Bill Text: TX HB3315 | 2023-2024 | 88th Legislature | Engrossed
Bill Title: Relating to a school district's grievance procedure regarding complaints concerning violation of parental rights.
Spectrum: Moderate Partisan Bill (Republican 7-1)
Status: (Engrossed - Dead) 2023-05-18 - Left pending in committee [HB3315 Detail]
Download: Texas-2023-HB3315-Engrossed.html
| By: Bell of Kaufman, Buckley, | H.B. No. 3315 | |
| Harris of Anderson, Hefner, Dutton, | ||
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| relating to a school district's grievance procedure regarding | ||
| complaints concerning violation of parental rights. | ||
| BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: | ||
| SECTION 1. Section 26.011, Education Code, is amended by | ||
| adding Subsections (c), (d), and (e) to read as follows: | ||
| (c) The grievance procedure adopted under Subsection (a) | ||
| must: | ||
| (1) provide for: | ||
| (A) a parent's complaint to be: | ||
| (i) filed in writing with the principal of | ||
| the campus at which the parent's student is enrolled; and | ||
| (ii) considered timely regardless of when | ||
| the conduct giving rise to the complaint occurred if the complaint | ||
| alleges a violation of law or board policy that is continuous or | ||
| ongoing; | ||
| (B) if the principal does not grant the requested | ||
| relief, an appeal on written request to the district superintendent | ||
| or the superintendent's designee that includes a review of all | ||
| documents considered by the principal; | ||
| (C) if the superintendent or the | ||
| superintendent's designee does not grant the requested relief, an | ||
| appeal on written request to the board of trustees of the district | ||
| that: | ||
| (i) includes a review of all documents | ||
| considered by the principal and the superintendent or the | ||
| superintendent's designee; | ||
| (ii) unless otherwise agreed to by the | ||
| parties, must be finally decided not later than 120 calendar days | ||
| after the date on which the request for the appeal was submitted; | ||
| and | ||
| (iii) if a final decision is not rendered | ||
| before the date described by Subparagraph (ii), requires the board | ||
| to immediately render a final decision on the complaint in favor of | ||
| the parent; and | ||
| (D) if the board of trustees of the district does | ||
| not grant the requested relief, notice to the parent regarding the | ||
| parent's right to file an appeal with the commissioner under | ||
| Section 7.057; and | ||
| (2) be: | ||
| (A) posted in a prominent location on the | ||
| district's Internet website, along with instructions on how a | ||
| parent may file a complaint; and | ||
| (B) provided in English and Spanish to the parent | ||
| of each student enrolled in the district at the beginning of each | ||
| school year and on request. | ||
| (d) The agency shall: | ||
| (1) adopt a model grievance procedure for use by | ||
| school districts under this section; and | ||
| (2) post on the agency's Internet website a copy of the | ||
| model grievance procedure and general guidelines regarding how a | ||
| parent may file a complaint with a school district under this | ||
| section or appeal a district's decision to the commissioner under | ||
| Section 7.057. | ||
| (e) If, during the investigation of a grievance, the board | ||
| of trustees of a school district discovers an unreported violation | ||
| of a right guaranteed by this chapter or board policy concerning | ||
| those rights, the board of trustees shall open a new investigation | ||
| into the unreported violation. | ||
| SECTION 2. This Act applies beginning with the 2023-2024 | ||
| school year. | ||
| SECTION 3. This Act takes effect immediately if it receives | ||
| a vote of two-thirds of all the members elected to each house, as | ||
| provided by Section 39, Article III, Texas Constitution. If this | ||
| Act does not receive the vote necessary for immediate effect, this | ||
| Act takes effect September 1, 2023. | ||
