Bill Caption

Relating to reporting certain truancy information through the Public Education Information Management System.

Fiscal Notes

No significant fiscal implication to the State is anticipated.

Bill Analysis

HB 548 would require school districts and open-enrollment charter schools to report truancy numbers to the Public Education Information Management System. School districts would be required to include the number of students required to attend but fail to attend school for 10 consecutive days without excuse within a six month period, the number of students a school district initiates a truancy prevention measure, and the number of parents of students against whom an attendance officer or other appropriate school official has filed a complaint.

The Senate committee substitute added the language of SB 895 to require that the commissioner of the Texas Education Agency and the executive director of the Health and Human Services Commission to ensure that the language acquisition of deaf or hard of hearing children, that are at least eight years old or younger, in English or American Sign Language would be regularly assessed. The TEA, Educational Resource Center on Deafness at the Texas School for the Deaf, and Division for Early Childhood Intervention Services of the Health and Human Services Commission would also be required to submit a joint report annually on language acquisition for deaf children eight years old or younger. 

Vote Recommendation Notes

Texas Action remains neutral on HB 548 because it does not promote or violate any of our principles. We were also neutral on SB 895 which has been added to CSHB 548.