BILL ANALYSIS

S.B. 1220

By: Miles

Human Services

Committee Report (Unamended)

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE

Interested parties note that homeless children, foster care youth, and former foster care youth are in need of educational and training support and guidance to improve their job prospects and provide Texas with a better-trained workforce. S.B. 1220 aims to provide more educational and training opportunities to such children and youth.

CRIMINAL JUSTICE IMPACT

It is the committee's opinion that this bill does not expressly create a criminal offense, increase the punishment for an existing criminal offense or category of offenses, or change the eligibility of a person for community supervision, parole, or mandatory supervision.

RULEMAKING AUTHORITY

It is the committee's opinion that rulemaking authority is expressly granted to the commissioner of education in SECTION 2 of this bill.

ANALYSIS

S.B. 1220 amends the Education Code to require the Texas Education Agency (TEA) to assist the transition of students who are homeless or in substitute care from one school to another by developing procedures to ensure that a new school relies on decisions made by the previous school regarding placement in courses or educational programs of such a student and places the student in comparable courses or educational programs at the new school, if those courses or programs are available, and by requiring public school districts, campuses, and open-enrollment charter schools to provide comparable special education services to such a student during the referral process for those services or until the new school develops an individualized education program for the student. These requirements apply beginning with the 2017-2018 school year. The bill authorizes the commissioner of education to establish rules to implement provisions relating to transition assistance for students who are homeless or in substitute care and to facilitate the transition between schools of children who are homeless or in substitute care.

S.B. 1220  amends the Family Code to require the Department of Family and Protective Services (DFPS) to collaborate with local workforce development boards, foster care transition centers, community and technical colleges, schools, and any other appropriate workforce industry resources to create a program that assists foster care youth and former foster care youth in obtaining a high school diploma or a high school equivalency certificate and industry certifications that are necessary for occupations that are in high demand, that provides career guidance to foster care youth and former foster care youth, and that informs foster care youth and former foster care youth about the tuition and fee waivers for institutions of higher education that are available to students under DFPS conservatorship. The bill requires DFPS, not later than September 1, 2018, and in collaboration with TEA, to produce a report on the program that includes recommendations for legislative or other action to further develop the program. The bill requires DFPS to submit the report to the governor, the lieutenant governor, the speaker of the house of representatives, and the standing committees of the legislature with jurisdiction over education. The bill's requirements regarding the program report expire September 1, 2019.

EFFECTIVE DATE

On passage, or, if the bill does not receive the necessary vote, September 1, 2017.