DISTRICT AND CAMPUS IMPROVEMENT PLANS

Document items indicate requirements to be documented in the special education process. They can be addressed on forms or by a representative statement in a written dialogue.

Practice items are requirements, which must be reflected in practice.

Texas Education Code § 11.252. District-Level Planning and Decision Making.      

(a)  Each school district shall have a district improvement plan that is developed, evaluated, and revised annually, in accordance with district policy, by the superintendent with the assistance of the district-level committee established under Section 11.251.   The purpose of the district improvement plan is to guide district and campus staff in the improvement of student performance for all student groups in order to attain state standards in respect to the achievement indicators adopted under Section 39.053(c).   The district improvement plan must include provisions for:     
   (1)  a comprehensive needs assessment addressing district student performance on the achievement indicators, and other appropriate measures of performance, that are disaggregated by all student groups served by the district, including categories of ethnicity, socioeconomic status, sex, and populations served by special programs, including students in special education programs under Subchapter A, Chapter 29;     
   (2)  measurable district performance objectives for all appropriate achievement indicators for all student populations, including students in special education programs under Subchapter A, Chapter 29, and other measures of student performance that may be identified through the comprehensive needs assessment;     
   (3)  strategies for improvement of student performance that include:        
      (A)  instructional methods for addressing the needs of student groups not achieving their full potential;                
      (B)  evidence-based practices that address the needs of students for special programs, including: 
         (i)   suicide prevention programs, in accordance with Subchapter G, Chapter 38, which includes a parental or guardian notification procedure; 
         (ii)  conflict resolution programs; 
         (iii)  violence prevention programs; and                     
         (iv)  dyslexia treatment programs;           
      (C)  dropout reduction;        
      (D)  integration of technology in instructional and administrative programs;        
      (E)  positive behavior interventions and support, including interventions and support that integrate best practices on grief-informed and trauma-informed care;        
      (F)  staff development for professional staff of the district;        
      (G)  career education to assist students in developing the knowledge, skills, and competencies necessary for a broad range of career opportunities;   
     (H)  accelerated education; and
     (I)   implementation of a comprehensive school counseling program under Section 33.005;      
   (4)  strategies for providing to elementary school, middle school, junior high school, and high school students, those students' teachers and school counselors, and those students' parents information about:        
      (A)  higher education admissions and financial aid opportunities, including state financial aid opportunities such as the TEXAS grant program and the Teach for Texas grant program established under Chapter 56;        
      (B)  the need for students to make informed curriculum choices to be prepared for success beyond high school; and       
      (C)  sources of information on higher education admissions and financial aid;     
   (5)  resources needed to implement identified strategies;     
   (6)  staff responsible for ensuring the accomplishment of each strategy;     
   (7)  timelines for ongoing monitoring of the implementation of each improvement strategy;   
   (8)  formative evaluation criteria for determining periodically whether strategies are resulting in intended improvement of student performance ; and    
   (9)  the policy under Section 38.0041 addressing sexual abuse and other maltreatment of children. 
   (10) the trauma-informed care policy required under Section 38.036.
. . . 

Last Amended:  86th Leg., R.S., Ch. 352 (H.B. 18), Sec. 1.02, eff. June 2, 2019
86th Leg., R.S., Ch. 464 (S.B. 11), Sec. 2, eff. June 6, 2019

Texas Education Code § 11.251. Planning and Decision-Making Process.  

(a)  The board of trustees of each independent school district shall ensure that a district improvement plan and improvement plans for each campus are developed, reviewed, and revised annually for the purpose of improving the performance of all students.  The board shall annually approve district and campus performance objectives and shall ensure that the district and campus plans:     
   (1)  are mutually supportive to accomplish the identified objectives;  and      
   (2)  at a minimum, support the state goals and objectives under Chapter 4. 

(b)  The board shall adopt a policy to establish a district- and campus-level planning and decision-making process that will involve the professional staff of the district, parents, and community members in establishing and reviewing the district's and campuses' educational plans, goals, performance objectives, and major classroom instructional programs.   The board shall establish a procedure under which meetings are held regularly by district- and campus-level planning and decision-making committees that include representative professional staff, including, if practicable, at least one representative with the primary responsibility for educating students with disabilities, parents of students enrolled in the district, business representatives, and community members.   The committees shall include a business representative without regard to whether the representative resides in the district or whether the business the person represents is located in the district.   The board, or the board's designee, shall periodically meet with the district-level committee to review the district-level committee's deliberations.

(c)  For purposes of establishing the composition of committees under this section:     
   (1)  a person who stands in parental relation to a student is considered a parent;     
   (2)  a parent who is an employee of the school district is not considered a parent representative on the committee;     
   (3)  a parent is not considered a representative of community members on the committee;  and     
   (4)  community members must reside in the district and must be at least 18 years of age.

(d)  The board shall also ensure that an administrative procedure is provided to clearly define the respective roles and responsibilities of the superintendent, central office staff, principals, teachers, district-level committee members, and campus-level committee members in the areas of planning, budgeting, curriculum, staffing patterns, staff development, and school organization.  The board shall ensure that the district-level planning and decision-making committee will be actively involved in establishing the administrative procedure that defines the respective roles and responsibilities pertaining to planning and decision-making at the district and campus levels.

(e)  The board shall adopt a procedure, consistent with Section 21.407(a), for the professional staff in the district to nominate and elect the professional staff representatives who shall meet with the board or the board designee as required under this section.   At least two-thirds of the elected professional staff representatives must be classroom teachers.   The remaining staff representatives shall include both campus- and district-level professional staff members.   If practicable, the committee membership shall include at least one professional staff representative with the primary responsibility for educating students with disabilities.   Board policy must provide procedures for: 
   (1)  the selection of parents to the district-level and campus-level committees; and 
   (2)  the selection of community members and business representatives to serve on the district-level committee in a manner that provides for appropriate representation of the community's diversity.

(f)  The district policy must provide that all pertinent federal planning requirements are addressed through the district- and campus-level planning process.

(g)  This section does not:                                                        
   (1)  prohibit the board from conducting meetings with teachers or groups of teachers other than the meetings described by this section;     
   (2)  prohibit the board from establishing policies providing avenues for input from others, including students or paraprofessional staff, in district- or campus-level planning and decision-making;     
   (3)  limit or affect the power of the board to govern the public schools;  or     
   (4)  create a new cause of action or require collective bargaining.        


Last Amended: 82nd Leg., R.S., Ch. 626, Sec.1, eff. Sept. 1, 2011
Entered:  July 22, 2011

Texas Education Code § 11.252. District-Level Planning and Decision Making.      

(a)  Each school district shall have a district improvement plan that is developed, evaluated, and revised annually, in accordance with district policy, by the superintendent with the assistance of the district-level committee established under Section 11.251.   The purpose of the district improvement plan is to guide district and campus staff in the improvement of student performance for all student groups in order to attain state standards in respect to the achievement indicators adopted under Section 39.053(c).   The district improvement plan must include provisions for:     
   (1)  a comprehensive needs assessment addressing district student performance on the achievement indicators, and other appropriate measures of performance, that are disaggregated by all student groups served by the district, including categories of ethnicity, socioeconomic status, sex, and populations served by special programs, including students in special education programs under Subchapter A, Chapter 29;     
   (2)  measurable district performance objectives for all appropriate achievement indicators for all student populations, including students in special education programs under Subchapter A, Chapter 29, and other measures of student performance that may be identified through the comprehensive needs assessment;     
   (3)  strategies for improvement of student performance that include:        
      (A)  instructional methods for addressing the needs of student groups not achieving their full potential;                
      (B)  evidence-based practices that address the needs of students for special programs, including: 
         (i)   suicide prevention programs, in accordance with Subchapter G, Chapter 38, which includes a parental or guardian notification procedure; 
         (ii)  conflict resolution programs; 
         (iii)  violence prevention programs; and                     
         (iv)  dyslexia treatment programs;           
      (C)  dropout reduction;        
      (D)  integration of technology in instructional and administrative programs;        
      (E)  positive behavior interventions and support, including interventions and support that integrate best practices on grief-informed and trauma-informed care;        
      (F)  staff development for professional staff of the district;        
      (G)  career education to assist students in developing the knowledge, skills, and competencies necessary for a broad range of career opportunities;   
     (H)  accelerated education; and
     (I)   implementation of a comprehensive school counseling program under Section 33.005;      
   (4)  strategies for providing to elementary school, middle school, junior high school, and high school students, those students' teachers and school counselors, and those students' parents information about:        
      (A)  higher education admissions and financial aid opportunities, including state financial aid opportunities such as the TEXAS grant program and the Teach for Texas grant program established under Chapter 56;        
      (B)  the need for students to make informed curriculum choices to be prepared for success beyond high school; and       
      (C)  sources of information on higher education admissions and financial aid;     
   (5)  resources needed to implement identified strategies;     
   (6)  staff responsible for ensuring the accomplishment of each strategy;     
   (7)  timelines for ongoing monitoring of the implementation of each improvement strategy;   
   (8)  formative evaluation criteria for determining periodically whether strategies are resulting in intended improvement of student performance ; and    
   (9)  the policy under Section 38.0041 addressing sexual abuse and other maltreatment of children. 
   (10) the trauma-informed care policy required under Section 38.036.
. . . 

Last Amended:  86th Leg., R.S., Ch. 352 (H.B. 18), Sec. 1.02, eff. June 2, 2019
86th Leg., R.S., Ch. 464 (S.B. 11), Sec. 2, eff. June 6, 2019

Texas Education Code § 39.053. Performance Indicators: Achievement.     

(a)  The commissioner shall adopt a set of indicators of the quality of learning and achievement, including the indicators under Subsection (c).  The commissioner periodically shall review the indicators for the consideration of appropriate revisions.

(a-1)  The indicators adopted by the commissioner under Subsection (a) must measure and evaluate school districts and campuses with respect to:
(1)  improving student preparedness for success in:
(A)  subsequent grade levels; and
(B)  entering the workforce, the military, or postsecondary education;
(2)  reducing, with the goal of eliminating, student academic achievement differentials among students from different racial and ethnic groups and socioeconomic backgrounds; and
(3)  informing parents and the community regarding campus and district performance.

(b)  Performance on the achievement indicators adopted under Subsection (c) shall be compared to state-established standards.  The indicators must be based on information that is disaggregated by race, ethnicity, and socioeconomic status.

(c)  School districts and campuses must be evaluated based on three domains of indicators of achievement adopted under this section that include:
(1)  in the student achievement domain, indicators of student achievement that must include:
(A)  for evaluating the performance of districts and campuses generally:
    (i)  an indicator that accounts for the results of assessment instruments required under Sections 39.023(a), (c), and (l), as applicable for the district and campus, including the results of assessment instruments required for graduation retaken by a student, aggregated across grade levels by subject area, including:
(a)  for the performance standard determined by the commissioner under Section 39.0241(a), the percentage of students who performed satisfactorily on the assessment instruments, aggregated across grade levels by subject area; and
(b)  for the college readiness performance standard as determined under Section 39.0241, the percentage of students who performed satisfactorily on the assessment instruments, aggregated across grade levels by subject area; and
   (ii)  an indicator that accounts for the results of assessment instruments required under Section 39.023(b), as applicable for the district and campus, including the percentage of students who performed satisfactorily on the assessment instruments, as determined by the performance standard adopted by the agency, aggregated across grade levels by subject area; and
(B)  for evaluating the performance of high school campuses and districts that include high school campuses, indicators that account for:
   (i)  students who satisfy the Texas Success Initiative (TSI) college readiness benchmarks prescribed by the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board under Section 51.334 on an assessment instrument in reading or mathematics designated by the coordinating board under that section;
  (ii)  students who satisfy relevant performance standards on advanced placement tests or similar assessments;
    (iii)  students who earn dual course credits in the dual credit courses;
  (iv)  students who enlist in the armed forces of the United States or the Texas National Guard;
  (v)  students who earn industry certifications;
  (vi)  students admitted into postsecondary industry certification programs that require as a prerequisite for entrance successful performance at the secondary level;
  (vii)  students whose successful completion of a course or courses under Section 28.014 indicates the student's preparation to enroll and succeed, without remediation, in an entry-level general education course for a baccalaureate degree or associate degree;
  (viii)  students who successfully met standards on a composite of indicators that through research indicates the student's preparation to enroll and succeed, without remediation, in an entry-level general education course for a baccalaureate degree or associate degree;
  (ix)  high school graduation rates, computed in accordance with standards and definitions adopted in compliance with the Every Student Succeeds Act (20 U.S.C. Section 6301 et seq.) subject to the exclusions provided by Subsections (g), (g-1), (g-2), (g-3), and (g-4);
  (x)  students who successfully completed an OnRamps dual enrollment course;
  (xi)  students who successfully completed a practicum or internship approved by the State Board of Education;
  (xii)  students who are awarded an associate degree; and
  (xiii)  students who successfully completed a program of study in career and technical education;
(2)  in the school progress domain, indicators for effectiveness in promoting student learning, which must include:
(A)  for assessment instruments, including assessment instruments under Subdivisions (1)(A)(i) and (ii), the percentage of students who met the standard for improvement, as determined by the commissioner; and
(B)  for evaluating relative performance, the performance of districts and campuses compared to similar districts or campuses; and
(3)  in the closing the gaps domain, the use of disaggregated data to demonstrate the differentials among students from different racial and ethnic groups, socioeconomic backgrounds, and other factors, including:
(A)  students formerly receiving special education services;
(B)  students continuously enrolled; and
(C)  students who are mobile.

