Honorable Dan Huberty, Chair, House Committee on Public Education
FROM:
Ursula Parks, Director, Legislative Budget Board
IN RE:
HB2623 by Allen (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.), Committee Report 1st House, Substituted
No significant fiscal implication to the State is anticipated.
The bill would amend Texas Education Code to require school districts assist a student enrolled in the district in making the transition back to school after being in a disciplinary alternative education program, a juvenile justice alternative education program, a residential program or a facility operated by the Texas Juvenile Justice Department (TJJD), a residential treatment center, or a public or private hospital for a period equivalent to 30 instructional days or more during the school year. The bill would require each school district to develop and implement a personalized transition service plan for each applicable student. The bill would require the Texas Education Agency (TEA) to give annual written notice to each facility of the facility's duty related to the provisions of the bill. The bill would take effect immediately if passed within necessary voting margins, or September 1, 2017, and would apply beginning in school year 2017-18.
The Texas Education Agency indicates any costs associated with the bill could be absorbed within existing resources.
Local Government Impact
The bill would require each school district to assist a student enrolled in the district in making the transition back to school. The bill would require the assistance provided by the district to include development and implementation of a personalized transition service plan for each applicable student. The bill would require 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 would require an appropriate supervisor employed by the facility in which the student was placed to designate one or more appropriate facility employees, to develop the plan. The bill would specify certain requirements for the plan.
According to the Texas Education Agency (TEA), school districts and open-enrollment charter schools would incur costs related to developing the plans. These costs would vary depending on what systems districts and charters already have in place. For example, some districts may need to hire an additional counselor at an annual average salary of $62,581, to facilitate development of plans for students who transfer into the district and to develop and make available resources to support those plans. Alternatively a district might need additional staff if the number of students transferring into the district is high.
The bill would require a facility to give a district written notice that the facility is prepared to begin coordinating with the district to develop the plan. TEA estimates there would likely be minimal costs to the facilities from which the students are transitioning to provide the required notification to school districts.
Source Agencies:
701 Texas Education Agency, 644 Juvenile Justice Department