Bill Text: TX HB2623 | 2017-2018 | 85th Legislature | Engrossed
Bill Title: Relating to requiring school districts and certain facilities to assist students in making the transition back to school after certain prolonged placements outside of school.
Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Democrat 3-0)
Status: (Engrossed - Dead) 2017-05-19 - Left pending in committee [HB2623 Detail]
Download: Texas-2017-HB2623-Engrossed.html
85R21769 MM-D | ||
By: Allen, Thompson of Harris | H.B. No. 2623 |
|
||
|
||
relating to requiring school districts and certain facilities to | ||
assist students in making the transition back to school after | ||
certain prolonged placements outside of school. | ||
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: | ||
SECTION 1. Subchapter Z, Chapter 25, Education Code, is | ||
amended by adding Section 25.903 to read as follows: | ||
Sec. 25.903. ASSISTANCE FOR STUDENT TRANSITIONING BACK TO | ||
SCHOOL AFTER PROLONGED PLACEMENT OUTSIDE OF SCHOOL. (a) This | ||
section applies to the following facilities: | ||
(1) a disciplinary alternative education program; | ||
(2) a juvenile justice alternative education program; | ||
(3) a residential program or facility operated by or | ||
under contract with the Texas Juvenile Justice Department, a | ||
juvenile board, or any other governmental entity; | ||
(4) any residential treatment center; and | ||
(5) a public or private hospital. | ||
(b) Each school district and facility listed under | ||
Subsection (a) shall coordinate to assist a student enrolled in the | ||
district in making the transition back to school after being in the | ||
facility for a period equivalent to 30 instructional days or more | ||
during the school year. The assistance provided by the district and | ||
the facility must include development and implementation of a | ||
personalized transition service plan for each student who has been | ||
absent from school as described by this subsection. The principal | ||
of the school the student attends following the absence shall | ||
designate one or more appropriate school employees, including at | ||
least one teacher, and an appropriate supervisor employed by the | ||
facility in which the student was placed shall designate one or more | ||
appropriate facility employees to coordinate in developing the | ||
plan. To the greatest extent practicable, the plan must be | ||
developed in consultation with the student and the student's parent | ||
or person standing in parental relation to the student. To the | ||
extent appropriate for a particular student, the plan must include: | ||
(1) consideration of the best educational placement | ||
for the student; | ||
(2) provision of counseling, behavioral management | ||
assistance, as available, or academic assistance by the school | ||
based on the student's academic, school reentry, and career and | ||
employment goals; and | ||
(3) assistance concerning access to community mental | ||
health or substance abuse services, as available. | ||
(c) As soon as practicable after a facility listed under | ||
Subsection (a) has determined the date of a student's release from | ||
the facility, the facility shall give to the school district in | ||
which the student intends to attend school following release | ||
written notice of that date and that the facility is prepared to | ||
begin coordinating with the district to develop the student's | ||
personalized transition service plan under Subsection (b). This | ||
subsection applies only to a student subject to compulsory | ||
attendance requirements under Section 25.085. | ||
(d) The agency shall give annual written notice to each | ||
facility listed under Subsection (a) of the facility's duty under | ||
this section. | ||
SECTION 2. This Act applies to absences from public school | ||
beginning with the 2017-2018 school year. | ||
SECTION 3. 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, 2017. |