(c-1)  An indicator adopted under Subsection (c) that would measure improvements in student achievement cannot negatively affect the commissioner's review of a school district or campus if that district or campus is already achieving at the highest level for that indicator.

(c-2)  The commissioner by rule shall determine a method by which a student's performance may be included in determining the performance rating of a school district or campus under Section 39.054 if, before the student graduates, the student:
(1)  satisfies the Texas Success Initiative (TSI) college readiness benchmarks prescribed by the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board under Section 51.334 on an assessment instrument designated by the coordinating board under that section; or
(2)  performs satisfactorily on an assessment instrument under Section 39.023(c), notwithstanding Subsection (d) of this section.

(c-3)  Any standard for improvement determined by the  commissioner as described by Subsection (c)(2)(A) must allow for appropriately crediting a student for growth if the student performs at the highest achievement standard in the previous and current school year.

(d)  For purposes of Subsection (c), the commissioner by rule shall determine the period within which a student must retake an assessment instrument for that assessment instrument to be considered in determining the performance rating of the district under Section 39.054.

(d-1)  In aggregating results of assessment instruments across grade levels by subject in accordance with Subsection (c)(1)(A)(i), the performance of a student enrolled below the high school level on an assessment instrument required under Section 39.023(c) is included with results relating to other students enrolled at the same grade level.

(e)  For purposes of Subsection (c)(3)(A), a student formerly receiving special education services means a student whose enrollment information:
(1)  for the preceding school year, as reported through the Public Education Information Management System (PEIMS), indicates the student was enrolled at the campus and was participating in a special education program; and
(2)  for the current school year, as reported through the Public Education Information Management System (PEIMS) and as reported on assessment instruments administered to the student under Section 39.023, indicates the student is enrolled at the campus and is not participating in a special education program.

(f)  Annually, the commissioner shall define the state standard for the current school year for each achievement indicator adopted under this section.  In consultation with educators, parents, and business and industry representatives, as necessary, the commissioner shall establish and modify standards to continuously improve student performance to achieve the goals of eliminating achievement gaps based on race, ethnicity, and socioeconomic status and to ensure this state is a national leader in preparing students for postsecondary success.

(g)  In computing dropout and completion rates such as high school graduation rates under Subsection (c)(1)(B)(ix), the commissioner may not consider as a dropout a student whose failure to attend school results from:
(1)  the student's expulsion under Section 37.007; and
(2)  as applicable:
(A)  adjudication as having engaged in delinquent conduct or conduct indicating a need for supervision, as defined by Section 51.03, Family Code; or
(B)  conviction of and sentencing for an offense under the Penal Code.

(g-1)  In computing dropout and completion rates such as high school graduation rates under Subsection (c)(1)(B)(ix), the commissioner shall exclude:
(1)  students who are ordered by a court to attend a high school equivalency certificate program but who have not yet earned a high school equivalency certificate;
(2)  students who were previously reported to the state as dropouts, including a student who is reported as a dropout, reenrolls, and drops out again, regardless of the number of times of reenrollment and dropping out;
(3)  students in attendance who are not in membership for purposes of average daily attendance;
(4)  students whose initial enrollment in a school in the United States in grades 7 through 12 was as an unschooled asylee or refugee as defined by Section 39.027(a-1);
(5)  students who are detained at a county pre-adjudication or post-adjudication juvenile detention facility and:
(A)  in the district exclusively as a function of having been detained at the facility but are otherwise not students of the district in which the facility is located; or
(B)  provided services by an open-enrollment charter school exclusively as the result of having been detained at the facility;
(6)  students who are incarcerated in state jails and federal penitentiaries as adults and as persons certified to stand trial as adults; and
(7)  students who have suffered a condition, injury, or illness that requires substantial medical care and leaves the student:
(A)  unable to attend school; and
(B)  assigned to a medical or residential treatment facility.

(g-2)  In computing completion rates such as high school graduation rates under Subsection (c)(1)(B)(ix), the commissioner shall exclude students who:
(1)  are at least 18 years of age as of September 1 of the school year as reported for the fall semester Public Education Information Management System (PEIMS) submission and have satisfied the credit requirements for high school graduation;
(2)  have not completed their individualized education program under 19 T.A.C. Section 89.1070(b)(2) and the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (20 U.S.C. Section 1400 et seq.); and
(3)  are enrolled and receiving individualized education program services.

(g-3) In the computation of dropout and completion rates such as high school graduation rates under Subsection (c)(1)(B)(ix), a student who is released from a juvenile pre-adjudication secure detention facility or juvenile post-adjudication secure correctional facility and fails to enroll in school or a student who leaves a residential treatment center after receiving treatment for fewer than 85 days and fails to enroll in school may not be considered to have dropped out from the school district or campus serving the facility or center unless that district or campus is the one to which the student is regularly assigned.  The agency may not limit an appeal relating to dropout computations under this subsection. 

(g-4)  For purposes of the computation of dropout and completion rates such as high school graduation rates under Subsection (c)(1)(B)(ix), the commissioner shall exclude a student who was reported as having dropped out of school under Section 48.009(b-4), and the student may not be considered to have dropped out from the school district or campus in which the student was last enrolled.

(h)  Each school district shall cooperate with the agency in determining whether a student is a dropout for purposes of accreditation and evaluating performance by school districts and campuses under this chapter.

(i)  Each school district shall submit the data required for the indicators adopted under this section to the commissioner.


Last Amended: 86th Leg., R.S., Ch. 467 (H.B. 4170), Sec. 5.022, eff. September 1, 2019 86th Leg., R.S., Ch. 467 (H.B. 4170), Sec. 5.023, eff. September 1, 2019 86th Leg., R.S., Ch. 719 (H.B. 330), Sec. 1, eff. June 10, 2019 86th Leg., R.S., Ch. 1060 (H.B. 1051), Sec. 6, eff. June 14, 2019 87th Leg., R.S., Ch. 150 (H.B. 773), Sec. 1, eff. May 28, 2021 87th Leg., R.S., Ch. 205 (H.B. 1147), Sec. 1, eff. September 1, 2021 87th Leg., R.S., Ch. 806 (H.B. 1525), Sec. 18, eff. September 1, 2021 87th Leg., R.S., Ch. 915 (H.B. 3607), Sec. 5.019(b), eff. September 1, 2021
Entered: October 22, 2021

Texas Education Code § 11.252. District-Level Planning and Decision Making.      

(a)  Each school district shall have a district improvement plan that is developed, evaluated, and revised annually, in accordance with district policy, by the superintendent with the assistance of the district-level committee established under Section 11.251.   The purpose of the district improvement plan is to guide district and campus staff in the improvement of student performance for all student groups in order to attain state standards in respect to the achievement indicators adopted under Section 39.053(c).   The district improvement plan must include provisions for:     
   (1)  a comprehensive needs assessment addressing district student performance on the achievement indicators, and other appropriate measures of performance, that are disaggregated by all student groups served by the district, including categories of ethnicity, socioeconomic status, sex, and populations served by special programs, including students in special education programs under Subchapter A, Chapter 29;     
   (2)  measurable district performance objectives for all appropriate achievement indicators for all student populations, including students in special education programs under Subchapter A, Chapter 29, and other measures of student performance that may be identified through the comprehensive needs assessment;     
   (3)  strategies for improvement of student performance that include:        
      (A)  instructional methods for addressing the needs of student groups not achieving their full potential;                
      (B)  evidence-based practices that address the needs of students for special programs, including: 
         (i)   suicide prevention programs, in accordance with Subchapter G, Chapter 38, which includes a parental or guardian notification procedure; 
         (ii)  conflict resolution programs; 
         (iii)  violence prevention programs; and                     
         (iv)  dyslexia treatment programs;           
      (C)  dropout reduction;        
      (D)  integration of technology in instructional and administrative programs;        
      (E)  positive behavior interventions and support, including interventions and support that integrate best practices on grief-informed and trauma-informed care;        
      (F)  staff development for professional staff of the district;        
      (G)  career education to assist students in developing the knowledge, skills, and competencies necessary for a broad range of career opportunities;   
     (H)  accelerated education; and
     (I)   implementation of a comprehensive school counseling program under Section 33.005;      
   (4)  strategies for providing to elementary school, middle school, junior high school, and high school students, those students' teachers and school counselors, and those students' parents information about:        
      (A)  higher education admissions and financial aid opportunities, including state financial aid opportunities such as the TEXAS grant program and the Teach for Texas grant program established under Chapter 56;        
      (B)  the need for students to make informed curriculum choices to be prepared for success beyond high school; and       
      (C)  sources of information on higher education admissions and financial aid;     
   (5)  resources needed to implement identified strategies;     
   (6)  staff responsible for ensuring the accomplishment of each strategy;     
   (7)  timelines for ongoing monitoring of the implementation of each improvement strategy;   
   (8)  formative evaluation criteria for determining periodically whether strategies are resulting in intended improvement of student performance ; and    
   (9)  the policy under Section 38.0041 addressing sexual abuse and other maltreatment of children. 
   (10) the trauma-informed care policy required under Section 38.036.
. . . 

Last Amended:  86th Leg., R.S., Ch. 352 (H.B. 18), Sec. 1.02, eff. June 2, 2019
86th Leg., R.S., Ch. 464 (S.B. 11), Sec. 2, eff. June 6, 2019

Texas Education Code § 11.252. District-Level Planning and Decision Making.      

(a)  Each school district shall have a district improvement plan that is developed, evaluated, and revised annually, in accordance with district policy, by the superintendent with the assistance of the district-level committee established under Section 11.251.   The purpose of the district improvement plan is to guide district and campus staff in the improvement of student performance for all student groups in order to attain state standards in respect to the achievement indicators adopted under Section 39.053(c).   The district improvement plan must include provisions for:     
    (1)  a comprehensive needs assessment addressing district student performance on the achievement indicators, and other appropriate measures of performance, that are disaggregated by all student groups served by the district, including categories of ethnicity, socioeconomic status, sex, and populations served by special programs, including students in special education programs under Subchapter A, Chapter 29;     
. . . 

Last Amended:  86th Leg., R.S., Ch. 352 (H.B. 18), Sec. 1.02, eff. June 2, 2019
86th Leg., R.S., Ch. 464 (S.B. 11), Sec. 2, eff. June 6, 2019

Texas Education Code § 11.252. District-Level Planning and Decision Making.      

