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A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
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AN ACT
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relating to requiring school districts to assist students in making |
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the transition back to school after certain prolonged placements |
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outside of school. |
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BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
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SECTION 1. Subchapter Z, Chapter 25, Education Code, is |
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amended by adding Section 25.903 to read as follows: |
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Sec. 25.903. ASSISTANCE FOR A STUDENT TRANSITIONING BACK TO |
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SCHOOL AFTER PROLONGED PLACEMENT OUTSIDE OF SCHOOL. (a) This |
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section applies to the following facilities: |
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(1) a disciplinary alternative education program; |
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(2) a juvenile justice alternative education program; |
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(3) a residential program or facility operated by or |
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under contract with the Texas Juvenile Justice Department, a |
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juvenile board, or any other governmental entity; |
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(4) any residential treatment center; and |
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(5) a public or private hospital. |
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(b) Each school district shall assist a student enrolled in |
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the district in making the transition back to school after being in |
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a facility listed under Subsection (a) for a period equivalent to 30 |
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instructional days or more during the school year. The assistance |
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provided by the district must include development and |
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implementation of a personalized transition service plan for each |
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student who has been absent from school as described by this |
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subsection. The principal of the school the student attends |
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following the absence shall designate one or more appropriate |
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school employees to develop the plan. To the greatest extent |
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practicable, the plan must be developed in consultation with the |
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student and the student's parent or person standing in parental |
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relation to the student. To the extent appropriate for a particular |
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student, the plan must include: |
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(1) consideration of the best educational placement |
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for the student; |
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(2) provision of counseling, behavioral management |
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assistance, or academic assistance by the school based on the |
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student's academic, school reentry, and career and employment |
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goals; and |
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(3) assistance concerning access to community mental |
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health or substance abuse services. |
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(c) As soon as practicable after a facility listed under |
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Subsection (a) has determined the date of a student's release from |
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the facility, the facility shall give notice of that date to the |
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school district in which a student intends to attend school |
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following release. The agency shall give annual written notice to |
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each facility of the facility's duty under this subsection. This |
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subsection applies only to a student subject to compulsory |
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attendance requirements under Section 25.085. |
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SECTION 2. This Act applies to absences from public school |
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beginning with the 2017-2018 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, 2017. |