BILL ANALYSIS

H.B. 1358

By: Harless

Youth Health & Safety, Select

Committee Report (Unamended)

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE

Current law regarding public school campus improvement plans does not specifically provide for the use of research-based teacher development programs that focus on developing healthy self-esteem in students and creating a nurturing environment in the classroom. Nor does that law specifically provide for training parents in nurturing and providing positive discipline to their child. H.B. 1358 revises the content of a public school campus improvement plan to provide for such programs and training, among other changes, with the goal of elevating the social and emotional health of school campuses, which could help prevent school violence by identifying and assisting emotionally distressed students before they perpetrate violence.

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 this bill does not expressly grant any additional rulemaking authority to a state officer, department, agency, or institution.

ANALYSIS

H.B. 1358 amends the Education Code to revise the required contents of a public school campus improvement plan as follows:

· with respect to the requirement for the plan to include goals and methods for violence prevention and intervention on campus, requires the plan to also include goals and methods for bullying prevention and dropout deterrence and requires that these newly expanded goals and methods include providing a research-based teacher development program that provides teachers continuing education in the following:

o creating a nurturing classroom environment;

o developing respectful and caring relationships with students;

o promoting student emotional health by providing strategies to help students feel valued; and

o providing empathetic teaching techniques that may be used to discipline a student's behavior while showing respect and care for the student; and

· with respect to the requirement for the plan to provide for a program to encourage parental involvement at the campus, specifies that the program may include evidence‑based materials or training for parents to use on their children that focus on the following:

o instilling a positive self-concept;

o building resilience; and

o providing respectful, positive discipline.

These provisions apply beginning with the 2023-2024 school year.

EFFECTIVE DATE

On passage, or, if the bill does not receive the necessary vote, September 1, 2023.