(a)  Each school district shall have a district improvement plan that is developed, evaluated, and revised annually, in accordance with district policy, by the superintendent with the assistance of the district-level committee established under Section 11.251.   The purpose of the district improvement plan is to guide district and campus staff in the improvement of student performance for all student groups in order to attain state standards in respect to the achievement indicators adopted under Section 39.053(c).   The district improvement plan must include provisions for:     
    . . .      
    (2)  measurable district performance objectives for all appropriate achievement indicators for all student populations, including students in special education programs under Subchapter A, Chapter 29, and other measures of student performance that may be identified through the comprehensive needs assessment;     
. . . 

Last Amended:  86th Leg., R.S., Ch. 352 (H.B. 18), Sec. 1.02, eff. June 2, 2019
86th Leg., R.S., Ch. 464 (S.B. 11), Sec. 2, eff. June 6, 2019

Texas Education Code § 11.252. District-Level Planning and Decision Making.      

(a)  Each school district shall have a district improvement plan that is developed, evaluated, and revised annually, in accordance with district policy, by the superintendent with the assistance of the district-level committee established under Section 11.251.   The purpose of the district improvement plan is to guide district and campus staff in the improvement of student performance for all student groups in order to attain state standards in respect to the achievement indicators adopted under Section 39.053(c).   The district improvement plan must include provisions for:     
. . .     
    (3)  strategies for improvement of student performance that include:        
       (A)  instructional methods for addressing the needs of student groups not achieving their full potential;                
      (B)  evidence-based practices that address the needs of students for special programs, including: 
          (i)   suicide prevention programs, in accordance with Subchapter G, Chapter 38, which includes a parental or guardian notification procedure; 
          (ii)  conflict resolution programs; 
          (iii)  violence prevention programs; and                     
          (iv)  dyslexia treatment programs;           
       (C)  dropout reduction;        
       (D)  integration of technology in instructional and administrative programs;        
      (E)  positive behavior interventions and support, including interventions and support that integrate best practices on grief-informed and trauma-informed care;        
       (F)  staff development for professional staff of the district;        
       (G)  career education to assist students in developing the knowledge, skills, and competencies necessary for a broad range of career opportunities;   
      (H)  accelerated education; and
      (I)   implementation of a comprehensive school counseling program under Section 33.005;      
. . . 


Last Amended:  86th Leg., R.S., Ch. 352 (H.B. 18), Sec. 1.02, eff. June 2, 2019
86th Leg., R.S., Ch. 464 (S.B. 11), Sec. 2, eff. June 6, 2019

Texas Education Code § 11.252. District-Level Planning and Decision Making.      

(a)  Each school district shall have a district improvement plan that is developed, evaluated, and revised annually, in accordance with district policy, by the superintendent with the assistance of the district-level committee established under Section 11.251.   The purpose of the district improvement plan is to guide district and campus staff in the improvement of student performance for all student groups in order to attain state standards in respect to the achievement indicators adopted under Section 39.053(c).   The district improvement plan must include provisions for:     
. . .      
    (3)  strategies for improvement of student performance that include:        
       (A)  instructional methods for addressing the needs of student groups not achieving their full potential;                
. . .  


Last Amended:  86th Leg., R.S., Ch. 352 (H.B. 18), Sec. 1.02, eff. June 2, 2019
86th Leg., R.S., Ch. 464 (S.B. 11), Sec. 2, eff. June 6, 2019

Texas Education Code § 11.252. District-Level Planning and Decision Making.      

(a)  Each school district shall have a district improvement plan that is developed, evaluated, and revised annually, in accordance with district policy, by the superintendent with the assistance of the district-level committee established under Section 11.251.   The purpose of the district improvement plan is to guide district and campus staff in the improvement of student performance for all student groups in order to attain state standards in respect to the achievement indicators adopted under Section 39.053(c).   The district improvement plan must include provisions for:     
    . . .    
    (3)  strategies for improvement of student performance that include:        
. . .                
       (B)  evidence-based practices that address the needs of students for special programs, including: 
         (i)   suicide prevention programs, in accordance with Subchapter G, Chapter 38, which includes a parental or guardian notification procedure; 
         (ii)  conflict resolution programs; 
         (iii)  violence prevention programs; and                     
         (iv)  dyslexia treatment programs;           
. . .  


Last Amended:  86th Leg., R.S., Ch. 352 (H.B. 18), Sec. 1.02, eff. June 2, 2019
86th Leg., R.S., Ch. 464 (S.B. 11), Sec. 2, eff. June 6, 2019

Texas Education Code § 38.351.  Mental Health Promotion and Intervention, Substance Abuse Prevention and Intervention, and Suicide Prevention.

(a)   The agency, in coordination with the Health and Human Services Commission and regional education service centers, shall provide and annually update a list of recommended best practice-based programs and research-based practices in the areas specified under Subsection (c) for implementation in public elementary, junior high, middle, and high schools within the general education setting.

(b)  Each school district may select from the list provided under Subsection (a) a program or programs appropriate for implementation in the district. 

(1)  early mental health prevention and intervention;
(2)  building skills related to managing emotions, establishing and maintaining positive relationships, and responsible decision-making;
(3)  substance abuse prevention and intervention;
(4)  suicide prevention, intervention, and postvention;
(5)  grief-informed and trauma-informed practices;
(6)  positive school climates;
(7)  positive behavior interventions and supports;
(8)  positive youth development; and
(9)  safe, supportive, and positive school climate.
(d)  For purposes of Subsection (c), "school climate" means the quality and character of school life, including interpersonal relationships, teaching and learning practices, and organizational structures, as experienced by students enrolled in the school district, parents of those students, and personnel employed by the district.

(e)  The suicide prevention programs on the list provided under Subsection (a) must include components that provide for training school counselors, teachers, nurses, administrators, and other staff, as well as law enforcement officers and social workers who regularly interact with students, to:     
(1)  recognize students at risk of attempting suicide, including students who are or may be the victims of or who engage in bullying;
(2)  recognize students displaying early warning signs and a possible need for early mental health or substance abuse intervention, which warning signs may include declining academic performance, depression, anxiety, isolation, unexplained changes in sleep or eating habits, and destructive behavior toward self and others;     
(3)  intervene effectively with students described by Subdivision (1) or (2) by providing notice and referral to a parent or guardian so appropriate action, such as seeking mental health or substance abuse services, may be taken by a parent or guardian; and 
(4)  assist students in returning to school following treatment of a mental health concern or suicide attempt. 

(f)  In developing the list of best practice-based programs and research-based practices, the agency and the Health and Human Services Commission shall consider:
(1)  any existing suicide prevention method developed by a school district; and

(g) Except as otherwise provided by this subsection, each school district shall provide training described in the components set forth under Subsection (e) for teachers, school counselors, principals, and all other appropriate personnel. A school district is required to provide the training at an elementary school campus only to the extent that sufficient funding and programs are available. A school district may implement a program on the list to satisfy the requirements of this subsection. 

(h) If a school district provides the training under Subsection (g), the school district shall: 
(1)  require completion of the training in accordance with the policy adopted under Section 21.4515; and (2)  maintain records that include the district employees who participated in the training.

(i)  A school district shall develop practices and procedures concerning each area listed in Subsection (c), including mental health promotion and intervention, substance abuse prevention and intervention, and suicide prevention, that:     
(1)  include a procedure for providing notice of a recommendation for early mental health or substance abuse intervention regarding a student to a parent or guardian of the student within a reasonable amount of time after the identification of early warning signs as described by Subsection (e)(2);     
(2)  include a procedure for providing notice of a student identified as at risk of attempting suicide to a parent or guardian of the student within a reasonable amount of time after the identification of early warning signs as described by Subsection (e)(2); 
(3)  establish that the district may develop a reporting mechanism and may designate at least one person to act as a liaison officer in the district for the purposes of identifying students in need of early mental health or substance abuse intervention or suicide prevention;  
(4)  set out available counseling alternatives for a parent or guardian to consider when their child is identified as possibly being in need of early mental health or substance abuse intervention or suicide prevention; and 
(5) include procedures:
(A) to support the return of a student to school following hospitalization or residential treatment for a mental health condition or substance abuse; and
(B) for suicide prevention, intervention, and postvention.  

(i-1)  A school district may develop practices and procedures concerning each area listed in Subsection (c), including mental health promotion and intervention, substance abuse prevention and intervention, and suicide prevention, that include a procedure for providing educational material to all parents and families in the district that contains information on identifying risk factors, accessing resources for treatment or support provided on and off campus, and accessing available student accommodations provided on campus.

(j)  The practices and procedures developed under Subsection (i) or (i-1):
(1)  may address multiple areas listed in Subsection (c) together; and
(2)   must prohibit the use without the prior consent of a student's parent or guardian of a medical screening of the student as part of the process of identifying whether the student is possibly in need of early mental health or substance abuse intervention or suicide prevention. 

(k)  The practices and procedures developed under Subsection (i) or (i-1) must be included in:     
(1)  the annual student handbook; and     
(2)  the district improvement plan under Section 11.252. 

(l)  The agency shall develop and make available to school districts guiding principles on the coordination of programs and practices in areas listed under Subsection (c).

(m)  The agency, the Health and Human Services Commission, and each regional education service center:
(1)  may accept donations for purposes of this section from sources without a conflict of interest; and
(2)  may not accept donations for purposes of this section from an anonymous source. 

(n)  Nothing in this section is intended to interfere with the rights of parents or guardians and the decision-making regarding the best interest of the child. Practices and procedures developed in accordance with this section are intended to notify a parent or guardian of a need for mental health or substance abuse intervention so that a parent or guardian may take appropriate action. Nothing in this section shall be construed as giving school districts the authority to prescribe medications.  Any and all medical decisions are to be made by a parent or guardian of a student. 

(o)  In this section, "postvention" includes activities that promote healing necessary to reduce the risk of suicide by a person affected by the suicide of another.


Last Amended: 86th Leg., R.S., Ch. 352 (H.B. 18), Sec. 1.21, eff. December 1, 2019
    87th Leg., R.S., Ch. 915 (H.B. 3607), Sec. 5.014(a), eff. September 1, 2021 
  87th Leg., R.S., Ch. 1045 (S.B. 1267), Sec. 21, eff. June 18, 2021

Texas Education Code § 11.252. District-Level Planning and Decision Making.      

(a)  Each school district shall have a district improvement plan that is developed, evaluated, and revised annually, in accordance with district policy, by the superintendent with the assistance of the district-level committee established under Section 11.251.   The purpose of the district improvement plan is to guide district and campus staff in the improvement of student performance for all student groups in order to attain state standards in respect to the achievement indicators adopted under Section 39.053(c).   The district improvement plan must include provisions for:     
    . . .     
    (3)  strategies for improvement of student performance that include:        
       . . .       
       (C)  dropout reduction;        
. . . 


Last Amended:  86th Leg., R.S., Ch. 352 (H.B. 18), Sec. 1.02, eff. June 2, 2019
86th Leg., R.S., Ch. 464 (S.B. 11), Sec. 2, eff. June 6, 2019

Texas Education Code § 11.252. District-Level Planning and Decision Making.      

(a)  Each school district shall have a district improvement plan that is developed, evaluated, and revised annually, in accordance with district policy, by the superintendent with the assistance of the district-level committee established under Section 11.251.   The purpose of the district improvement plan is to guide district and campus staff in the improvement of student performance for all student groups in order to attain state standards in respect to the achievement indicators adopted under Section 39.053(c).   The district improvement plan must include provisions for:     
. . .    
    (3)  strategies for improvement of student performance that include:        
      . . .       
       (D)  integration of technology in instructional and administrative programs;        
. . .  


Last Amended:  86th Leg., R.S., Ch. 352 (H.B. 18), Sec. 1.02, eff. June 2, 2019
86th Leg., R.S., Ch. 464 (S.B. 11), Sec. 2, eff. June 6, 2019

Texas Education Code § 11.252. District-Level Planning and Decision Making.      

(a)  Each school district shall have a district improvement plan that is developed, evaluated, and revised annually, in accordance with district policy, by the superintendent with the assistance of the district-level committee established under Section 11.251.   The purpose of the district improvement plan is to guide district and campus staff in the improvement of student performance for all student groups in order to attain state standards in respect to the achievement indicators adopted under Section 39.053(c).   The district improvement plan must include provisions for:     
. . .  
(3)  strategies for improvement of student performance that include:        
       (E)  positive behavior interventions and support, including interventions and support that integrate best practices on grief-informed and trauma-informed care;        
. . . 


