Bowers Skills Grant Bill Bars Alternative School For Participants

The text as introduced · 902 words

By: Bowers
H.B. No. 1992

A BILL TO BE ENTITLED

AN ACT

relating to the establishment of the behaviorally at-risk student

grant program to provide social and cognitive skills training to

certain public school students.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:

SECTION 1. Subchapter A, Chapter 37, Education Code, is

amended by adding Section 37.029 to read as follows:

Sec. 37.029. BEHAVIORALLY AT-RISK STUDENT GRANT PROGRAM.

(a) In this section, "behaviorally at-risk student" means a

student in grades 7 through 12 who may have experienced an adverse

childhood experience or other early childhood trauma and has been

suspended, expelled, removed from class, or subject to another

disciplinary action at least one time during the school year for:

(1) engaging in abusive, threatening, or intimidating

behavior, including against a teacher;

(2) engaging in conduct that constitutes assault or

other aggressive behavior; or

(3) possessing a prohibited weapon or controlled

substance.

(b) The commissioner shall establish and administer a

program to award grants to school districts and open-enrollment

charter schools at which a threshold number, as determined by

commissioner rule, of behaviorally at-risk students are enrolled.

(c) A school district or open-enrollment charter school may

use funds awarded under the grant program only to implement a social

and cognitive skills training program for behaviorally at-risk

students that:

(1) is evidence-based and supported by research

conducted by a reputable research organization;

(2) focuses on teaching students skills for conflict

resolution, anger management, and peer mediation and other

necessary social and emotional skills;

(3) is provided to students on a voluntary basis;

(4) is provided in a manner that will not remove a

participating student from instruction in the required curriculum

under Section 28.002 for the grade level in which the student is

enrolled;

(5) is provided to students in a group of between four

and eight students at least twice per week during the first

semester a student participates in the program and informally

during the second semester; and

(6) engages closely with participating students and

the parents of or persons standing in parental relation to the

student.

(d) A principal or other appropriate administrator of a

campus in a school district or open-enrollment charter school

awarded a grant under this section shall identify students who are

eligible to participate in a program provided under Subsection (c).

The principal or administrator shall notify the parent of or person

standing in parental relation to a student identified under this

subsection of the student's eligibility to participate in the

program and request permission for the student's participation.

(e) A school district or open-enrollment charter school may

not allow a student to participate in a program provided under

Subsection (c) unless the parent of or person standing in parental

relation to the student has consented to the student's

participation.

(f) Notwithstanding any other provision of this subchapter,

a school district or open-enrollment charter school may not:

(1) place a student participating in a program

provided under Subsection (c) in a disciplinary alternative

education program or a juvenile justice alternative education

program; or

(2) use funds awarded under the grant program for

costs associated with:

(A) in-school suspension, a disciplinary

alternative education program, a juvenile justice alternative

education program, or another discipline management program

offered under this chapter other than a program provided under

Subsection (c); or

(B) the provision of peace officers or security

personnel, as described by Section 37.081, for the district or

school.

(g) In providing a program under Subsection (c), a school

district or open-enrollment charter school may:

(1) employ educators or other qualified personnel; or

(2) contract with a nonprofit organization that

employs student advisors who:

(A) hold a bachelor's degree from an accredited

institution of higher education; and

(B) work with not more than 100 behaviorally

at-risk students during each semester.

(h) The agency shall develop and provide a comprehensive

training program designed to instruct educators and other

individuals involved in providing a program under Subsection (c)

regarding program requirements and best practices. A school

district or open-enrollment charter school may not permit a person

to be involved in providing a program under Subsection (c) unless

the person has attended a training program developed and provided

under this subsection. The agency may contract with a nonprofit

organization to provide the training program required by this

subsection.

(i) A school district or open-enrollment charter school

that has been awarded a grant under this section shall annually

report to the agency data relating to the progress of students

participating in a program under Subsection (c) compared to the

progress of behaviorally at-risk students who did not participate

in a program under Subsection (c).

(j) The commissioner shall adopt rules necessary to

implement this section, including rules that:

(1) establish eligibility criteria for a school

district or open-enrollment charter school to receive a grant under

this section;

(2) provide application procedures and guidelines for

school districts and open-enrollment charter schools; and

(3) ensure compliance with the reporting requirements

for school districts and open-enrollment charter schools awarded

grants under this section.

SECTION 2. This Act applies beginning with the 2025-2026

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, 2025.