By: Garcia S.B. No. 1482
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
AN ACT
relating to alternative education programs for middle school
students.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
SECTION 1. Section 29.081, Education Code, is amended by
amending Subsection (d) and adding Subsection (e-1) to read as
follows:
(d) For purposes of this section, "student at risk of
dropping out of school" includes each student who is under 26 years
of age and who:
(1) was not advanced from one grade level to the next
for one or more school years;
(2) if the student is in grade 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, or
12, did not maintain an average equivalent to 70 on a scale of 100 in
two or more subjects in the foundation curriculum during a semester
in the preceding or current school year or is not maintaining such
an average in two or more subjects in the foundation curriculum in
the current semester;
(3) did not perform satisfactorily on an assessment
instrument administered to the student under Subchapter B, Chapter
39, and who has not in the previous or current school year
subsequently performed on that instrument or another appropriate
instrument at a level equal to at least 110 percent of the level of
satisfactory performance on that instrument;
(4) if the student is in prekindergarten,
kindergarten, or grade 1, 2, or 3, did not perform satisfactorily on
a readiness test or assessment instrument administered during the
current school year;
(5) is pregnant or is a parent;
(6) has been placed in an alternative education
program in accordance with Section 37.006 during the preceding or
current school year;
(7) has been expelled in accordance with Section
37.007 during the preceding or current school year;
(8) is currently on parole, probation, deferred
prosecution, or other conditional release;
(9) was previously reported through the Public
Education Information Management System (PEIMS) to have dropped out
of school;
(10) is a student of limited English proficiency, as
defined by Section 29.052;
(11) is in the custody or care of the Department of
Protective and Regulatory Services or has, during the current
school year, been referred to the department by a school official,
officer of the juvenile court, or law enforcement official;
(12) is homeless, as defined by 42 U.S.C. Section
11302, and its subsequent amendments; or
(13) resided in the preceding school year or resides
in the current school year in a residential placement facility in
the district, including a detention facility, substance abuse
treatment facility, emergency shelter, psychiatric hospital,
halfway house, or foster group home.
(e-1) Each school district may provide alternative
education programs for students at risk of dropping out of school
who are in grade 6, 7, or 8. The district may partner with a private
or public community-based organization to assist in providing
expanded learning opportunities for students at risk of dropping
out. A program under this subsection must educate students about
each endorsement described by Section 28.025(c-1) and
postsecondary education and career opportunities by:
(1) including experiential, project-based learning
activities related to the endorsements; and
(2) incorporating volunteer business and industry
mentors from the local community.
SECTION 2. This Act applies beginning with the 2015-2016
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, 2015.