Last Amended:  86th Leg., R.S., Ch. 352 (H.B. 18), Sec. 1.02, eff. June 2, 2019
86th Leg., R.S., Ch. 464 (S.B. 11), Sec. 2, eff. June 6, 2019

Texas Education Code § 11.252. District-Level Planning and Decision Making.      

(a)  Each school district shall have a district improvement plan that is developed, evaluated, and revised annually, in accordance with district policy, by the superintendent with the assistance of the district-level committee established under Section 11.251.   The purpose of the district improvement plan is to guide district and campus staff in the improvement of student performance for all student groups in order to attain state standards in respect to the achievement indicators adopted under Section 39.053(c).   The district improvement plan must include provisions for:     
. . .     
    (3)  strategies for improvement of student performance that include:        
       . . .      
       (F)  staff development for professional staff of the district;        
. . . 


Last Amended:  86th Leg., R.S., Ch. 352 (H.B. 18), Sec. 1.02, eff. June 2, 2019
86th Leg., R.S., Ch. 464 (S.B. 11), Sec. 2, eff. June 6, 2019

Texas Education Code § 11.252. District-Level Planning and Decision Making.      

(a)  Each school district shall have a district improvement plan that is developed, evaluated, and revised annually, in accordance with district policy, by the superintendent with the assistance of the district-level committee established under Section 11.251.   The purpose of the district improvement plan is to guide district and campus staff in the improvement of student performance for all student groups in order to attain state standards in respect to the achievement indicators adopted under Section 39.053(c).   The district improvement plan must include provisions for:     
. . .     
    (3)  strategies for improvement of student performance that include:        
      . . .       
       (G)  career education to assist students in developing the knowledge, skills, and competencies necessary for a broad range of career opportunities;   
. . . 


Last Amended:  86th Leg., R.S., Ch. 352 (H.B. 18), Sec. 1.02, eff. June 2, 2019
86th Leg., R.S., Ch. 464 (S.B. 11), Sec. 2, eff. June 6, 2019

Texas Education Code § 11.252. District-Level Planning and Decision Making.      

(a)  Each school district shall have a district improvement plan that is developed, evaluated, and revised annually, in accordance with district policy, by the superintendent with the assistance of the district-level committee established under Section 11.251.   The purpose of the district improvement plan is to guide district and campus staff in the improvement of student performance for all student groups in order to attain state standards in respect to the achievement indicators adopted under Section 39.053(c).   The district improvement plan must include provisions for:     
. . .   
    (3)  strategies for improvement of student performance that include:        
       . . . 
      (H)  accelerated education; and
. . . 


Last Amended:  86th Leg., R.S., Ch. 352 (H.B. 18), Sec. 1.02, eff. June 2, 2019
86th Leg., R.S., Ch. 464 (S.B. 11), Sec. 2, eff. June 6, 2019

Texas Education Code § 11.252. District-Level Planning and Decision Making.      

(a)  Each school district shall have a district improvement plan that is developed, evaluated, and revised annually, in accordance with district policy, by the superintendent with the assistance of the district-level committee established under Section 11.251.   The purpose of the district improvement plan is to guide district and campus staff in the improvement of student performance for all student groups in order to attain state standards in respect to the achievement indicators adopted under Section 39.053(c).   The district improvement plan must include provisions for:     
. . . 
    (3)  strategies for improvement of student performance that include:        
. . . 
      (I)   implementation of a comprehensive school counseling program under Section 33.005;      
. . . 


Last Amended:  86th Leg., R.S., Ch. 352 (H.B. 18), Sec. 1.02, eff. June 2, 2019
86th Leg., R.S., Ch. 464 (S.B. 11), Sec. 2, eff. June 6, 2019

Texas Education Code § 33.005.  Comprehensive School Counseling Programs.

(a)  A school counselor shall work with the school faculty and staff, students, parents, and the community to plan, implement, and evaluate a comprehensive school counseling program that conforms to the most recent edition of the Texas Model for Comprehensive School Counseling Programs developed by the Texas Counseling Association.  

(b)  The school counselor shall design the program to include:
(1)  a guidance curriculum to help students develop their full educational potential, including the student's interests and career objectives;
(2)  a responsive services component to intervene on behalf of any student whose immediate personal concerns or problems put the student's continued educational, career, personal, or social development at risk;
(3)  an individual planning system to guide a student as the student plans, monitors, and manages the student's own educational, career, personal, and social development; and
(4)  system support to support the efforts of teachers, staff, parents, and other members of the community in promoting the educational, career, personal, and social development of students.


Last Amended:  86th Leg., R.S., Ch. 352 (H.B. 18), Sec. 1.11, eff. June 2, 2019
Entered:  Aug. 6, 2019

Texas Education Code § 11.252. District-Level Planning and Decision Making.      

(a)  Each school district shall have a district improvement plan that is developed, evaluated, and revised annually, in accordance with district policy, by the superintendent with the assistance of the district-level committee established under Section 11.251.   The purpose of the district improvement plan is to guide district and campus staff in the improvement of student performance for all student groups in order to attain state standards in respect to the achievement indicators adopted under Section 39.053(c).   The district improvement plan must include provisions for:     
. . .    
    (4)  strategies for providing to elementary school, middle school, junior high school, and high school students, those students' teachers and school counselors, and those students' parents information about:        
       (A)  higher education admissions and financial aid opportunities, including state financial aid opportunities such as the TEXAS grant program and the Teach for Texas grant program established under Chapter 56;        
       (B)  the need for students to make informed curriculum choices to be prepared for success beyond high school; and       
       (C)  sources of information on higher education admissions and financial aid;     
. . . 


Last Amended:  86th Leg., R.S., Ch. 352 (H.B. 18), Sec. 1.02, eff. June 2, 2019
86th Leg., R.S., Ch. 464 (S.B. 11), Sec. 2, eff. June 6, 2019

Texas Education Code § 11.252. District-Level Planning and Decision Making.      

(a)  Each school district shall have a district improvement plan that is developed, evaluated, and revised annually, in accordance with district policy, by the superintendent with the assistance of the district-level committee established under Section 11.251.   The purpose of the district improvement plan is to guide district and campus staff in the improvement of student performance for all student groups in order to attain state standards in respect to the achievement indicators adopted under Section 39.053(c).   The district improvement plan must include provisions for:     
. . .   
    (4)  strategies for providing to elementary school, middle school, junior high school, and high school students, those students' teachers and school counselors, and those students' parents information about:        
       (A)  higher education admissions and financial aid opportunities, including state financial aid opportunities such as the TEXAS grant program and the Teach for Texas grant program established under Chapter 56;        
. . . 


Last Amended:  86th Leg., R.S., Ch. 352 (H.B. 18), Sec. 1.02, eff. June 2, 2019
86th Leg., R.S., Ch. 464 (S.B. 11), Sec. 2, eff. June 6, 2019

Entered:  June 16, 2019

Texas Education Code § 11.252. District-Level Planning and Decision Making.      

(a)  Each school district shall have a district improvement plan that is developed, evaluated, and revised annually, in accordance with district policy, by the superintendent with the assistance of the district-level committee established under Section 11.251.   The purpose of the district improvement plan is to guide district and campus staff in the improvement of student performance for all student groups in order to attain state standards in respect to the achievement indicators adopted under Section 39.053(c).   The district improvement plan must include provisions for:     
. . .      
    (4)  strategies for providing to elementary school, middle school, junior high school, and high school students, those students' teachers and school counselors, and those students' parents information about:        
       . . .        
       (B)  the need for students to make informed curriculum choices to be prepared for success beyond high school; and       
. . . 


Last Amended:  86th Leg., R.S., Ch. 352 (H.B. 18), Sec. 1.02, eff. June 2, 2019
86th Leg., R.S., Ch. 464 (S.B. 11), Sec. 2, eff. June 6, 2019

Entered:  June 16, 2019

Texas Education Code § 11.252. District-Level Planning and Decision Making.      

(a)  Each school district shall have a district improvement plan that is developed, evaluated, and revised annually, in accordance with district policy, by the superintendent with the assistance of the district-level committee established under Section 11.251.   The purpose of the district improvement plan is to guide district and campus staff in the improvement of student performance for all student groups in order to attain state standards in respect to the achievement indicators adopted under Section 39.053(c).   The district improvement plan must include provisions for:     
. . .      
    (4)  strategies for providing to elementary school, middle school, junior high school, and high school students, those students' teachers and school counselors, and those students' parents information about:        
. . .  
       (C)  sources of information on higher education admissions and financial aid;     
. . . 


Last Amended:  86th Leg., R.S., Ch. 352 (H.B. 18), Sec. 1.02, eff. June 2, 2019
86th Leg., R.S., Ch. 464 (S.B. 11), Sec. 2, eff. June 6, 2019

Entered:  June 16, 2019

Texas Education Code § 11.252. District-Level Planning and Decision Making.      

(a)  Each school district shall have a district improvement plan that is developed, evaluated, and revised annually, in accordance with district policy, by the superintendent with the assistance of the district-level committee established under Section 11.251.   The purpose of the district improvement plan is to guide district and campus staff in the improvement of student performance for all student groups in order to attain state standards in respect to the achievement indicators adopted under Section 39.053(c).   The district improvement plan must include provisions for:     
. . .  
    (5)  resources needed to implement identified strategies;     
. . . 


Last Amended:  86th Leg., R.S., Ch. 352 (H.B. 18), Sec. 1.02, eff. June 2, 2019
86th Leg., R.S., Ch. 464 (S.B. 11), Sec. 2, eff. June 6, 2019

Entered:  June 16, 2019

Texas Education Code § 11.252. District-Level Planning and Decision Making.      

(a)  Each school district shall have a district improvement plan that is developed, evaluated, and revised annually, in accordance with district policy, by the superintendent with the assistance of the district-level committee established under Section 11.251.   The purpose of the district improvement plan is to guide district and campus staff in the improvement of student performance for all student groups in order to attain state standards in respect to the achievement indicators adopted under Section 39.053(c).   The district improvement plan must include provisions for:     
. . .   
    (6)  staff responsible for ensuring the accomplishment of each strategy;     
. . . 


Last Amended:  86th Leg., R.S., Ch. 352 (H.B. 18), Sec. 1.02, eff. June 2, 2019
86th Leg., R.S., Ch. 464 (S.B. 11), Sec. 2, eff. June 6, 2019

Entered:  June 16, 2019

Texas Education Code § 11.252. District-Level Planning and Decision Making.      

(a)  Each school district shall have a district improvement plan that is developed, evaluated, and revised annually, in accordance with district policy, by the superintendent with the assistance of the district-level committee established under Section 11.251.   The purpose of the district improvement plan is to guide district and campus staff in the improvement of student performance for all student groups in order to attain state standards in respect to the achievement indicators adopted under Section 39.053(c).   The district improvement plan must include provisions for:     
. . .    
    (7)  timelines for ongoing monitoring of the implementation of each improvement strategy;   
. . . 


Last Amended:  86th Leg., R.S., Ch. 352 (H.B. 18), Sec. 1.02, eff. June 2, 2019
86th Leg., R.S., Ch. 464 (S.B. 11), Sec. 2, eff. June 6, 2019

Entered:  June 16, 2019

Texas Education Code § 11.252. District-Level Planning and Decision Making.      

(a)  Each school district shall have a district improvement plan that is developed, evaluated, and revised annually, in accordance with district policy, by the superintendent with the assistance of the district-level committee established under Section 11.251.   The purpose of the district improvement plan is to guide district and campus staff in the improvement of student performance for all student groups in order to attain state standards in respect to the achievement indicators adopted under Section 39.053(c).   The district improvement plan must include provisions for:     
. . .   
    (8)  formative evaluation criteria for determining periodically whether strategies are resulting in intended improvement of student performance ; and    
. . . 


Last Amended:  86th Leg., R.S., Ch. 352 (H.B. 18), Sec. 1.02, eff. June 2, 2019
86th Leg., R.S., Ch. 464 (S.B. 11), Sec. 2, eff. June 6, 2019

Entered:  June 16, 2019

Texas Education Code § 11.252. District-Level Planning and Decision Making.      

