop the student's personalized transition service plan under Subsection (b). Provides that this subsection applies only to a student subject to compulsory attendance requirements under Section 25.085 (Compulsory School Attendance).

 

(d) Requires the Texas Education Agency to give annual written notice to each facility listed under Subsection (a) of the facility's duty under this section.

 

SECTION 2. Provides that this Act applies to absences from public school beginning with the 2017-2018 school year.

 

SECTION 3. Effective date: upon passage or September 1, 2017.