Bill Text: TX HB61 | 2017-2018 | 85th Legislature | Enrolled


Bill Title: Relating to consideration under the public school accountability system of performance on assessment instruments by certain students formerly receiving special education services and to the placement and use of video cameras in certain self-contained classrooms or other settings providing special education services.

Spectrum: Slight Partisan Bill (Democrat 2-1)

Status: (Vetoed) 2017-06-15 - Vetoed by the Governor [HB61 Detail]

Download: Texas-2017-HB61-Enrolled.html
 
 
  H.B. No. 61
 
 
 
 
AN ACT
  relating to consideration under the public school accountability
  system of performance on assessment instruments by certain students
  formerly receiving special education services and to the placement
  and use of video cameras in certain self-contained classrooms or
  other settings providing special education services.
         BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
         SECTION 1.  Section 29.022, Education Code, is amended by
  amending Subsections (a), (b), (c), (d), (e), (i), and (j) and
  adding Subsections (a-1), (a-2), (a-3), (c-1), (e-1), (i-1), (l),
  (m), (n), (o), (p), (q), (r), (s), (t), and (u) to read as follows:
         (a)  In order to promote student safety, on receipt of a
  written request authorized under Subsection (a-1) [by a parent,
  trustee, or staff member], a school district or open-enrollment
  charter school shall provide equipment, including a video camera,
  to the [each] school or schools in the district or the [each]
  charter school campus or campuses specified in the request [in
  which a student who receives special education services in a
  self-contained classroom or other special education setting is
  enrolled]. A [Each] school or campus that receives equipment as
  provided by this subsection shall place, operate, and maintain one
  or more video cameras in [each] self-contained classrooms and
  [classroom or] other special education settings [setting] in which
  a majority of the students in regular attendance are[:
               [(1)]  provided special education and related
  services[;] and are
               [(2)]  assigned to one or more [a] self-contained
  classrooms [classroom] or other special education settings
  [setting] for at least 50 percent of the instructional day,
  provided that:
               (1)  a school or campus that receives equipment as a
  result of the request by a parent or staff member is required to
  place equipment only in classrooms or settings in which the
  parent's child is in regular attendance or to which the staff member
  is assigned, as applicable; and
               (2)  a school or campus that receives equipment as a
  result of the request by a board of trustees, governing body,
  principal, or assistant principal is required to place equipment
  only in classrooms or settings identified by the requestor, if the
  requestor limits the request to specific classrooms or settings
  subject to this subsection.
         (a-1)  For purposes of Subsection (a):
               (1)  a parent of a child who receives special education
  services in one or more self-contained classrooms or other special
  education settings may request in writing that equipment be
  provided to the school or campus at which the child receives those
  services;
               (2)  a board of trustees or governing body may request
  in writing that equipment be provided to one or more specified
  schools or campuses at which one or more children receive special
  education services in self-contained classrooms or other special
  education settings;
               (3)  the principal or assistant principal of a school
  or campus at which one or more children receive special education
  services in self-contained classrooms or other special education
  settings may request in writing that equipment be provided to the
  principal's or assistant principal's school or campus; and
               (4)  a staff member assigned to work with one or more
  children receiving special education services in self-contained
  classrooms or other special education settings may request in
  writing that equipment be provided to the school or campus at which
  the staff member works.
         (a-2)  Each school district or open-enrollment charter
  school shall designate an administrator at the primary
  administrative office of the district or school with responsibility
  for coordinating the provision of equipment to schools and campuses
  in compliance with this section.
         (a-3)  A written request must be submitted and acted on as
  follows:
               (1)  a parent, staff member, or assistant principal
  must submit a request to the principal or the principal's designee
  of the school or campus addressed in the request, and the principal
  or designee must provide a copy of the request to the administrator
  designated under Subsection (a-2);
               (2)  a principal must submit a request by the principal
  to the administrator designated under Subsection (a-2); and
               (3)  a board of trustees or governing body must submit a
  request to the administrator designated under Subsection (a-2), and
  the administrator must provide a copy of the request to the
  principal or the principal's designee of the school or campus
  addressed in the request.
         (b)  A school or campus that places a video camera in a
  classroom or other special education setting in accordance with
  Subsection (a) shall operate and maintain the video camera in the
  classroom or setting, as long as the classroom or setting continues
  to satisfy the requirements under Subsection (a), for the remainder
  of the school year in which the school or campus received the