(a)  Each school district shall have a district improvement plan that is developed, evaluated, and revised annually, in accordance with district policy, by the superintendent with the assistance of the district-level committee established under Section 11.251.   The purpose of the district improvement plan is to guide district and campus staff in the improvement of student performance for all student groups in order to attain state standards in respect to the achievement indicators adopted under Section 39.053(c).   The district improvement plan must include provisions for:     
. . . 
    (9)  the policy under Section 38.0041 addressing sexual abuse and other maltreatment of children. 
. . . 


Last Amended:  86th Leg., R.S., Ch. 352 (H.B. 18), Sec. 1.02, eff. June 2, 2019
86th Leg., R.S., Ch. 464 (S.B. 11), Sec. 2, eff. June 6, 2019

Texas Education Code § 38.0041. Policies Addressing Sexual Abuse and Other Maltreatment of Children.


(a)  Each school district and open-enrollment charter school shall adopt and implement a policy addressing sexual abuse, sex trafficking, and other maltreatment of children, to be included in the district improvement plan under Section 11.252 and any informational handbook provided to students and parents. 

(a-1)  A school district may collaborate with local law enforcement and outside consultants with expertise in the prevention of sexual abuse and sex trafficking to create the policy required under Subsection (a), and to create a referral protocol for high-risk students. 

(b)  A policy required by this section must address: 
(1)  methods for increasing staff, student, and parent awareness of issues regarding sexual abuse, sex trafficking, and other maltreatment of children, including prevention techniques and knowledge of likely warning signs indicating that a child may be a victim of sexual abuse, sex trafficking, or other maltreatment, using resources developed by the agency or the commissioner regarding those issues, including resources developed by the agency under Section 38.004; 
(2)  actions that a child who is a victim of sexual abuse, sex trafficking, or other maltreatment should take to obtain assistance and intervention; and 
(3)  available counseling options for students affected by sexual abuse, sex trafficking, or other maltreatment. 

(c)  The methods under Subsection (b)(1) for increasing awareness of issues regarding sexual abuse, sex trafficking, and other maltreatment of children must include training, as provided by this subsection, concerning prevention techniques for and recognition of sexual abuse, sex trafficking, and all other maltreatment of children, including the sexual abuse, sex trafficking, and other maltreatment of children with significant cognitive disabilities. The training: 
(1)  must be provided:
(A)  in accordance with the policy adopted under Section 21.4515; and
(B)  as part of a new employee orientation to all new school district and open-enrollment charter school employees; and
(2)  must include training concerning: 
(A)  factors indicating a child is at risk for sexual abuse, sex trafficking, or other maltreatment; 
(B)  likely warning signs indicating a child may be a victim of sexual abuse, sex trafficking, or other maltreatment; 
(C)  internal procedures for seeking assistance for a child who is at risk for sexual abuse, sex trafficking, or other maltreatment, including referral to a school counselor, a social worker, or another mental health professional; 
(D)  techniques for reducing a child’s risk of sexual abuse, sex trafficking, or other maltreatment; and 
(E)  community organizations that have relevant existing research-based programs that are able to provide training or other education for school district or open-enrollment charter school staff members, students, and parents.
(d)  For any training under Subsection (c), each school district and open-enrollment charter school shall maintain records that include the district or charter school staff members who participated in the training.
(e)  If a school district or open-enrollment charter school determines that the district or charter school does not have sufficient resources to provide the training required under Subsection (c), the district or charter school shall work in conjunction with a community organization to provide the training at no cost to the district or charter school.
(f)  The training under Subsection (c) may be included in staff development under Section 21.451.
(g)  A school district or open-enrollment charter school employee may not be subject to any disciplinary proceeding, as defined by Section 22.0512(b), resulting from an action taken in compliance with this section.  The requirements of this section are considered to involve an employee's judgment and discretion and are not considered ministerial acts for purposes of immunity from liability under Section 22.0511.  Nothing in this section may be considered to limit the immunity from liability provided under Section 22.0511.
(h)  For purposes of this section, "other maltreatment" has the meaning assigned by Section 42.002, Human Resources Code.


Last Amended:  86th Leg., R.S., Ch. 303 (H.B. 111), Sec. 1, eff. May 31, 2019
        87th Leg., R.S, Ch. 1045 (S.B. 1267), Sec. 17, eff. June 18, 2021
Entered:  October 19, 2021

Texas Education Code § 11.252. District-Level Planning and Decision Making.      

(a)  Each school district shall have a district improvement plan that is developed, evaluated, and revised annually, in accordance with district policy, by the superintendent with the assistance of the district-level committee established under Section 11.251.   The purpose of the district improvement plan is to guide district and campus staff in the improvement of student performance for all student groups in order to attain state standards in respect to the achievement indicators adopted under Section 39.053(c).   The district improvement plan must include provisions for:     
. . .  
   (10) the trauma-informed care policy required under Section 38.036.
. . . 


Last Amended:  86th Leg., R.S., Ch. 352 (H.B. 18), Sec. 1.02, eff. June 2, 2019
86th Leg., R.S., Ch. 464 (S.B. 11), Sec. 2, eff. June 6, 2019

Texas Education Code § 38.036. Trauma-Informed Care Policy. 

(a)  Each school district shall adopt and implement a policy requiring the integration of trauma-informed practices in each school environment.  A district must include the policy in the district improvement plan required under Section 11.252.

(b)  A policy required by this section must address:
(1)  using resources developed by the agency, methods for:
(A)  increasing staff and parent awareness of trauma-informed care; and
(B)  implementation of trauma-informed practices and care by district and campus staff; and
(2)  available counseling options for students affected by trauma or grief.

(c)  The methods under Subsection (b)(1) for increasing awareness and implementation of trauma-informed care must include training as provided by this subsection.  The training must:
(1)  be provided:
(A)  through a program selected from the list of recommended best practice-based programs and research-based practices established under Section 38.351;
(B)  in accordance with the policy adopted under Section 21.4515; and
(C)  as part of any new employee orientation for all new school district educators; and
(2)  address how grief and trauma affect student learning and behavior and how evidence-based, grief-informed, and trauma-informed strategies support the academic success of students affected by grief and trauma.

(c-1)  The training under Subsection (c) may include two or more listed topics together.

(d)  For any training under Subsection (c), each school district shall maintain records that include the district staff members who participated in the training.

(e)  Repealed by Acts 2021, 87th Leg., R.S., Ch. 1045 (S.B. 1267), Sec. 24(11), eff. June 18, 2021.

(f)  If a school district determines that the district does not have sufficient resources to provide the training required under Subsection (c), the district may partner with a community mental health organization to provide training that meets the requirements of Subsection (c) at no cost to the district.

(g)  The commissioner shall adopt rules as necessary to administer this section.


Last Amended:          86th Leg., R.S., Ch. 464 (S.B. 11), Sec. 18, eff. June 6, 2019
87th Leg., R.S., Ch. 915 (H.B. 3607), Sec. 5.012, eff. September 1, 2021
87th Leg., R.S., Ch. 1045 (S.B. 1267), Sec. 19, eff. June 18, 2021
87th Leg., R.S., Ch. 1045 (S.B. 1267), Sec. 24(11), eff. June 18, 2021
Entered:  October 20, 2021

Texas Education Code § 11.252. District-Level Planning and Decision Making.      

. . . 
(d)  At least every two years, each district shall evaluate the effectiveness of the district's decision-making and planning policies, procedures, and staff development activities related to district- and campus-level decision-making and planning to ensure that they are effectively structured to positively impact student performance. 
. . . 


Last Amended:  86th Leg., R.S., Ch. 352 (H.B. 18), Sec. 1.02, eff. June 2, 2019
86th Leg., R.S., Ch. 464 (S.B. 11), Sec. 2, eff. June 6, 2019

Entered:  June 16, 2019

Texas Education Code § 11.252. District-Level Planning and Decision Making.      

. . . 
(e)  The district-level committee established under Section 11.251 shall hold at least one public meeting per year.  The required meeting shall be held after receipt of the annual district performance report from the agency for the purpose of discussing the performance of the district and the district performance objectives.  District policy and procedures must be established to ensure that systematic communications measures are in place to periodically obtain broad-based community, parent, and staff input and to provide information to those persons regarding the recommendations of the district-level committee.  This section does not create a new cause of action or require collective bargaining. 
. . . 


Last Amended:  86th Leg., R.S., Ch. 352 (H.B. 18), Sec. 1.02, eff. June 2, 2019
86th Leg., R.S., Ch. 464 (S.B. 11), Sec. 2, eff. June 6, 2019

Entered:  June 16, 2019

Texas Education Code § 11.251. Planning and Decision-Making Process.  

(a)  The board of trustees of each independent school district shall ensure that a district improvement plan and improvement plans for each campus are developed, reviewed, and revised annually for the purpose of improving the performance of all students.  The board shall annually approve district and campus performance objectives and shall ensure that the district and campus plans:     
   (1)  are mutually supportive to accomplish the identified objectives;  and      
   (2)  at a minimum, support the state goals and objectives under Chapter 4. 

(b)  The board shall adopt a policy to establish a district- and campus-level planning and decision-making process that will involve the professional staff of the district, parents, and community members in establishing and reviewing the district's and campuses' educational plans, goals, performance objectives, and major classroom instructional programs.   The board shall establish a procedure under which meetings are held regularly by district- and campus-level planning and decision-making committees that include representative professional staff, including, if practicable, at least one representative with the primary responsibility for educating students with disabilities, parents of students enrolled in the district, business representatives, and community members.   The committees shall include a business representative without regard to whether the representative resides in the district or whether the business the person represents is located in the district.   The board, or the board's designee, shall periodically meet with the district-level committee to review the district-level committee's deliberations.

(c)  For purposes of establishing the composition of committees under this section:     
   (1)  a person who stands in parental relation to a student is considered a parent;     
   (2)  a parent who is an employee of the school district is not considered a parent representative on the committee;     
   (3)  a parent is not considered a representative of community members on the committee;  and     
   (4)  community members must reside in the district and must be at least 18 years of age.

(d)  The board shall also ensure that an administrative procedure is provided to clearly define the respective roles and responsibilities of the superintendent, central office staff, principals, teachers, district-level committee members, and campus-level committee members in the areas of planning, budgeting, curriculum, staffing patterns, staff development, and school organization.  The board shall ensure that the district-level planning and decision-making committee will be actively involved in establishing the administrative procedure that defines the respective roles and responsibilities pertaining to planning and decision-making at the district and campus levels.

(e)  The board shall adopt a procedure, consistent with Section 21.407(a), for the professional staff in the district to nominate and elect the professional staff representatives who shall meet with the board or the board designee as required under this section.   At least two-thirds of the elected professional staff representatives must be classroom teachers.   The remaining staff representatives shall include both campus- and district-level professional staff members.   If practicable, the committee membership shall include at least one professional staff representative with the primary responsibility for educating students with disabilities.   Board policy must provide procedures for: 
   (1)  the selection of parents to the district-level and campus-level committees; and 
   (2)  the selection of community members and business representatives to serve on the district-level committee in a manner that provides for appropriate representation of the community's diversity.

(f)  The district policy must provide that all pertinent federal planning requirements are addressed through the district- and campus-level planning process.

(g)  This section does not:                                                        
   (1)  prohibit the board from conducting meetings with teachers or groups of teachers other than the meetings described by this section;     
   (2)  prohibit the board from establishing policies providing avenues for input from others, including students or paraprofessional staff, in district- or campus-level planning and decision-making;     
   (3)  limit or affect the power of the board to govern the public schools;  or     
   (4)  create a new cause of action or require collective bargaining.        


Last Amended: 82nd Leg., R.S., Ch. 626, Sec.1, eff. Sept. 1, 2011
Entered:  July 22, 2011

Texas Education Code § 11.252. District-Level Planning and Decision Making.      

