85R12214 MM-D By: Lucio S.B. No. 1755 A BILL TO BE ENTITLED AN ACT relating to a graduation progress committee for certain public school students in the conservatorship of the Department of Family and Protective Services. BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: SECTION 1. Subchapter Z, Chapter 33, Education Code, is amended by adding Section 33.9041 to read as follows: Sec. 33.9041. GRADUATION PROGRESS COMMITTEE FOR CERTAIN CHILDREN IN CONSERVATORSHIP OF STATE. (a) This section applies only to a student in grades 7 through 12 who is in the conservatorship of the Department of Family and Protective Services. (b) For each student to whom this section applies, the school district that the student attends shall establish a graduation progress committee at the beginning of the student's seventh grade year to ensure that the student is progressing satisfactorily toward high school graduation and to recommend services and assistance, as necessary, to support the student's progress toward graduation. The committee shall be composed of: (1) a school administrator of the district; (2) a school counselor employed by the district; (3) one or more of the student's teachers; (4) a representative of the Department of Family and Protective Services; (5) as applicable: (A) the student's foster parent; or (B) a designated advocate described by Subsection (c) if the student does not have a foster parent or if the student's foster parent is unable to serve; (6) as appropriate, the student; and (7) any other person familiar with the student, on request by the student's foster parent, the district, or the Department of Family and Protective Services. (c) The commissioner by rule shall establish a procedure for appointing an alternative committee member if a person described by Subsection (b) is unable to serve, including appointing a designated advocate for the student if the student does not have a foster parent or if the student's foster parent is unable to serve. (d) The school district shall provide an appropriate translator, if available, for a person described by Subsection (b)(5), (6), or (7) who is unable to speak English. (e) The school district shall ensure a good faith effort is made to timely notify each person described by Subsection (b)(5), (6), or (7) of the time and place for convening the graduation progress committee and the purpose of the committee. The notice must be: (1) provided in person or by regular mail or e-mail; (2) clear and easy to understand; and (3) written in English, in Spanish, or, to the extent practicable, in the native language of the person receiving the notice. (f) A student's graduation progress committee shall meet at least once every six months or more frequently on request by any committee member. (g) Not later than the fifth school day before the date on which a student's graduation progress committee is scheduled to meet, the school district shall notify each of the student's teachers of the meeting and invite each teacher to submit to the committee in writing or in person information regarding the student's academic progress and behavior and any recommendations for improvement. (h) At each committee meeting, a student's graduation progress committee shall: (1) review any information provided by the student's teachers and any other information relevant to the student's academic progress; (2) recommend academic or behavioral support and assistance for the student, as appropriate; and (3) evaluate the effectiveness of any academic or behavioral support or assistance provided to the student and, if appropriate, adjust the committee's recommendations accordingly. (i) The school district shall: (1) to the extent practicable, provide any academic or behavioral support or assistance recommended by a student's graduation progress committee under Subsection (h); or (2) identify alternative resources that may fulfill the committee's recommendations. (j) The school district shall prepare a report of each meeting of a student's graduation progress committee and provide a copy of the report to each committee member. The Department of Family and Protective Services shall include a copy of each report in any file maintained by the department for the student. (k) The commissioner may adopt rules as necessary to implement this section. SECTION 2. Notwithstanding Section 33.9041(b), Education Code, as added by this Act, a school district shall establish a graduation progress committee for each student to whom that section applies not later than September 1, 2017. SECTION 3. This act applies beginning with the 2017-2018 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, 2017.