  request, unless the requestor withdraws the request in writing. If
  for any reason a school or campus will discontinue operation of a
  video camera during a school year, not later than the fifth school
  day before the date the operation of the video camera will be
  discontinued, the school or campus must notify the parents of each
  student in regular attendance in the classroom or setting that
  operation of the video camera will not continue unless requested by
  a person eligible to make a request under Subsection (a-1). Not
  later than the 10th school day before the end of each school year,
  the school or campus must notify the parents of each student in
  regular attendance in the classroom or setting that operation of
  the video camera will not continue during the following school year
  unless a person eligible to make a request for the next school year
  under Subsection (a-1) submits a new request.
         (c)  Except as provided by Subsection (c-1), video [Video]
  cameras placed under this section must be capable of:
               (1)  covering all areas of the classroom or other
  special education setting, including a room attached to the
  classroom or setting used for time-out [except that the inside of a
  bathroom or any area in the classroom or setting in which a
  student's clothes are changed may not be visually monitored]; and
               (2)  recording audio from all areas of the classroom or
  other special education setting, including a room attached to the
  classroom or setting used for time-out.
         (c-1)  The inside of a bathroom or any area in the classroom
  or other special education setting in which a student's clothes are
  changed may not be visually monitored, except for incidental
  coverage of a minor portion of a bathroom or changing area because
  of the layout of the classroom or setting.
         (d)  Before a school or campus activates [places] a video
  camera in a classroom or other special education setting under this
  section, the school or campus shall provide written notice of the
  placement to all school or campus staff and to the parents of each
  [a] student attending class or engaging in school activities
  [receiving special education services] in the classroom or setting.
         (e)  Except as provided by Subsection (e-1), a [A] school
  district or open-enrollment charter school shall retain video
  recorded from a video camera placed under this section for at least
  three [six] months after the date the video was recorded.
         (e-1)  If a person described by Subsection (i) requests to
  view a video recording from a video camera placed under this
  section, a school district or open-enrollment charter school must
  retain the recording from the date of receipt of the request until
  the person has viewed the recording and a determination has been
  made as to whether the recording documents an alleged incident. If
  the recording documents an alleged incident, the district or school
  shall retain the recording until the alleged incident has been
  resolved, including the exhaustion of all appeals.
         (i)  A video recording of a student made according to this
  section is confidential and may not be released or viewed except as
  provided by this subsection or Subsection (i-1) or (j). A school
  district or open-enrollment charter school shall release a
  recording for viewing by:
               (1)  an [a school district] employee [or a parent or
  guardian of a student] who is involved in an alleged incident that
  is documented by the recording and [for which a complaint] has been
  reported to the district or school, on request of the employee [,
  parent, or guardian, respectively];
               (2)  a parent of a student who is involved in an alleged
  incident that is documented by the recording and has been reported
  to the district or school, on request of the parent;
               (3)  appropriate Department of Family and Protective
  Services personnel as part of an investigation under Section
  261.406, Family Code;
               (4) [(3)]  a peace officer, a school nurse, a district
  or school administrator trained in de-escalation and restraint
  techniques as provided by commissioner rule, or a human resources
  staff member designated by the board of trustees of the school
  district or the governing body of the open-enrollment charter
  school in response to a report of an alleged incident [complaint] or
  an investigation of district or school personnel or a report
  [complaint] of alleged abuse committed by a student; or
               (5) [(4)]  appropriate agency or State Board for
  Educator Certification personnel or agents as part of an
  investigation.
         (i-1)  A contractor or employee performing job duties
  relating to the installation, operation, or maintenance of video
  equipment or the retention of video recordings who incidentally
  views a video recording is not in violation of Subsection (i).
         (j)  If a person described by Subsection (i)(4) [(i)(3)] or
  (5) [(4)] who views the video recording believes that the recording
  documents a possible violation under Subchapter E, Chapter 261,
  Family Code, the person shall notify the Department of Family and
  Protective Services for investigation in accordance with Section
  261.406, Family Code. If any person described by Subsection (i)(3)
  [(i)(2)], [(3), or] (4), or (5) who views the recording believes
  that the recording documents a possible violation of district or
  school policy, the person may allow access to the recording to
  appropriate legal and human resources personnel. A recording
  believed to document a possible violation of district or school
  policy relating to the neglect or abuse of a student may be used as