. . . 
(e)  The district-level committee established under Section 11.251 shall hold at least one public meeting per year.  The required meeting shall be held after receipt of the annual district performance report from the agency for the purpose of discussing the performance of the district and the district performance objectives.  District policy and procedures must be established to ensure that systematic communications measures are in place to periodically obtain broad-based community, parent, and staff input and to provide information to those persons regarding the recommendations of the district-level committee.  This section does not create a new cause of action or require collective bargaining. 
. . . 


Last Amended:  86th Leg., R.S., Ch. 352 (H.B. 18), Sec. 1.02, eff. June 2, 2019
86th Leg., R.S., Ch. 464 (S.B. 11), Sec. 2, eff. June 6, 2019

Entered:  June 16, 2019

Texas Education Code § 11.252. District-Level Planning and Decision Making.      

. . . 
(f)  A superintendent shall regularly consult the district-level committee in the planning, operation, supervision, and evaluation of the district educational program. 


Last Amended:  86th Leg., R.S., Ch. 352 (H.B. 18), Sec. 1.02, eff. June 2, 2019
86th Leg., R.S., Ch. 464 (S.B. 11), Sec. 2, eff. June 6, 2019

Entered:  June 16, 2019

Texas Education Code § 11.253. Campus Planning and Site-Based Decision-Making. 

(a) Each school district shall maintain current policies and procedures to ensure that effective planning and site-based decision-making occur at each campus to direct and support the improvement of student performance for all students. 
. . . 
 

Last Amended: 85th Leg., R.S., Ch. 807 (H.B. 22), Sec. 2, eff. June 15, 2017 
Entered:  Aug. 2, 2017

Texas Education Code § 11.253. Campus Planning and Site-Based Decision-Making. 

. . . 
(b) Each district's policy and procedures shall establish campus-level planning and decision-making committees as provided for through the procedures provided by Sections 11.251(b)-(e). 
. . . 


Last Amended: 85th Leg., R.S., Ch. 807 (H.B. 22), Sec. 2, eff. June 15, 2017 
Entered:  Aug. 2, 2017

Texas Education Code § 11.251. Planning and Decision-Making Process.  

(a)  The board of trustees of each independent school district shall ensure that a district improvement plan and improvement plans for each campus are developed, reviewed, and revised annually for the purpose of improving the performance of all students.  The board shall annually approve district and campus performance objectives and shall ensure that the district and campus plans:     
   (1)  are mutually supportive to accomplish the identified objectives;  and      
   (2)  at a minimum, support the state goals and objectives under Chapter 4. 

(b)  The board shall adopt a policy to establish a district- and campus-level planning and decision-making process that will involve the professional staff of the district, parents, and community members in establishing and reviewing the district's and campuses' educational plans, goals, performance objectives, and major classroom instructional programs.   The board shall establish a procedure under which meetings are held regularly by district- and campus-level planning and decision-making committees that include representative professional staff, including, if practicable, at least one representative with the primary responsibility for educating students with disabilities, parents of students enrolled in the district, business representatives, and community members.   The committees shall include a business representative without regard to whether the representative resides in the district or whether the business the person represents is located in the district.   The board, or the board's designee, shall periodically meet with the district-level committee to review the district-level committee's deliberations.

(c)  For purposes of establishing the composition of committees under this section:     
   (1)  a person who stands in parental relation to a student is considered a parent;     
   (2)  a parent who is an employee of the school district is not considered a parent representative on the committee;     
   (3)  a parent is not considered a representative of community members on the committee;  and     
   (4)  community members must reside in the district and must be at least 18 years of age.

(d)  The board shall also ensure that an administrative procedure is provided to clearly define the respective roles and responsibilities of the superintendent, central office staff, principals, teachers, district-level committee members, and campus-level committee members in the areas of planning, budgeting, curriculum, staffing patterns, staff development, and school organization.  The board shall ensure that the district-level planning and decision-making committee will be actively involved in establishing the administrative procedure that defines the respective roles and responsibilities pertaining to planning and decision-making at the district and campus levels.

(e)  The board shall adopt a procedure, consistent with Section 21.407(a), for the professional staff in the district to nominate and elect the professional staff representatives who shall meet with the board or the board designee as required under this section.   At least two-thirds of the elected professional staff representatives must be classroom teachers.   The remaining staff representatives shall include both campus- and district-level professional staff members.   If practicable, the committee membership shall include at least one professional staff representative with the primary responsibility for educating students with disabilities.   Board policy must provide procedures for: 
   (1)  the selection of parents to the district-level and campus-level committees; and 
   (2)  the selection of community members and business representatives to serve on the district-level committee in a manner that provides for appropriate representation of the community's diversity.

(f)  The district policy must provide that all pertinent federal planning requirements are addressed through the district- and campus-level planning process.

(g)  This section does not:                                                        
   (1)  prohibit the board from conducting meetings with teachers or groups of teachers other than the meetings described by this section;     
   (2)  prohibit the board from establishing policies providing avenues for input from others, including students or paraprofessional staff, in district- or campus-level planning and decision-making;     
   (3)  limit or affect the power of the board to govern the public schools;  or     
   (4)  create a new cause of action or require collective bargaining.        


Last Amended: 82nd Leg., R.S., Ch. 626, Sec.1, eff. Sept. 1, 2011
Entered:  July 22, 2011

Texas Education Code § 11.253. Campus Planning and Site-Based Decision-Making. 

. . . 
(c)  Each school year, the principal of each school campus, with the assistance of the campus-level committee, shall develop, review, and revise the campus improvement plan for the purpose of improving student performance for all student populations, including students in special education programs under Subchapter A, Chapter 29, with respect to the achievement indicators adopted under Sections 39.053(c) and any other appropriate performance measures for special needs populations. 
. . . 


Last Amended: 85th Leg., R.S., Ch. 807 (H.B. 22), Sec. 2, eff. June 15, 2017 
Entered:  Aug. 2, 2017

Texas Education Code § 39.053. Performance Indicators: Achievement.     

(a)  The commissioner shall adopt a set of indicators of the quality of learning and achievement, including the indicators under Subsection (c).  The commissioner periodically shall review the indicators for the consideration of appropriate revisions.

(a-1)  The indicators adopted by the commissioner under Subsection (a) must measure and evaluate school districts and campuses with respect to:
(1)  improving student preparedness for success in:
(A)  subsequent grade levels; and
(B)  entering the workforce, the military, or postsecondary education;
(2)  reducing, with the goal of eliminating, student academic achievement differentials among students from different racial and ethnic groups and socioeconomic backgrounds; and
(3)  informing parents and the community regarding campus and district performance.

(b)  Performance on the achievement indicators adopted under Subsection (c) shall be compared to state-established standards.  The indicators must be based on information that is disaggregated by race, ethnicity, and socioeconomic status.

(c)  School districts and campuses must be evaluated based on three domains of indicators of achievement adopted under this section that include:
(1)  in the student achievement domain, indicators of student achievement that must include:
(A)  for evaluating the performance of districts and campuses generally:
    (i)  an indicator that accounts for the results of assessment instruments required under Sections 39.023(a), (c), and (l), as applicable for the district and campus, including the results of assessment instruments required for graduation retaken by a student, aggregated across grade levels by subject area, including:
(a)  for the performance standard determined by the commissioner under Section 39.0241(a), the percentage of students who performed satisfactorily on the assessment instruments, aggregated across grade levels by subject area; and
(b)  for the college readiness performance standard as determined under Section 39.0241, the percentage of students who performed satisfactorily on the assessment instruments, aggregated across grade levels by subject area; and
   (ii)  an indicator that accounts for the results of assessment instruments required under Section 39.023(b), as applicable for the district and campus, including the percentage of students who performed satisfactorily on the assessment instruments, as determined by the performance standard adopted by the agency, aggregated across grade levels by subject area; and
(B)  for evaluating the performance of high school campuses and districts that include high school campuses, indicators that account for:
   (i)  students who satisfy the Texas Success Initiative (TSI) college readiness benchmarks prescribed by the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board under Section 51.334 on an assessment instrument in reading or mathematics designated by the coordinating board under that section;
  (ii)  students who satisfy relevant performance standards on advanced placement tests or similar assessments;
    (iii)  students who earn dual course credits in the dual credit courses;
  (iv)  students who enlist in the armed forces of the United States or the Texas National Guard;
  (v)  students who earn industry certifications;
  (vi)  students admitted into postsecondary industry certification programs that require as a prerequisite for entrance successful performance at the secondary level;
  (vii)  students whose successful completion of a course or courses under Section 28.014 indicates the student's preparation to enroll and succeed, without remediation, in an entry-level general education course for a baccalaureate degree or associate degree;
  (viii)  students who successfully met standards on a composite of indicators that through research indicates the student's preparation to enroll and succeed, without remediation, in an entry-level general education course for a baccalaureate degree or associate degree;
  (ix)  high school graduation rates, computed in accordance with standards and definitions adopted in compliance with the Every Student Succeeds Act (20 U.S.C. Section 6301 et seq.) subject to the exclusions provided by Subsections (g), (g-1), (g-2), (g-3), and (g-4);
  (x)  students who successfully completed an OnRamps dual enrollment course;
  (xi)  students who successfully completed a practicum or internship approved by the State Board of Education;
  (xii)  students who are awarded an associate degree; and
  (xiii)  students who successfully completed a program of study in career and technical education;
(2)  in the school progress domain, indicators for effectiveness in promoting student learning, which must include:
(A)  for assessment instruments, including assessment instruments under Subdivisions (1)(A)(i) and (ii), the percentage of students who met the standard for improvement, as determined by the commissioner; and
(B)  for evaluating relative performance, the performance of districts and campuses compared to similar districts or campuses; and
(3)  in the closing the gaps domain, the use of disaggregated data to demonstrate the differentials among students from different racial and ethnic groups, socioeconomic backgrounds, and other factors, including:
(A)  students formerly receiving special education services;
(B)  students continuously enrolled; and
(C)  students who are mobile.

(c-1)  An indicator adopted under Subsection (c) that would measure improvements in student achievement cannot negatively affect the commissioner's review of a school district or campus if that district or campus is already achieving at the highest level for that indicator.

(c-2)  The commissioner by rule shall determine a method by which a student's performance may be included in determining the performance rating of a school district or campus under Section 39.054 if, before the student graduates, the student:
(1)  satisfies the Texas Success Initiative (TSI) college readiness benchmarks prescribed by the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board under Section 51.334 on an assessment instrument designated by the coordinating board under that section; or
(2)  performs satisfactorily on an assessment instrument under Section 39.023(c), notwithstanding Subsection (d) of this section.

(c-3)  Any standard for improvement determined by the  commissioner as described by Subsection (c)(2)(A) must allow for appropriately crediting a student for growth if the student performs at the highest achievement standard in the previous and current school year.

(d)  For purposes of Subsection (c), the commissioner by rule shall determine the period within which a student must retake an assessment instrument for that assessment instrument to be considered in determining the performance rating of the district under Section 39.054.

(d-1)  In aggregating results of assessment instruments across grade levels by subject in accordance with Subsection (c)(1)(A)(i), the performance of a student enrolled below the high school level on an assessment instrument required under Section 39.023(c) is included with results relating to other students enrolled at the same grade level.

(e)  For purposes of Subsection (c)(3)(A), a student formerly receiving special education services means a student whose enrollment information:
(1)  for the preceding school year, as reported through the Public Education Information Management System (PEIMS), indicates the student was enrolled at the campus and was participating in a special education program; and
(2)  for the current school year, as reported through the Public Education Information Management System (PEIMS) and as reported on assessment instruments administered to the student under Section 39.023, indicates the student is enrolled at the campus and is not participating in a special education program.

(f)  Annually, the commissioner shall define the state standard for the current school year for each achievement indicator adopted under this section.  In consultation with educators, parents, and business and industry representatives, as necessary, the commissioner shall establish and modify standards to continuously improve student performance to achieve the goals of eliminating achievement gaps based on race, ethnicity, and socioeconomic status and to ensure this state is a national leader in preparing students for postsecondary success.

