88R8524 TSS-F     By: Allen H.B. No. 1626       A BILL TO BE ENTITLED   AN ACT   relating to a public school student's transition from an   alternative education program to a regular classroom and the   admission of certain students with a criminal or disciplinary   history.          BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:          SECTION 1.  Section 25.001, Education Code, is amended by   adding Subsection (b-3) to read as follows:          (b-3)  The board of trustees of a school district may not   refuse to admit a student based on the student's criminal,   juvenile, or disciplinary history including arrests, criminal   charges, criminal adjudications, convictions, placements on   community supervision, or detentions. A district shall promptly   enroll a student released from an alternative education program, as   defined by Section 37.023, who is otherwise eligible for enrollment   under Subsection (b).           SECTION 2.  Section 37.023, Education Code, is amended by   amending Subsections (c), (d), and (e) and adding Subsections (d-1)   and (g) to read as follows:          (c)  Not later than five instructional days after the date of   a student's release from an alternative education program, the   campus administrator shall coordinate the student's enrollment and    transition to a regular classroom. The coordination must include   assistance and recommendations from:                (1)  school counselors;                (2)  school district peace officers;                (3)  school resource officers;                (4)  licensed clinical social workers;                (5)  campus behavior coordinators;                (6)  classroom teachers who are or may be responsible   for implementing the student's personalized transition plan   developed under Subsection (d);                (7)  if the student is younger than 18 years of age and   subject to Subsection (e), the student's parent or a person   standing in parental relation to the student; and                (8) [(7)]  any other appropriate school district   personnel.          (d)  The assistance required by Subsection (c) must include a   personalized transition plan for the student developed by the   campus administrator. A personalized transition plan:                (1)  must include recommendations for the best   educational placement of the student, based on a review of the   student's previous coursework, course credit earned, and   educational record and including:                      (A)  a calculation of the number of course credits   the student has earned toward graduation requirements, as   determined under Subsection (g);                       (B)  a description of appropriate courses in which   the student should be placed; and                      (C)  an explanation of the requirements of the   student's individualized education program, behavior intervention   plan, or plan created under Section 504, Rehabilitation Act of 1973   (29 U.S.C. Section 794), if applicable; and                (2)  may include:                      (A)  recommendations for counseling, behavioral   management, or academic assistance for the student with a   concentration on the student's academic or career goals;                      (B)  recommendations for assistance for obtaining   access to mental health services provided by the district or   school, a local mental health authority, or another private or   public entity; and                      (C)  the provision of information to the student's   parent or a person standing in parental relation to the student   about the process to request a full individual and initial   evaluation of the student for purposes of special education   services under Section 29.004[; and                      [(D) a regular review of the student's progress   toward the student's academic or career goals].          (d-1)  After a student has transitioned to a regular   classroom under this section, the campus administrator shall   conduct reviews at the beginning of each school year and the end of   each grading period of the student's progress toward the student's   academic or career goals.           (e)  If a student's parent or a person standing in parental   relation to the student is unavailable to assist under Subsection   (c) [practicable], the campus administrator shall provide an   electronic or written copy of the personalized transition plan   developed under Subsection (d) to [, or the administrator's   designee, shall meet with] the [student's] parent or [a] person   [standing in parental relation to the student to coordinate plans   for the student's transition].          (g)  A campus administrator shall, to the greatest extent   possible, consider credits successfully completed while the   student was enrolled in an alternative education program or at a   previous school as fulfilling credits required for high school   graduation.          SECTION 3.  This Act applies beginning with the 2023-2024   school year.          SECTION 4.  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, 2023.