HB7 - Relating to parental rights in public education, to the creation of the office of inspector general at the Texas Education Agency, and to the reporting of certain misconduct and child abuse and neglect; creating a criminal offense.

  89R24345 MEW/PRL-F     By: Leach, et al. H.B. No. 7     Substitute the following for H.B. No. 7:     By:  Buckley C.S.H.B. No. 7       A BILL TO BE ENTITLED   AN ACT   relating to parental rights in public education, to the creation of   the office of inspector general at the Texas Education Agency, and   to the reporting of certain misconduct and child abuse and neglect;   creating a criminal offense.          BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:   ARTICLE 1.  PARENTAL RIGHTS          SECTION 1.01.  Subchapter A, Chapter 11, Education Code, is   amended by adding Section 11.004 to read as follows:           Sec.   11.004.     COMPLIANCE WITH MANDATORY POLICY.   A school   district, the district's board of trustees, and the district's   employees shall implement and comply with each policy the district   is required to adopt under this code or other law.          SECTION 1.02.  The heading to Section 11.1518, Education   Code, is amended to read as follows:          Sec. 11.1518.  TRUSTEE INFORMATION [ POSTED ON WEBSITE ].          SECTION 1.03.  Section 11.1518, Education Code, is amended   by amending Subsection (c) and adding Subsections (d) and (e) to   read as follows:          (c)   Not later than the 30th day after a new person is sworn   in as a member  [ Each time there is a change in the membership ] of a   school district's board of trustees, the district shall update the   information required under Subsection (a) and, as applicable:                (1)  post the updated information on the district's   Internet website; or                (2)  submit the updated information to the agency for   posting on the agency's Internet website in accordance with   Subsection (b).           (d)     A school district shall annually submit to the agency   the information required under Subsection (a) for each member of   the district's board of trustees.   The information must:                 (1)  identify the member designated as chair; and                 (2)  be updated as required by Subsection (c).           (e)     The commissioner may adopt rules as necessary to   implement this section.          SECTION 1.04.  Section 12.104(b), Education Code, is amended   to read as follows:          (b)  An open-enrollment charter school is subject to:                (1)  a provision of this title establishing a criminal   offense;                (2)  the provisions in Chapter 554, Government Code;   and                (3)  a prohibition, restriction, or requirement, as   applicable, imposed by this title or a rule adopted under this   title, relating to:                      (A)  the Public Education Information Management   System (PEIMS) to the extent necessary to monitor compliance with   this subchapter as determined by the commissioner;                      (B)  criminal history records under Subchapter C,   Chapter 22;                      (C)  reading instruments and accelerated reading   instruction programs under Section 28.006;                      (D)  accelerated instruction under Section   28.0211;                      (E)  high school graduation requirements under   Section 28.025;                      (F)  special education programs under Subchapter   A, Chapter 29;                      (G)  bilingual education under Subchapter B,   Chapter 29;                      (H)  prekindergarten programs under Subchapter E   or E-1, Chapter 29, except class size limits for prekindergarten   classes imposed under Section 25.112, which do not apply;                      (I)  extracurricular activities under Section   33.081;                      (J)  discipline management practices or behavior   management techniques under Section 37.0021;                      (K)  health and safety under Chapter 38;                      (L)  the provisions of Subchapter A, Chapter 39;                      (M)  public school accountability and special   investigations under Subchapters A, B, C, D, F, G, and J, Chapter   39, and Chapter 39A;                      (N)  the requirement under Section 22A.051   [ 21.006 ] to report an educator's misconduct;                      (O)  intensive programs of instruction under   Section 28.0213;                      (P)  the right of a school employee to report a   crime, as provided by Section 37.148;                      (Q)  bullying prevention policies and procedures   under Section 37.0832;                      (R)  the right of a school under Section 37.0052   to place a student who has engaged in certain bullying behavior in a   disciplinary alternative education program or to expel the student;                      (S)  the right under Section 37.0151 to report to   local law enforcement certain conduct constituting assault or   harassment;                      (T)  a parent's right to information regarding the   provision of assistance for learning difficulties to the parent's   child as provided by Sections 26.004(b)(11) and 26.0081(c) and (d);                      (U)  establishment of residency under Section   25.001;                      (V)  school safety requirements under Sections   37.0814, 37.108, 37.1081, 37.1082, 37.1083, 37.1084, 37.1085,   37.1086, 37.109, 37.113, 37.114, 37.1141, 37.115, 37.207, and   37.2071 and Subchapter J, Chapter 37;                      (W)  the early childhood literacy and mathematics   proficiency plans under Section 11.185;                      (X)  the college, career, and military readiness   plans under Section 11.186; [ and ]                      (Y)  parental options to retain a student under   Section 28.02124 ; and                       (Z)     the grievance procedure under Section 26.011   and the grievance policy under Chapter 26A .          SECTION 1.05.  Section 12A.004(a), Education Code, is   amended to read as follows:          (a)  A local innovation plan may not provide for the   exemption of a district designated as a district of innovation from   the following provisions of this title:                (1)  a state or federal requirement applicable to an   open-enrollment charter school operating under Subchapter D,   Chapter 12;                (2)  Subchapters A, C, D, and E, Chapter 11, except that   a district may be exempt from Sections 11.1511(b)(5) and (14) and   Section 11.162;                (3)   the grievance policy under Chapter 26A;                 (4)   state curriculum and graduation requirements   adopted under Chapter 28; and                 (5)  [ (4) ]  academic and financial accountability and   sanctions under Chapters 39 and 39A.          SECTION 1.06.  Section 21.048(c-1), Education Code, is   amended to read as follows:          (c-1)  The results of an examination administered under this   section are confidential and are not subject to disclosure under   Chapter 552, Government Code, unless the disclosure is regarding   notification to a parent of the assignment of an uncertified   teacher to a classroom as required by Section 26.0083 [ 21.057 ].          SECTION 1.07.  Chapter 26, Education Code, is amended by   adding Sections 26.0021 and 26.0022 to read as follows:           Sec.   26.0021.     PARENTAL RIGHTS INFORMATION. (a) The agency   shall create and maintain a document that informs a parent of the   parent's rights regarding the education of the parent's child   provided under this chapter.             (b)  The document must:                 (1)     include information regarding accessing the   contents of this chapter;                 (2)     be made publicly available in a prominent place on   the Internet website of the agency and each school district;                 (3)     be provided to parents at the beginning of each   school year in an electronic or hard copy format; and                 (4)     inform parents that they are not required to file a   grievance or an appeal at the district level before pursuing   another remedy under law, including by filing a complaint with   appropriate authorities to request an investigation.           Sec.   26.0022.     RIGHT TO SELECT PUBLIC OR PRIVATE SCHOOL. A   parent is entitled to choose a public school or private school,   including a home school, for the parent's child.          SECTION 1.08.  Section 26.004(b), Education Code, is amended   to read as follows:          (b)  A parent is entitled to access to all written records of   a school district concerning the parent's child, including:                (1)  attendance records;                (2)  test scores;                (3)  grades;                (4)  disciplinary records;                (5)  counseling records;                (6)  psychological records;         &#xA0 [Text truncated for display. Full text available on Congress.gov.]