(g)  In computing dropout and completion rates such as high school graduation rates under Subsection (c)(1)(B)(ix), the commissioner may not consider as a dropout a student whose failure to attend school results from:
(1)  the student's expulsion under Section 37.007; and
(2)  as applicable:
(A)  adjudication as having engaged in delinquent conduct or conduct indicating a need for supervision, as defined by Section 51.03, Family Code; or
(B)  conviction of and sentencing for an offense under the Penal Code.

(g-1)  In computing dropout and completion rates such as high school graduation rates under Subsection (c)(1)(B)(ix), the commissioner shall exclude:
(1)  students who are ordered by a court to attend a high school equivalency certificate program but who have not yet earned a high school equivalency certificate;
(2)  students who were previously reported to the state as dropouts, including a student who is reported as a dropout, reenrolls, and drops out again, regardless of the number of times of reenrollment and dropping out;
(3)  students in attendance who are not in membership for purposes of average daily attendance;
(4)  students whose initial enrollment in a school in the United States in grades 7 through 12 was as an unschooled asylee or refugee as defined by Section 39.027(a-1);
(5)  students who are detained at a county pre-adjudication or post-adjudication juvenile detention facility and:
(A)  in the district exclusively as a function of having been detained at the facility but are otherwise not students of the district in which the facility is located; or
(B)  provided services by an open-enrollment charter school exclusively as the result of having been detained at the facility;
(6)  students who are incarcerated in state jails and federal penitentiaries as adults and as persons certified to stand trial as adults; and
(7)  students who have suffered a condition, injury, or illness that requires substantial medical care and leaves the student:
(A)  unable to attend school; and
(B)  assigned to a medical or residential treatment facility.

(g-2)  In computing completion rates such as high school graduation rates under Subsection (c)(1)(B)(ix), the commissioner shall exclude students who:
(1)  are at least 18 years of age as of September 1 of the school year as reported for the fall semester Public Education Information Management System (PEIMS) submission and have satisfied the credit requirements for high school graduation;
(2)  have not completed their individualized education program under 19 T.A.C. Section 89.1070(b)(2) and the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (20 U.S.C. Section 1400 et seq.); and
(3)  are enrolled and receiving individualized education program services.

(g-3) In the computation of dropout and completion rates such as high school graduation rates under Subsection (c)(1)(B)(ix), a student who is released from a juvenile pre-adjudication secure detention facility or juvenile post-adjudication secure correctional facility and fails to enroll in school or a student who leaves a residential treatment center after receiving treatment for fewer than 85 days and fails to enroll in school may not be considered to have dropped out from the school district or campus serving the facility or center unless that district or campus is the one to which the student is regularly assigned.  The agency may not limit an appeal relating to dropout computations under this subsection. 

(g-4)  For purposes of the computation of dropout and completion rates such as high school graduation rates under Subsection (c)(1)(B)(ix), the commissioner shall exclude a student who was reported as having dropped out of school under Section 48.009(b-4), and the student may not be considered to have dropped out from the school district or campus in which the student was last enrolled.

(h)  Each school district shall cooperate with the agency in determining whether a student is a dropout for purposes of accreditation and evaluating performance by school districts and campuses under this chapter.

(i)  Each school district shall submit the data required for the indicators adopted under this section to the commissioner.


Last Amended: 86th Leg., R.S., Ch. 467 (H.B. 4170), Sec. 5.022, eff. September 1, 2019 86th Leg., R.S., Ch. 467 (H.B. 4170), Sec. 5.023, eff. September 1, 2019 86th Leg., R.S., Ch. 719 (H.B. 330), Sec. 1, eff. June 10, 2019 86th Leg., R.S., Ch. 1060 (H.B. 1051), Sec. 6, eff. June 14, 2019 87th Leg., R.S., Ch. 150 (H.B. 773), Sec. 1, eff. May 28, 2021 87th Leg., R.S., Ch. 205 (H.B. 1147), Sec. 1, eff. September 1, 2021 87th Leg., R.S., Ch. 806 (H.B. 1525), Sec. 18, eff. September 1, 2021 87th Leg., R.S., Ch. 915 (H.B. 3607), Sec. 5.019(b), eff. September 1, 2021
Entered: October 22, 2021

Texas Education Code § 11.253. Campus Planning and Site-Based Decision-Making. 

. . . 
(d)  Each campus improvement plan must: 
    (1)  assess the academic achievement for each student in the school using the achievement indicator system as described by Section 39.053; 
    (2)  set the campus performance objectives based on the achievement indicator system, including objectives for special needs populations, including students in special education programs under Subchapter A, Chapter 29; 
    (3)  identify how the campus goals will be met for each student; 
    (4)  determine the resources needed to implement the plan; 
    (5)  identify staff needed to implement the plan; 
    (6)  set timelines for reaching the goals; 
    (7)  measure progress toward the performance objectives periodically to ensure that the plan is resulting in academic improvement; 
    (8)  include goals and methods for violence prevention and intervention on campus; 
    (9)  provide for a program to encourage parental involvement at the campus ; and 
    (10)  if the campus is an elementary, middle, or junior high school, set goals and objectives for the coordinated health program at the campus based on: 
       (A)  student fitness assessment data, including any data from research-based assessments such as the school health index assessment and planning tool created by the federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention; 
       (B)  student academic performance data; 
       (C)  student attendance rates; 
       (D)  the percentage of students who are educationally disadvantaged; 
       (E)  the use and success of any method to ensure that students participate in moderate to vigorous physical activity as required by Section 28.002(l); and 
       (F)  any other indicator recommended by the local school health advisory council . 
. . . 


Last Amended: 85th Leg., R.S., Ch. 807 (H.B. 22), Sec. 2, eff. June 15, 2017 
Entered:  Aug. 2, 2017

Texas Education Code § 11.253. Campus Planning and Site-Based Decision-Making. 

. . . 
(d)  Each campus improvement plan must: 
    (1)  assess the academic achievement for each student in the school using the achievement indicator system as described by Section 39.053; 
. . . 


Last Amended: 85th Leg., R.S., Ch. 807 (H.B. 22), Sec. 2, eff. June 15, 2017 
Entered:  Aug. 2, 2017

Texas Education Code § 39.053. Performance Indicators: Achievement.     

(a)  The commissioner shall adopt a set of indicators of the quality of learning and achievement, including the indicators under Subsection (c).  The commissioner periodically shall review the indicators for the consideration of appropriate revisions.

(a-1)  The indicators adopted by the commissioner under Subsection (a) must measure and evaluate school districts and campuses with respect to:
(1)  improving student preparedness for success in:
(A)  subsequent grade levels; and
(B)  entering the workforce, the military, or postsecondary education;
(2)  reducing, with the goal of eliminating, student academic achievement differentials among students from different racial and ethnic groups and socioeconomic backgrounds; and
(3)  informing parents and the community regarding campus and district performance.

(b)  Performance on the achievement indicators adopted under Subsection (c) shall be compared to state-established standards.  The indicators must be based on information that is disaggregated by race, ethnicity, and socioeconomic status.

(c)  School districts and campuses must be evaluated based on three domains of indicators of achievement adopted under this section that include:
(1)  in the student achievement domain, indicators of student achievement that must include:
(A)  for evaluating the performance of districts and campuses generally:
    (i)  an indicator that accounts for the results of assessment instruments required under Sections 39.023(a), (c), and (l), as applicable for the district and campus, including the results of assessment instruments required for graduation retaken by a student, aggregated across grade levels by subject area, including:
(a)  for the performance standard determined by the commissioner under Section 39.0241(a), the percentage of students who performed satisfactorily on the assessment instruments, aggregated across grade levels by subject area; and
(b)  for the college readiness performance standard as determined under Section 39.0241, the percentage of students who performed satisfactorily on the assessment instruments, aggregated across grade levels by subject area; and
   (ii)  an indicator that accounts for the results of assessment instruments required under Section 39.023(b), as applicable for the district and campus, including the percentage of students who performed satisfactorily on the assessment instruments, as determined by the performance standard adopted by the agency, aggregated across grade levels by subject area; and
(B)  for evaluating the performance of high school campuses and districts that include high school campuses, indicators that account for:
   (i)  students who satisfy the Texas Success Initiative (TSI) college readiness benchmarks prescribed by the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board under Section 51.334 on an assessment instrument in reading or mathematics designated by the coordinating board under that section;
  (ii)  students who satisfy relevant performance standards on advanced placement tests or similar assessments;
    (iii)  students who earn dual course credits in the dual credit courses;
  (iv)  students who enlist in the armed forces of the United States or the Texas National Guard;
  (v)  students who earn industry certifications;
  (vi)  students admitted into postsecondary industry certification programs that require as a prerequisite for entrance successful performance at the secondary level;
  (vii)  students whose successful completion of a course or courses under Section 28.014 indicates the student's preparation to enroll and succeed, without remediation, in an entry-level general education course for a baccalaureate degree or associate degree;
  (viii)  students who successfully met standards on a composite of indicators that through research indicates the student's preparation to enroll and succeed, without remediation, in an entry-level general education course for a baccalaureate degree or associate degree;
  (ix)  high school graduation rates, computed in accordance with standards and definitions adopted in compliance with the Every Student Succeeds Act (20 U.S.C. Section 6301 et seq.) subject to the exclusions provided by Subsections (g), (g-1), (g-2), (g-3), and (g-4);
  (x)  students who successfully completed an OnRamps dual enrollment course;
  (xi)  students who successfully completed a practicum or internship approved by the State Board of Education;
  (xii)  students who are awarded an associate degree; and
  (xiii)  students who successfully completed a program of study in career and technical education;
(2)  in the school progress domain, indicators for effectiveness in promoting student learning, which must include:
(A)  for assessment instruments, including assessment instruments under Subdivisions (1)(A)(i) and (ii), the percentage of students who met the standard for improvement, as determined by the commissioner; and
(B)  for evaluating relative performance, the performance of districts and campuses compared to similar districts or campuses; and
(3)  in the closing the gaps domain, the use of disaggregated data to demonstrate the differentials among students from different racial and ethnic groups, socioeconomic backgrounds, and other factors, including:
(A)  students formerly receiving special education services;
(B)  students continuously enrolled; and
(C)  students who are mobile.

(c-1)  An indicator adopted under Subsection (c) that would measure improvements in student achievement cannot negatively affect the commissioner's review of a school district or campus if that district or campus is already achieving at the highest level for that indicator.

(c-2)  The commissioner by rule shall determine a method by which a student's performance may be included in determining the performance rating of a school district or campus under Section 39.054 if, before the student graduates, the student:
(1)  satisfies the Texas Success Initiative (TSI) college readiness benchmarks prescribed by the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board under Section 51.334 on an assessment instrument designated by the coordinating board under that section; or
(2)  performs satisfactorily on an assessment instrument under Section 39.023(c), notwithstanding Subsection (d) of this section.

(c-3)  Any standard for improvement determined by the  commissioner as described by Subsection (c)(2)(A) must allow for appropriately crediting a student for growth if the student performs at the highest achievement standard in the previous and current school year.

(d)  For purposes of Subsection (c), the commissioner by rule shall determine the period within which a student must retake an assessment instrument for that assessment instrument to be considered in determining the performance rating of the district under Section 39.054.

(d-1)  In aggregating results of assessment instruments across grade levels by subject in accordance with Subsection (c)(1)(A)(i), the performance of a student enrolled below the high school level on an assessment instrument required under Section 39.023(c) is included with results relating to other students enrolled at the same grade level.

(e)  For purposes of Subsection (c)(3)(A), a student formerly receiving special education services means a student whose enrollment information:
(1)  for the preceding school year, as reported through the Public Education Information Management System (PEIMS), indicates the student was enrolled at the campus and was participating in a special education program; and
(2)  for the current school year, as reported through the Public Education Information Management System (PEIMS) and as reported on assessment instruments administered to the student under Section 39.023, indicates the student is enrolled at the campus and is not participating in a special education program.

(f)  Annually, the commissioner shall define the state standard for the current school year for each achievement indicator adopted under this section.  In consultation with educators, parents, and business and industry representatives, as necessary, the commissioner shall establish and modify standards to continuously improve student performance to achieve the goals of eliminating achievement gaps based on race, ethnicity, and socioeconomic status and to ensure this state is a national leader in preparing students for postsecondary success.