  part of a disciplinary action against district or school personnel
  and shall be released at the request of the student's parent [or
  guardian] in a legal proceeding. This subsection does not limit the
  access of a student's parent to a record regarding the student under
  the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act of 1974 (20 U.S.C.
  Section 1232g) or other law.
         (l)  A school district or open-enrollment charter school
  policy relating to the placement, operation, or maintenance of
  video cameras under this section must:
               (1)  include information on how a person may appeal an
  action by the district or school that the person believes to be in
  violation of this section or a policy adopted in accordance with
  this section, including the appeals process under Section 7.057;
               (2)  require that the district or school provide a
  response to a request made under this section not later than the
  seventh school business day after receipt of the request by the
  person to whom it must be submitted under Subsection (a-3) that
  authorizes the request or states the reason for denying the
  request;
               (3)  except as provided by Subdivision (5), require
  that a school or a campus begin operation of a video camera in
  compliance with this section not later than the 45th school
  business day, or the first school day after the 45th school business
  day if that day is not a school day, after the request is authorized
  unless the agency grants an extension of time;
               (4)  permit the parent of a student whose admission,
  review, and dismissal committee has determined that the student's
  placement for the following school year will be in a classroom or
  other special education setting in which a video camera may be
  placed under this section to make a request for the video camera by
  the later of:
                     (A)  the date on which the current school year
  ends; or
                     (B)  the 10th school business day after the date
  of the placement determination by the admission, review, and
  dismissal committee; and
               (5)  if a request is made by a parent in compliance with
  Subdivision (4), unless the agency grants an extension of time,
  require that a school or campus begin operation of a video camera in
  compliance with this section not later than the later of:
                     (A)  the 10th school day of the fall semester; or
                     (B)  the 45th school business day, or the first
  school day after the 45th school business day if that day is not a
  school day, after the date the request is made.
         (m)  A school district, parent, staff member, or
  administrator may request an expedited review by the agency of the
  district's:
               (1)  denial of a request made under this section;
               (2)  request for an extension of time to begin
  operation of a video camera under Subsection (l)(3) or (5); or
               (3)  determination to not release a video recording to
  a person described by Subsection (i).
         (n)  If a school district, parent, staff member, or
  administrator requests an expedited review under Subsection (m),
  the agency shall notify all other interested parties of the
  request.
         (o)  If an expedited review has been requested under
  Subsection (m), the agency shall issue a preliminary judgment as to
  whether the district is likely to prevail on the issue under a full
  review by the agency. If the agency determines that the district is
  not likely to prevail, the district must fully comply with this
  section notwithstanding an appeal of the agency's decision. The
  agency shall notify the requestor and the district, if the district
  is not the requestor, of the agency's determination.
         (p)  The commissioner:
               (1)  shall adopt rules relating to the expedited review
  process under Subsections (m), (n), and (o), including standards
  for making a determination under Subsection (o); and
               (2)  may adopt rules relating to an expedited review
  process under Subsections (m), (n), and (o) for an open-enrollment
  charter school.
         (q)  The agency shall collect data relating to requests made
  under this section and actions taken by a school district or
  open-enrollment charter school in response to a request, including
  the number of requests made, authorized, and denied.
         (r)  A video recording under this section is a governmental
  record only for purposes of Section 37.10, Penal Code.
         (s)  This section applies to the placement, operation, and
  maintenance of a video camera in a self-contained classroom or
  other special education setting during the regular school year and
  extended school year services.
         (t)  A video camera placed under this section is not required
  to be in operation for the time during which students are not
  present in the classroom or other special education setting.
         (u)  In this section:
               (1)  "Parent" includes a guardian or other person
  standing in parental relation to a student.
               (2)  "School business day" means a day that campus or
  school district administrative offices are open.
               (3)  "Self-contained classroom" does not include a
  classroom that is a resource room instructional arrangement under
  Section 42.151.
               (4)  "Staff member" means a teacher, related service
  provider, paraprofessional, counselor, or educational aide
  assigned to work in a self-contained classroom or other special
  education setting.
               (5)  "Time-out" has the meaning assigned by Section
  37.0021.
         SECTION 2.  Section 39.053, Education Code, is amended by
  amending Subsection (c) and adding Subsection (g-3) to read as
