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A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
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AN ACT
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relating to training for public school personnel to identify and |
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intervene if a student suffers from behavioral health issues. |
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BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
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SECTION 1. Section 21.451(d), Education Code, is amended to |
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read as follows: |
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(d) The staff development: |
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(1) may include training in: |
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(A) technology; |
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(B) conflict resolution; |
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(C) discipline strategies, including classroom |
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management, district discipline policies, and the student code of |
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conduct adopted under Section 37.001 and Chapter 37; |
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(D) preventing, identifying, responding to, and |
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reporting incidents of bullying; and |
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(E) digital learning; |
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(2) subject to Subsection (e) and to Section 21.3541 |
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and rules adopted under that section, must include training that is |
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evidence-based, as defined by Section 8101, Every Student Succeeds |
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Act (20 U.S.C. Section 7801), that: |
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(A) relates to instruction of students with |
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disabilities; and |
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(B) is designed for educators who work primarily |
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outside the area of special education; and |
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(3) must include suicide prevention and |
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trauma-informed practices training that must be provided: |
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(A) on an annual basis, as part of a new employee |
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orientation, to all new school district and open-enrollment charter |
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school educators; and |
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(B) to existing school district and |
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open-enrollment charter school educators on a schedule adopted by |
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the agency by rule that requires an educator to be trained at least |
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once every five years. |
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SECTION 2. Section 161.325(a-1), Health and Safety Code, as |
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amended by Chapters 522 (S.B. 179) and 714 (H.B. 4056), Acts of the |
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85th Legislature, Regular Session, 2017, is reenacted and amended |
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to read as follows: |
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(a-1) The list must include programs and practices in the |
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following areas: |
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(1) early mental health intervention; |
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(2) mental health promotion; |
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(3) substance abuse prevention and[;
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[(4) substance abuse] intervention; |
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(4) [(5)] suicide prevention; |
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(5) [(6)] grief-informed and trauma-informed |
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practices; |
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(6) [(7)] building skills related to managing |
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emotions, establishing and maintaining positive relationships, and |
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responsible decision-making; |
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(7) [(8)] positive behavior interventions and |
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supports and positive youth development; and |
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(8) [(9)] safe and supportive school climate. |
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SECTION 3. Section 161.325, Health and Safety Code, is |
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amended by adding Subsections (b-1), (c-3), (c-4), and (c-5) and |
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amending Subsections (c-1) and (c-2) to read as follows: |
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(b-1) The trauma-informed practices on the list must |
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include components that provide for training counselors, teachers, |
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nurses, administrators, and other staff, as well as law enforcement |
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officers and social workers who regularly interact with students, |
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to: |
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(1) recognize students displaying signs of physical or |
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emotional trauma; |
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(2) recognize students displaying signs of physical or |
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emotional trauma and a possible need for early mental health or |
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substance abuse intervention, which warning signs may include |
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declining academic performance, depression, anxiety, isolation, |
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unexplained changes in sleep or eating habits, and destructive |
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behavior toward self and others; and |
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(3) intervene effectively with students described by |
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this subsection by providing notice and referral to a parent or |
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guardian so appropriate action, such as seeking mental health or |
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substance abuse services, may be taken by a parent or guardian. |
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(c-1) Except as otherwise provided by this subsection, each |
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school district or open-enrollment charter school shall provide |
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training described in the components set forth under Subsections |
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[Subsection] (b) and (b-1) for teachers, counselors, principals, |
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and all other appropriate personnel. A school district or |
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open-enrollment charter school is required to provide the training |
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at an elementary school campus only to the extent that sufficient |
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funding and programs are available. A school district or |
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open-enrollment charter school may implement a program on the list |
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to satisfy the requirements of this subsection. |
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(c-2) If a school district or open-enrollment charter |
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school provides the training under Subsection (c-1): |
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(1) a school district or open-enrollment charter |
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school employee described under that subsection must participate in |
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the training at least once every five years [one time]; and |
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(2) the school district or open-enrollment charter |
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school shall maintain records that include the name of each |
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district or school employee who participated in the training. |
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(c-3) Each school district and open-enrollment charter |
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school shall report annually to the Texas Education Agency the |
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following information for the district or school as a whole and for |
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each school campus: |
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(1) the number of teachers, principals, and counselors |
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employed by the district or school who have completed training |
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under this section; and |
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(2) the total number of teachers, principals, and |
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counselors employed by the district or school. |
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(c-4) The Texas Education Agency shall compile the |
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information reported under Subsection (c-3) for the state as a |
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whole, each district and open-enrollment charter school, and each |
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campus. The agency shall make the information available to a member |
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of the public who submits a public information request under |
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Chapter 552, Government Code. |
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(c-5) A school district or open-enrollment charter school |
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may not receive any grant of money for mental health services from |
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the agency unless the district or school is in compliance with |
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Subsection (c-3). |
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SECTION 4. This Act takes effect September 1, 2019. |