(g)  In computing dropout and completion rates such as high school graduation rates under Subsection (c)(1)(B)(ix), the commissioner may not consider as a dropout a student whose failure to attend school results from:
(1)  the student's expulsion under Section 37.007; and
(2)  as applicable:
(A)  adjudication as having engaged in delinquent conduct or conduct indicating a need for supervision, as defined by Section 51.03, Family Code; or
(B)  conviction of and sentencing for an offense under the Penal Code.

(g-1)  In computing dropout and completion rates such as high school graduation rates under Subsection (c)(1)(B)(ix), the commissioner shall exclude:
(1)  students who are ordered by a court to attend a high school equivalency certificate program but who have not yet earned a high school equivalency certificate;
(2)  students who were previously reported to the state as dropouts, including a student who is reported as a dropout, reenrolls, and drops out again, regardless of the number of times of reenrollment and dropping out;
(3)  students in attendance who are not in membership for purposes of average daily attendance;
(4)  students whose initial enrollment in a school in the United States in grades 7 through 12 was as an unschooled asylee or refugee as defined by Section 39.027(a-1);
(5)  students who are detained at a county pre-adjudication or post-adjudication juvenile detention facility and:
(A)  in the district exclusively as a function of having been detained at the facility but are otherwise not students of the district in which the facility is located; or
(B)  provided services by an open-enrollment charter school exclusively as the result of having been detained at the facility;
(6)  students who are incarcerated in state jails and federal penitentiaries as adults and as persons certified to stand trial as adults; and
(7)  students who have suffered a condition, injury, or illness that requires substantial medical care and leaves the student:
(A)  unable to attend school; and
(B)  assigned to a medical or residential treatment facility.

(g-2)  In computing completion rates such as high school graduation rates under Subsection (c)(1)(B)(ix), the commissioner shall exclude students who:
(1)  are at least 18 years of age as of September 1 of the school year as reported for the fall semester Public Education Information Management System (PEIMS) submission and have satisfied the credit requirements for high school graduation;
(2)  have not completed their individualized education program under 19 T.A.C. Section 89.1070(b)(2) and the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (20 U.S.C. Section 1400 et seq.); and
(3)  are enrolled and receiving individualized education program services.

(g-3) In the computation of dropout and completion rates such as high school graduation rates under Subsection (c)(1)(B)(ix), a student who is released from a juvenile pre-adjudication secure detention facility or juvenile post-adjudication secure correctional facility and fails to enroll in school or a student who leaves a residential treatment center after receiving treatment for fewer than 85 days and fails to enroll in school may not be considered to have dropped out from the school district or campus serving the facility or center unless that district or campus is the one to which the student is regularly assigned.  The agency may not limit an appeal relating to dropout computations under this subsection. 

(g-4)  For purposes of the computation of dropout and completion rates such as high school graduation rates under Subsection (c)(1)(B)(ix), the commissioner shall exclude a student who was reported as having dropped out of school under Section 48.009(b-4), and the student may not be considered to have dropped out from the school district or campus in which the student was last enrolled.

(h)  Each school district shall cooperate with the agency in determining whether a student is a dropout for purposes of accreditation and evaluating performance by school districts and campuses under this chapter.

(i)  Each school district shall submit the data required for the indicators adopted under this section to the commissioner.


Last Amended: 86th Leg., R.S., Ch. 467 (H.B. 4170), Sec. 5.022, eff. September 1, 2019 86th Leg., R.S., Ch. 467 (H.B. 4170), Sec. 5.023, eff. September 1, 2019 86th Leg., R.S., Ch. 719 (H.B. 330), Sec. 1, eff. June 10, 2019 86th Leg., R.S., Ch. 1060 (H.B. 1051), Sec. 6, eff. June 14, 2019 87th Leg., R.S., Ch. 150 (H.B. 773), Sec. 1, eff. May 28, 2021 87th Leg., R.S., Ch. 205 (H.B. 1147), Sec. 1, eff. September 1, 2021 87th Leg., R.S., Ch. 806 (H.B. 1525), Sec. 18, eff. September 1, 2021 87th Leg., R.S., Ch. 915 (H.B. 3607), Sec. 5.019(b), eff. September 1, 2021
Entered: October 22, 2021

Texas Education Code § 11.253. Campus Planning and Site-Based Decision-Making. 

. . .
(d)  Each campus improvement plan must: 
. . .  
    (2)  set the campus performance objectives based on the achievement indicator system, including objectives for special needs populations, including students in special education programs under Subchapter A, Chapter 29; 
. . . 


Last Amended: 85th Leg., R.S., Ch. 807 (H.B. 22), Sec. 2, eff. June 15, 2017 
Entered:  Aug. 2, 2017

Texas Education Code § 11.253. Campus Planning and Site-Based Decision-Making. 

. . . 
(d)  Each campus improvement plan must: 
. . . 
    (3)  identify how the campus goals will be met for each student; 
. . . 


Last Amended: 85th Leg., R.S., Ch. 807 (H.B. 22), Sec. 2, eff. June 15, 2017 
Entered:  Aug. 2, 2017

Texas Education Code § 11.253. Campus Planning and Site-Based Decision-Making. 

. . . 
(d)  Each campus improvement plan must: 
. . . 
    (4)  determine the resources needed to implement the plan; 
. . . 


Last Amended: 85th Leg., R.S., Ch. 807 (H.B. 22), Sec. 2, eff. June 15, 2017 
Entered:  Aug. 2, 2017

Texas Education Code § 11.253. Campus Planning and Site-Based Decision-Making. 

. . . 
(d)  Each campus improvement plan must: 
. . . 
    (5)  identify staff needed to implement the plan; 
. . . 


Last Amended: 85th Leg., R.S., Ch. 807 (H.B. 22), Sec. 2, eff. June 15, 2017 
Entered:  Aug. 2, 2017

Texas Education Code § 11.253. Campus Planning and Site-Based Decision-Making. 

. . . 
(d)  Each campus improvement plan must: 
. . .  
    (6)  set timelines for reaching the goals; 
. . . 


Last Amended: 85th Leg., R.S., Ch. 807 (H.B. 22), Sec. 2, eff. June 15, 2017 
Entered:  Aug. 2, 2017

Texas Education Code § 11.253. Campus Planning and Site-Based Decision-Making. 

. . . 
(d)  Each campus improvement plan must: 
. . . 
    (7)  measure progress toward the performance objectives periodically to ensure that the plan is resulting in academic improvement; 
. . . 


Last Amended: 85th Leg., R.S., Ch. 807 (H.B. 22), Sec. 2, eff. June 15, 2017 
Entered:  Aug. 2, 2017

Texas Education Code § 11.253. Campus Planning and Site-Based Decision-Making. 

. . . 
(d)  Each campus improvement plan must: 
. . . 
    (8)  include goals and methods for violence prevention and intervention on campus; 
. . . 


Last Amended: 85th Leg., R.S., Ch. 807 (H.B. 22), Sec. 2, eff. June 15, 2017 
Entered:  Aug. 2, 2017

Texas Education Code § 11.253. Campus Planning and Site-Based Decision-Making. 

. . . 
(d)  Each campus improvement plan must: 
. . . 
    (9)  provide for a program to encourage parental involvement at the campus ; and 
. . . 


Last Amended: 85th Leg., R.S., Ch. 807 (H.B. 22), Sec. 2, eff. June 15, 2017 
Entered:  Aug. 2, 2017

Texas Education Code § 11.253. Campus Planning and Site-Based Decision-Making. 

. . . 
(d)  Each campus improvement plan must: 
. . . 
    (10)  if the campus is an elementary, middle, or junior high school, set goals and objectives for the coordinated health program at the campus based on: 
       (A)  student fitness assessment data, including any data from research-based assessments such as the school health index assessment and planning tool created by the federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention; 
       (B)  student academic performance data; 
       (C)  student attendance rates; 
       (D)  the percentage of students who are educationally disadvantaged; 
       (E)  the use and success of any method to ensure that students participate in moderate to vigorous physical activity as required by Section 28.002(l); and 
       (F)  any other indicator recommended by the local school health advisory council . 
. . . 


Last Amended: 85th Leg., R.S., Ch. 807 (H.B. 22), Sec. 2, eff. June 15, 2017 
Entered:  Aug. 2, 2017

Texas Education Code § 11.253. Campus Planning and Site-Based Decision-Making. 

  . . . 
(e) In accordance with the administrative procedures established under Section 11.251(b), the campus-level committee shall be involved in decisions in the areas of planning, budgeting, curriculum, staffing patterns, staff development, and school organization. The campus-level committee must approve the portions of the campus plan addressing campus staff development needs.
. . . 


Last Amended: 85th Leg., R.S., Ch. 807 (H.B. 22), Sec. 2, eff. June 15, 2017 
Entered:  Aug. 2, 2017

Texas Education Code § 11.251. Planning and Decision-Making Process.   

. . . 
(b)  The board shall adopt a policy to establish a district- and campus-level planning and decision-making process that will involve the professional staff of the district, parents, and community members in establishing and reviewing the district's and campuses' educational plans, goals, performance objectives, and major classroom instructional programs.   The board shall establish a procedure under which meetings are held regularly by district- and campus-level planning and decision-making committees that include representative professional staff, including, if practicable, at least one representative with the primary responsibility for educating students with disabilities, parents of students enrolled in the district, business representatives, and community members.   The committees shall include a business representative without regard to whether the representative resides in the district or whether the business the person represents is located in the district.   The board, or the board's designee, shall periodically meet with the district-level committee to review the district-level committee's deliberations.
. . . 


Last Amended: 82nd Leg., R.S., Ch. 626, Sec.1, eff. Sept. 1, 2011
Entered:  July 22, 2011

Texas Education Code § 11.253. Campus Planning and Site-Based Decision-Making. 

  . . . 
(e) In accordance with the administrative procedures established under Section 11.251(b), the campus-level committee shall be involved in decisions in the areas of planning, budgeting, curriculum, staffing patterns, staff development, and school organization. The campus-level committee must approve the portions of the campus plan addressing campus staff development needs.
. . . 


Last Amended: 85th Leg., R.S., Ch. 807 (H.B. 22), Sec. 2, eff. June 15, 2017 
Entered:  Aug. 2, 2017

Texas Education Code § 11.253. Campus Planning and Site-Based Decision-Making.

. . . 
(g) Each campus-level committee shall hold at least one public meeting per year. The required meeting shall be held after receipt of the annual campus rating from the agency to discuss the performance of the campus and the campus performance objectives. District policy and campus procedures must be established to ensure that systematic communications measures are in place to periodically obtain broad-based community, parent, and staff input, and to provide information to those persons regarding the recommendations of the campus-level committees.
. . . 


Last Amended: 85th Leg., R.S., Ch. 807 (H.B. 22), Sec. 2, eff. June 15, 2017 
Entered:  Aug. 2, 2017

Texas Education Code § 11.253. Campus Planning and Site-Based Decision-Making.

. . . 
(g) Each campus-level committee shall hold at least one public meeting per year. The required meeting shall be held after receipt of the annual campus rating from the agency to discuss the performance of the campus and the campus performance objectives. District policy and campus procedures must be established to ensure that systematic communications measures are in place to periodically obtain broad-based community, parent, and staff input, and to provide information to those persons regarding the recommendations of the campus-level committees.
. . . 


Last Amended: 85th Leg., R.S., Ch. 807 (H.B. 22), Sec. 2, eff. June 15, 2017 
Entered:  Aug. 2, 2017

Texas Education Code § 11.253. Campus Planning and Site-Based Decision-Making.

. . . 
(h) A principal shall regularly consult the campus-level committee in the planning, operation, supervision, and evaluation of the campus educational program.


Last Amended: 85th Leg., R.S., Ch. 807 (H.B. 22), Sec. 2, eff. June 15, 2017 
Entered:  Aug. 2, 2017

Financial Accountability System Resource Guide (FASRG) (TEA)

Schoolwide Programs: Comprehensive Needs Assessment (TEA)

Schoolwide Programs: Campus Improvement Plan (TEA)