86R3640 MEW-F
 
  By: Menéndez S.B. No. 664
 
 
 
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
 
AN ACT
  relating to behavior improvement plans and behavioral intervention
  plans for certain public school students and notification
  requirements regarding certain behavior management techniques.
         BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
         SECTION 1.  Section 29.005, Education Code, is amended by
  adding Subsection (h) to read as follows:
         (h)  If a behavior improvement plan or a behavioral
  intervention plan is included as part of a student's individualized
  education program under Subsection (g), the committee shall review
  the plan at least annually and more frequently if appropriate to
  address:
               (1)  any changes in a student's circumstances,
  including:
                     (A)  the placement of the student in a different
  educational setting;
                     (B)  a disciplinary action taken regarding the
  student;
                     (C)  a variation in the student's attendance; or
                     (D)  a variation in the student's behavior,
  including an unauthorized unsupervised departure from an
  educational setting; or
               (2)  the safety of the student or others.
         SECTION 2.  Section 37.001(a), Education Code, is amended to
  read as follows:
         (a)  The board of trustees of an independent school district
  shall, with the advice of its district-level committee established
  under Subchapter F, Chapter 11, adopt a student code of conduct for
  the district. The student code of conduct must be posted and
  prominently displayed at each school campus or made available for
  review at the office of the campus principal. In addition to
  establishing standards for student conduct, the student code of
  conduct must:
               (1)  specify the circumstances, in accordance with this
  subchapter, under which a student may be removed from a classroom,
  campus, disciplinary alternative education program, or vehicle
  owned or operated by the district;
               (2)  specify conditions that authorize or require a
  principal or other appropriate administrator to transfer a student
  to a disciplinary alternative education program;
               (3)  outline conditions under which a student may be
  suspended as provided by Section 37.005 or expelled as provided by
  Section 37.007;
               (4)  specify that consideration will be given, as a
  factor in each decision concerning suspension, removal to a
  disciplinary alternative education program, expulsion, or
  placement in a juvenile justice alternative education program,
  regardless of whether the decision concerns a mandatory or
  discretionary action, to:
                     (A)  self-defense;
                     (B)  intent or lack of intent at the time the
  student engaged in the conduct;
                     (C)  a student's disciplinary history; or
                     (D)  a disability that substantially impairs the
  student's capacity to appreciate the wrongfulness of the student's
  conduct;
               (5)  provide guidelines for setting the length of a
  term of:
                     (A)  a removal under Section 37.006; and
                     (B)  an expulsion under Section 37.007;
               (6)  address the notification of a student's parent or
  guardian of a violation of the student code of conduct committed by
  the student that results in suspension, removal to a disciplinary
  alternative education program, or expulsion, including specifying:
                     (A)  if the student has a behavior improvement
  plan or a behavioral intervention plan, whether the school district
  recommends any revision to the plan; or
                     (B)  if the student does not have a behavior
  improvement plan or a behavioral intervention plan, whether the
  school district recommends conducting or is required under Section
  37.004 to conduct a functional behavioral assessment of the
  student;
               (7)  prohibit bullying, harassment, and making hit
  lists and ensure that district employees enforce those
  prohibitions;
               (8)  provide, as appropriate for students at each grade
  level, methods, including options, for:
                     (A)  managing students in the classroom, on school
  grounds, and on a vehicle owned or operated by the district;
                     (B)  disciplining students; and
                     (C)  preventing and intervening in student
  discipline problems, including bullying, harassment, and making
  hit lists; and
               (9)  include an explanation of the provisions regarding
  refusal of entry to or ejection from district property under
  Section 37.105, including the appeal process established under
  Section 37.105(h).
         SECTION 3.  Section 37.0021(d), Education Code, is amended
  to read as follows:
         (d)  The commissioner by rule shall adopt procedures for the
  use of restraint and time-out by a school district employee or
  volunteer or an independent contractor of a district in the case of
  a student with a disability receiving special education services
  under Subchapter A, Chapter 29. A procedure adopted under this
  subsection must:
               (1)  be consistent with:
                     (A)  professionally accepted practices and
  standards of student discipline and techniques for behavior
  management; and
                     (B)  relevant health and safety standards; [and]
               (2)  identify any discipline management practice or
  behavior management technique that requires a district employee or
  volunteer or an independent contractor of a district to be trained
  before using that practice or technique; and
               (3)  require a school district to:
                     (A)  provide written notification to the
  student's parent or person standing in parental relation to the
  student for each use of restraint or time-out that includes:
                           (i)  the name of the student;
                           (ii)  the name of the district employee or
  volunteer or independent contractor of the district who
  administered the restraint or time-out;
                           (iii)  the date of the restraint or
  time-out;
                           (iv)  the time that the restraint or
  time-out started and ended;
                           (v)  the location of the restraint or
  time-out;
                           (vi)  the nature of the restraint or
  time-out;
                           (vii)  a description of the activity in
  which the student was engaged immediately preceding the use of the
  restraint or time-out;
                           (viii)  the behavior of the student that
  prompted the restraint or time-out;
                           (ix)  any efforts made to de-escalate the
  situation and any alternatives to restraint or time-out that were
  attempted;
                           (x)  if the student has a behavior
  improvement plan or a behavioral intervention plan, whether the
  school district recommends any revision to the plan; and
                           (xi)  if the student does not have a behavior
  improvement plan or a behavioral intervention plan, whether the
  school district recommends conducting a functional behavioral
  assessment of the student; and
                     (B)  include in a student's special education
  eligibility school records:
                           (i)  a copy of any written notification
  provided to the student's parent or person standing in parental
  relation to the student under Paragraph (A); and
                           (ii)  the contact information for the parent
  or person who received the notification.
         SECTION 4.  Section 37.004, Education Code, is amended by
  adding Subsection (b-1) to read as follows:
         (b-1)  If a school district takes a disciplinary action
  regarding a student with a disability who receives special
  education services that constitutes a change in placement under
  federal law, the district shall:
               (1)  not later than the 10th school day after the change
  in placement:
                     (A)  conduct a functional behavioral assessment
  of the student; and
                     (B)  review any previously conducted functional
  behavioral assessment of the student and any behavior improvement
  plan or behavioral intervention plan developed for the student
  based on that assessment; and
               (2)  as necessary:
                     (A)  develop a behavior improvement plan or
  behavioral intervention plan for the student if the student does
  not have a plan; or
                     (B)  if the student has a behavior improvement
  plan or behavioral intervention plan, revise the student's plan.
         SECTION 5.  This Act applies beginning with the 2019-2020
  school year.
         SECTION 6.  This Act takes effect immediately if it receives
  a vote of two-thirds of all the members elected to each house, as
  provided by Section 39, Article III, Texas Constitution.  If this
  Act does not receive the vote necessary for immediate effect, this
  Act takes effect September 1, 2019.