HBA-MPM H.B. 2378 76(R)    BILL ANALYSIS


Office of House Bill AnalysisH.B. 2378
By: Burnam
Public Education
4/20/1999
Introduced



BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE 

Current law does not thoroughly address truancy at school district
campuses.  H.B. 2378 requires a school district to establish a program to
reduce truancy at a district campus if the student attendance rate at that
campus is below 94 percent for at least two consecutive months and sets
forth the tenets of this program. 

RULEMAKING AUTHORITY

It is the opinion of the Office of House Bill Analysis that this bill does
not expressly delegate any additional rulemaking authority to a state
officer, department, agency, or institution. 

SECTION BY SECTION ANALYSIS

SECTION 1.  Amends Subchapter C, Chapter 25, Education Code, by adding
Section 25.0911, as follows: 

Sec. 25.0911.  TRUANCY REDUCTION PROGRAM.  (a) Requires a school district
(district) to establish a program to reduce truancy at a district campus if
the student attendance rate at that campus is below 94 percent for at least
two consecutive months. 

(b)  Requires a district required to establish a truancy program to:

_operate the program until the monthly student attendance rate at the
campus is at or above 94 percent; 
_designate one or more district employees as truancy caseworkers; and
_require these truancy caseworkers to perform certain duties regarding the
truancy program. 

SECTION 2. Makes this Act applicable with the 1999-2000 school year.

SECTION 3.Emergency clause.
  Effective date: upon passage.