  follows:
         (c)  School districts and campuses must be evaluated based on
  five domains of indicators of achievement adopted under this
  section that include:
               (1)  in the first domain, the results of:
                     (A)  assessment instruments required under
  Sections 39.023(a), (c), and (l), including the results of
  assessment instruments required for graduation retaken by a
  student, aggregated across grade levels by subject area, including:
                           (i)  for the performance standard determined
  by the commissioner under Section 39.0241(a),  the percentage of
  students who performed satisfactorily on the assessment
  instruments, aggregated across grade levels by subject area; and
                           (ii)  for the college readiness performance
  standard as determined under Section 39.0241, the percentage of
  students who performed satisfactorily on the assessment
  instruments, aggregated across grade levels by subject area; and
                     (B)  assessment instruments required under
  Section 39.023(b), aggregated across grade levels by subject area,
  including the percentage of students who performed satisfactorily
  on the assessment instruments, as determined by the performance
  standard adopted by the agency, aggregated across grade levels by
  subject area;
               (2)  in the second domain:
                     (A)  for assessment instruments under Subdivision
  (1)(A):
                           (i)  for the performance standard determined
  by the commissioner under Section 39.0241(a), the percentage of
  students who met the standard for annual improvement on the
  assessment instruments, as determined by the commissioner by rule
  or by the method for measuring annual improvement under Section
  39.034, aggregated across grade levels by subject area; and
                           (ii)  for the college readiness performance
  standard as determined under Section 39.0241, the percentage of
  students who met the standard for annual improvement on the
  assessment instruments, as determined by the commissioner by rule
  or by the method for measuring annual improvement under Section
  39.034, aggregated across grade levels by subject area; and
                     (B)  for assessment instruments under Subdivision
  (1)(B), the percentage of students who met the standard for annual
  improvement on the assessment instruments, as determined by the
  commissioner by rule or by the method for measuring annual
  improvement under Section 39.034, aggregated across grade levels by
  subject area;
               (3)  in the third domain, the student academic
  achievement differentials among students from different racial and
  ethnic groups and socioeconomic backgrounds;
               (4)  in the fourth domain:
                     (A)  for evaluating the performance of high school
  campuses and districts that include high school campuses:
                           (i)  dropout rates, including dropout rates
  and district completion rates for grade levels 9 through 12,
  computed in accordance with standards and definitions adopted by
  the National Center for Education Statistics of the United States
  Department of Education;
                           (ii)  high school graduation rates, computed
  in accordance with standards and definitions adopted in compliance
  with the Every Student Succeeds Act [No Child Left Behind Act of
  2001] (20 U.S.C. Section 6301 et seq.);
                           (iii)  the percentage of students who
  successfully completed the curriculum requirements for the
  distinguished level of achievement under the foundation high school
  program;
                           (iv)  the percentage of students who
  successfully completed the curriculum requirements for an
  endorsement under Section 28.025(c-1);
                           (v)  the percentage of students who
  completed a coherent sequence of career and technical courses;
                           (vi)  the percentage of students who satisfy
  the Texas Success Initiative (TSI) college readiness benchmarks
  prescribed by the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board under
  Section 51.3062(f) on an assessment instrument in reading, writing,
  or mathematics designated by the Texas Higher Education
  Coordinating Board under Section 51.3062(c);
                           (vii)  the percentage of students who earn
  at least 12 hours of postsecondary credit required for the
  foundation high school program under Section 28.025 or to earn an
  endorsement under Section 28.025(c-1);
                           (viii)  the percentage of students who have
  completed an advanced placement course;
                           (ix)  the percentage of students who enlist
  in the armed forces of the United States; and
                           (x)  the percentage of students who earn an
  industry certification;
                     (B)  for evaluating the performance of middle and
  junior high school and elementary school campuses and districts
  that include those campuses:
                           (i)  student attendance; [and]
                           (ii)  for middle and junior high school
  campuses:
                                 (a)  dropout rates, computed in the
  manner described by Paragraph (A)(i); and
                                 (b)  the percentage of students in
  grades seven and eight who receive instruction in preparing for
  high school, college, and a career that includes information
  regarding the creation of a high school personal graduation plan
  under Section 28.02121, the distinguished level of achievement
  described by Section 28.025(b-15), each endorsement described by
