88R14272 BDP-F
 
  By: West S.B. No. 2321
 
 
 
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
 
AN ACT
  relating to requiring the board of trustees of each school district
  to create a nonvoting student trustee position on the board.
         BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
         SECTION 1.  Subchapter C, Chapter 11, Education Code, is
  amended by adding Section 11.0512 to read as follows:
         Sec. 11.0512.  STUDENT TRUSTEE.  (a)  In addition to the
  number of trustees of a school district as provided by Section
  11.051, the board of trustees of each school district shall appoint
  a student trustee in the manner provided by this section.
         (b)  The commissioner shall develop a uniform application
  form to be used to solicit eligible applicants for the position of
  student trustee.
         (c)  Except as provided by Subsection (d), the principal of
  each high school in a school district shall:
               (1)  not later than November 1 of each year, solicit
  applicants for appointment to the next regular term of the position
  of student trustee of the school district using the uniform
  application form developed under Subsection (b);
               (2)  not later than January 1, select three applicants
  from the applications received to serve as the school's
  recommendations for the position of student trustee; and
               (3)  send the school's recommendations and
  corresponding applications to the president of the board of
  trustees of the school district.
         (d)  The principal of the high school at which a current
  student trustee is enrolled at the time of the student's
  appointment may not solicit applicants for the position of student
  trustee for the next regular term of the position.
         (e)  The president of the board of trustees of each school
  district shall select two or more applicants from the applications
  received to serve as recommendations to the board for the student
  trustee position.
         (f)  The board of trustees of a school district may request
  to review all applications for the position of student trustee
  received by the board president and may request an applicant to
  submit additional information.
         (g)  On June 1, or as soon as practicable thereafter, the
  board by majority vote shall appoint one of the applicants to serve
  as the student trustee for the district for a one-year term expiring
  May 31 of the following year.
         (h)  To be eligible for appointment as a student trustee for
  a school district, a person must:
               (1)  be enrolled as a student at a high school in the
  district; and
               (2)  be in good academic standing as determined by the
  school at which the student is enrolled at the time of appointment.
         (i)  Throughout a student's term as a student trustee, the
  student must:
               (1)  remain enrolled at the school; and
               (2)  maintain a grade point average of 2.5 on a
  four-point scale, or the equivalent.
         (j)  The principal of the school at which a student trustee
  is enrolled shall notify the president of the board of trustees of
  the school district if the student trustee fails to maintain the
  qualifications required by Subsection (i).  On receiving notice,
  the president of the board of trustees of the school district shall
  declare the position as vacant and as soon as practicable fill the
  vacancy in the manner prescribed by Subsection (l).
         (k)  A student trustee is not a member of the board of
  trustees of the school district for which the student is appointed.  
  A student trustee has the same powers and duties as a member of the
  board of trustees, including the right to attend and participate in
  meetings of the board, except that the student trustee:
               (1)  may not vote on any matter before the board or make
  or second any motion before the board; and
               (2)  is not counted in determining whether a quorum
  exists for a meeting of the board or in determining the outcome of
  any vote of the board.
         (l)  A vacancy in the position of student trustee for a
  school district shall be filled for the unexpired term by
  appointment by the president of the board of trustees of the school
  district in consultation with the board.
         (m)  A student trustee serves without compensation but is
  entitled to be reimbursed for the actual expenses incurred by the
  student in attending meetings of the board, subject to the approval
  of the president of the board of trustees of the school district.
         (n)  A school district may grant to a student who fulfills
  the requirements of service of a student trustee not more than one
  academic course credit in a subject area determined appropriate by
  the district.
         SECTION 2.  Section 11.0511, Education Code, is repealed.
         SECTION 3.  This Act takes effect September 1, 2023.