On September 1st, new laws from the most recent legislative session took effect, and there are some important pieces of new legislation affecting children in schools. One of the biggest victories for kids was SB 376, which implements universal school breakfast on targeted campuses. This new legislation mandates that beginning in the 2014-2015 school year, campuses with 80% or more students who qualify for free or reduced-price meals are required to provide free breakfast to the entire student body. Fewer children will start their school day with an empty stomach, without costing the school districts any additional money.
Nutrition tends to go hand in hand with fitness, and the legislature recognized the importance of physical activity and fitness in students’ overall well-being. HB 1018 mandates that School Health Advisory Councils (SHAC’s) in each district establish a physical activity and fitness planning subcommittee. This subcommittee must consider and make policy recommendations to increase physical activity and improve fitness among students. So students could find themselves more physically active during the school day soon.
Another noteworthy change has to do with mental health policies in schools. SB 460 requires educators to receive training on mental health intervention and suicide prevention to help them identify red flags in student behavior and respond effectively. This training should enable teachers to effectively reach out to students who show signs of mental or emotional distress.
There were also some big changes in the area of school discipline. In recent years, the large number of Class C criminal misdemeanor tickets issued to students throughout the state for minor school misbehavior has begun to draw public attention. In an effort to combat the school to prison pipeline, SB 393 requires that schools utilize a progressive sanctions program. The steps of this program include a warning, a behavioral contract, and school-based community service or counseling for students who engage in disorderly conduct, disruption of class, or disruption of transportation. Schools have to exhaust those progressive sanctions before they can issue a Class C misdemeanor ticket to a student.
Within the public education realm, expanded learning time has gained traction recently as a strategy to improve student outcomes. Models like an extended school day or school year and structured time outside of regular school hours allow for more educational enrichment activities and increase safety for students. SB 503 established the Expanded Learning Opportunities Council to investigate innovative approaches that complement the school curriculum in Texas, and ultimately develop a statewide action plan for implementation.
Excessive standardized testing was another hot topic this session. A reduction in testing requirements allows teachers to focus on beneficial classroom instruction rather than high-stakes testing, and also creates costs savings for school districts. HB 5 reduced the number of end-of-course exams, which are required to graduate, from 15 to 5, and eliminated the requirement that end-of-course exams determine 15% of a students’ course grade. This bill also affects graduation curriculum requirements, starting in the 2014-2015 school year. The prior diploma categories of “minimum”, “recommended” and “distinguished” are replaced with a single “foundation” diploma. The foundation diploma may be supplemented with an endorsement in STEM, business and industry, public services, arts and humanities, or multidisciplinary studies.
Each legislative session is an opportunity to improve the quality of life of Texas children. While this session saw significant improvements to state laws affecting children, there were also missed opportunities. More change is needed to make children a priority in Texas!
Listen to our radio commentary on new legislation in schools below.
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