82R9683 GCB-D By: Farias H.B. No. 2926 A BILL TO BE ENTITLED AN ACT relating to reporting by school districts for purposes of the Public Education Information Management System (PEIMS) of data on students who drop out or otherwise leave public school. BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: SECTION 1. Section 42.006, Education Code, is amended by adding Subsections (e) and (f) to read as follows: (e) The commissioner's rules concerning the manner in which a school district is required to report data for the Public Education Information Management System on students who drop out or otherwise leave school must require a district to use only the following categories, without allowing subcategories, for reporting the reason for a student leaving school: (1) completed high school; (2) completed a general education development program; (3) moved to another educational setting; (4) withdrawn by the district; (5) dropped out of school; (6) is deceased; and (7) left school for a reason other than a reason specified by this subsection. (f) If a school district does not already have reliable written verification concerning which category under Subsection (e) applies to a student who has dropped out or otherwise left school, before categorizing a student under Subsection (e)(2), (3), (5), or (7), a district must send by regular mail or e-mail to the student, a parent or guardian of the student, or another school, as appropriate, a request for verification of whether that category accurately describes the reason the student left school. If a district has made a diligent effort to obtain verification under this subsection and, by the 30th day after the date on which verification was requested, does not have verification concerning which category under Subsection (e) applies to a student, the district may categorize the student under Subsection (e)(7). SECTION 2. This Act applies beginning with the 2011-2012 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, 2011.