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AN ACT
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relating to a public school student's transition from an |
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alternative education program to a regular classroom. |
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BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
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SECTION 1. Subchapter A, Chapter 37, Education Code, is |
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amended by adding Section 37.023 to read as follows: |
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Sec. 37.023. TRANSITION FROM ALTERNATIVE EDUCATION PROGRAM |
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TO REGULAR CLASSROOM. (a) In this section: |
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(1) "Alternative education program" includes: |
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(A) a disciplinary alternative education program |
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operated by a school district or open-enrollment charter school; |
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(B) a juvenile justice alternative education |
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program; and |
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(C) a residential program or facility operated by |
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or under contract with the Texas Juvenile Justice Department, a |
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juvenile board, or any other governmental entity. |
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(2) "Licensed clinical social worker" has the meaning |
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assigned by Section 505.002, Occupations Code. |
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(b) As soon as practicable after an alternative education |
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program determines the date of a student's release from the |
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program, the alternative education program administrator shall: |
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(1) provide written notice of that date to: |
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(A) the student's parent or a person standing in |
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parental relation to the student; and |
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(B) the administrator of the campus to which the |
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student intends to transition; and |
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(2) provide the campus administrator: |
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(A) an assessment of the student's academic |
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growth while attending the alternative education program; and |
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(B) the results of any assessment instruments |
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administered to the student. |
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(c) Not later than five instructional days after the date of |
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a student's release from an alternative education program, the |
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campus administrator shall coordinate the student's transition to a |
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regular classroom. The coordination must include assistance and |
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recommendations from: |
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(1) school counselors; |
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(2) school district peace officers; |
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(3) school resource officers; |
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(4) licensed clinical social workers; |
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(5) campus behavior coordinators; |
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(6) classroom teachers who are or may be responsible |
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for implementing the student's personalized transition plan |
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developed under Subsection (d); and |
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(7) any other appropriate school district personnel. |
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(d) The assistance required by Subsection (c) must include a |
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personalized transition plan for the student developed by the |
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campus administrator. A personalized transition plan: |
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(1) must include recommendations for the best |
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educational placement of the student; and |
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(2) may include: |
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(A) recommendations for counseling, behavioral |
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management, or academic assistance for the student with a |
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concentration on the student's academic or career goals; |
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(B) recommendations for assistance for obtaining |
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access to mental health services provided by the district or |
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school, a local mental health authority, or another private or |
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public entity; |
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(C) the provision of information to the student's |
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parent or a person standing in parental relation to the student |
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about the process to request a full individual and initial |
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evaluation of the student for purposes of special education |
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services under Section 29.004; and |
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(D) a regular review of the student's progress |
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toward the student's academic or career goals. |
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(e) If practicable, the campus administrator, or the |
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administrator's designee, shall meet with the student's parent or a |
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person standing in parental relation to the student to coordinate |
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plans for the student's transition. |
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(f) This section applies only to a student subject to |
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compulsory attendance requirements under Section 25.085. |
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SECTION 2. This Act applies beginning with the 2019-2020 |
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school year. |
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SECTION 3. This Act takes effect immediately if it receives |
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a vote of two-thirds of all the members elected to each house, as |
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provided by Section 39, Article III, Texas Constitution. If this |
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Act does not receive the vote necessary for immediate effect, this |
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Act takes effect September 1, 2019. |
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______________________________ |
______________________________ |
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President of the Senate |
Speaker of the House |
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I certify that H.B. No. 2184 was passed by the House on May 8, |
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2019, by the following vote: Yeas 123, Nays 21, 1 present, not |
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voting. |
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______________________________ |
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Chief Clerk of the House |
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I certify that H.B. No. 2184 was passed by the Senate on May |
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22, 2019, by the following vote: Yeas 31, Nays 0. |
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______________________________ |
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Secretary of the Senate |
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APPROVED: _____________________ |
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Date |
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_____________________ |
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Governor |