West’s Student Trustee Bill Also Repeals Section 11.0511

The text as introduced · 787 words

89R1374 MEW-F

By: West
S.B. No. 218

A BILL TO BE ENTITLED

AN ACT

relating to requiring the board of trustees of each school district

to create a nonvoting student trustee position on the board.

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

SECTION 1. Subchapter C, Chapter 11, Education Code, is

amended by adding Section 11.0512 to read as follows:

Sec. 11.0512. STUDENT TRUSTEE. (a) In addition to the

number of trustees of a school district as provided by Section

11.051, the board of trustees of each school district shall appoint

a student trustee in the manner provided by this section.

(b) The commissioner shall develop a uniform application

form to be used to solicit eligible applicants for the position of

student trustee.

(c) Except as provided by Subsection (d), the principal of

each high school in a school district shall:

(1) not later than November 1 of each year, solicit

applicants for appointment to the next regular term of the position

of student trustee of the school district using the uniform

application form developed under Subsection (b);

(2) not later than January 1, select three applicants

from the applications received to serve as the school's

recommendations for the position of student trustee; and

(3) send the school's recommendations and

corresponding applications to the president of the board of

trustees of the school district.

(d) If a school district includes more than one high school,

the principal of the high school at which a current student trustee

is enrolled at the time of the student's appointment may not solicit

applicants for the position of student trustee for the next regular

term of the position.

(e) The president of the board of trustees of each school

district shall select two or more applicants from the applications

received to serve as recommendations to the board for the student

trustee position.

(f) The board of trustees of a school district may request

to review all applications for the position of student trustee

received by the board president and may request an applicant to

submit additional information.

(g) On June 1, or as soon as practicable thereafter, the

board by majority vote shall appoint one of the applicants to serve

as the student trustee for the district for a one-year term expiring

May 31 of the following year.

(h) To be eligible for appointment as a student trustee for

a school district, a person must:

(1) be enrolled as a student at a high school in the

district; and

(2) be in good academic standing as determined by the

school at which the student is enrolled at the time of appointment.

(i) Throughout a student's term as a student trustee, the

student must:

(1) remain enrolled at the school; and

(2) maintain a grade point average of 2.5 on a

four-point scale, or the equivalent.

(j) The principal of the school at which a student trustee

is enrolled shall notify the president of the board of trustees of

the school district if the student trustee fails to maintain the

qualifications required by Subsection (i). On receiving notice,

the president of the board of trustees of the school district shall

declare the position as vacant and as soon as practicable fill the

vacancy in the manner prescribed by Subsection (l).

(k) A student trustee is not a member of the board of

trustees of the school district for which the student is appointed.

A student trustee has the same powers and duties as a member of the

board of trustees, including the right to attend and participate in

meetings of the board, except that the student trustee:

(1) may not vote on any matter before the board or make

or second any motion before the board; and

(2) is not counted in determining whether a quorum

exists for a meeting of the board or in determining the outcome of

any vote of the board.

(l) A vacancy in the position of student trustee for a

school district shall be filled for the unexpired term by

appointment by the president of the board of trustees of the school

district in consultation with the board.

(m) A student trustee serves without compensation but is

entitled to be reimbursed for the actual expenses incurred by the

student in attending meetings of the board, subject to the approval

of the president of the board of trustees of the school district.

(n) A school district may grant to a student who fulfills

the requirements of service of a student trustee not more than one

academic course credit in a subject area determined appropriate by

the district.

SECTION 2. Section 11.0511, Education Code, is repealed.

SECTION 3. This Act takes effect September 1, 2025.