  Section 28.025(c-1), college readiness standards, and potential
  career choices and the education needed to enter those careers; and
                           (iii)  the percentage of students formerly
  receiving special education services who achieved satisfactory
  academic performance for those students, as determined by
  commissioner rule, on assessment instruments administered under
  Section 39.023 in grades three through eight; and
                     (C)  any additional indicators of student
  achievement not associated with performance on standardized
  assessment instruments determined appropriate for consideration by
  the commissioner in consultation with educators, parents, business
  and industry representatives, and employers; and
               (5)  in the fifth domain, three programs or specific
  categories of performance related to community and student
  engagement locally selected and evaluated as provided by Section
  39.0546.
         (g-3)  For purposes of Subsection (c)(4)(B)(iii), a student
  formerly receiving special education services means a student whose
  enrollment information:
               (1)  for the preceding year, as reported through the
  Public Education Information Management System (PEIMS), indicates
  the student was enrolled at the campus and was participating in a
  special education program; and
               (2)  for the current year, as reported through the
  Public Education Information Management System (PEIMS) and as
  reported on assessment instruments administered to the student
  under Section 39.023, indicates the student is enrolled at the
  campus and is not participating in a special education program.
         SECTION 3
  .  Section 39.202, Education Code, is amended to
  read as follows:
         Sec. 39.202.  ACADEMIC DISTINCTION DESIGNATION FOR
  DISTRICTS AND CAMPUSES. (a)  The commissioner by rule shall
  establish an academic distinction designation for districts and
  campuses for outstanding performance in attainment of
  postsecondary readiness.  The commissioner shall adopt criteria
  for the designation under this section, including:
               (1)  percentages of students who:
                     (A)  performed satisfactorily, as determined
  under the college readiness performance standard under Section
  39.0241, on assessment instruments required under Section
  39.023(a), (b), (c), or (l), aggregated across grade levels by
  subject area; or
                     (B)  met the standard for annual improvement, as
  determined by the agency under Section 39.034, on assessment
  instruments required under Section 39.023(a), (b), (c), or (l),
  aggregated across grade levels by subject area, for students who
  did not perform satisfactorily as described by Paragraph (A);
               (2)  percentages of:
                     (A)  students who earned a nationally or
  internationally recognized business or industry certification or
  license;
                     (B)  students who completed a coherent sequence of
  career and technical courses;
                     (C)  students who completed a dual credit course
  or an articulated postsecondary course provided for local credit;
                     (D)  students who achieved applicable College
  Readiness Benchmarks or the equivalent on the Preliminary
  Scholastic Assessment Test (PSAT), the Scholastic Assessment Test
  (SAT), the American College Test (ACT), or the ACT-Plan assessment
  program; [and]
                     (E)  students who received a score on either an
  advanced placement test or an international baccalaureate
  examination to be awarded college credit; and
                     (F)  students formerly receiving special
  education services who achieved satisfactory academic performance
  for those students, as determined by commissioner rule, on
  assessment instruments administered under Section 39.023 in grades
  three through eight; and
               (3)  other factors for determining sufficient student
  attainment of postsecondary readiness.
         (b)  For purposes of Subsection (a)(2)(F), a student
  formerly receiving special education services is a student whose
  enrollment information:
               (1)  for the preceding year, as reported through the
  Public Education Information Management System (PEIMS), indicates
  the student was enrolled in the district and was participating in a
  special education program; and
               (2)  for the current year, as reported through the
  Public Education Information Management System (PEIMS) and as
  reported on assessment instruments administered to the student
  under Section 39.023, indicates the student is enrolled in the
  district and is not participating in a special education program.
         SECTION 4.  This Act applies beginning with the 2017-2018
  school year.
         SECTION 5.  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.
 
 
  ______________________________ ______________________________
     President of the Senate Speaker of the House     
 
 
         I certify that H.B. No. 61 was passed by the House on May 2,
  2017, by the following vote:  Yeas 145, Nays 0, 1 present, not
  voting; and that the House concurred in Senate amendments to H.B.
  No. 61 on May 25, 2017, by the following vote:  Yeas 143, Nays 0, 2
  present, not voting.
 
  ______________________________
  Chief Clerk of the House   
 
         I certify that H.B. No. 61 was passed by the Senate, with
  amendments, on May 23, 2017, by the following vote:  Yeas 31, Nays
  0.
 
  ______________________________
  Secretary of the Senate   
  APPROVED: __________________
                  Date       
   
           __________________
                Governor       
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