By: Taylor S.B. No. 1451
(In the Senate - Filed March 4, 2019; March 14, 2019, read
first time and referred to Committee on Education; April 8, 2019,
reported adversely, with favorable Committee Substitute by the
following vote: Yeas 11, Nays 0; April 8, 2019, sent to printer.)
Click here to see the committee vote
COMMITTEE SUBSTITUTE FOR S.B. No. 1451 By: Taylor
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
AN ACT
relating to the ability of public school teachers to maintain
student discipline without being subjected to adverse employment
consequences.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
SECTION 1. Section 21.351, Education Code, is amended by
adding Subsection (a-1) to read as follows:
(a-1) In adopting criteria described by Subsection (a)(1),
the commissioner shall ensure that a teacher may not be assigned an
area of deficiency in an appraisal solely on the basis of
disciplinary referrals made by the teacher or documentation
regarding student conduct submitted by the teacher under Section
37.002. This subsection does not prohibit a teacher from being
assigned an area of deficiency based on documented evidence of a
deficiency in classroom management obtained through observation or
a substantiated report.
SECTION 2. Section 21.352, Education Code, is amended by
adding Subsection (a-1) to read as follows:
(a-1) A school district may not assign an area of deficiency
to a teacher solely on the basis of disciplinary referrals made by
the teacher or documentation regarding student conduct submitted by
the teacher under Section 37.002. This subsection does not
prohibit a teacher from being assigned an area of deficiency based
on documented evidence of a deficiency in classroom management
obtained through observation or a substantiated report.
SECTION 3. Section 37.002, Education Code, is amended by
adding Subsection (b-1) to read as follows:
(b-1) A teacher may document any conduct by a student that
does not conform to the student code of conduct adopted under
Section 37.001 and may submit that documentation to the principal.
A school district may not discipline a teacher on the basis of
documentation submitted under this subsection.
SECTION 4. This Act applies beginning with the 2019-2020
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, 2019.
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