Focus Report: Volume 74, Number 14, August 1995 Page: 10
16 p. ; 28 cm.View a full description of this periodical.
Extracted Text
The following text was automatically extracted from the image on this page using optical character recognition software:
House Research Organization
least 45 minutes per day. Teachers and full-time
librarians will have at least a 30-minute duty free lunch
period and may not be required to supervise students
during lunch more than one day in a school week, even
in cases of personnel shortages, extreme economic
conditions or unforeseen circumstances.
Staff development
Staff development, which is offered to enhance
teaching skills and student achievement, must be
conducted in accordance with the commissioner's
standards and include technology training and training in
conflict resolution and discipline strategies. Staff
development must be campus-based and developed and
approved by the campus-level planning and decision
making committee. A school district may use
districtwide staff development developed and approved
through the district-level planning and decision-making
committee.
Class size
(Chapter 25)
A school district will continue to be required to
maintain an average ratio of at least one certified
teacher for each 20 students in average daily attendance.
An independent school district may not enroll more than
22 students per teacher in classes from kindergarten
through fourth grade.
The commissioner may grant a semester-long
exemption from the 22:1 limit upon finding that the limit
works an undue hardship on a district. In addition,
home-rule school districts will be exempt from class size
requirements except for campuses that are determined by
the TEA to be low-performing.
The new code retains prior class size rules but allows
a school district to choose any 12-week period to be
exempt from class size requirements if the district
population includes migrant workers. Other school
districts are exempt from the requirement during the last
12 weeks of the school year.
Prayer in schools
(Chapter 25)
The new code gives public schools students "an
absolute right to individually, voluntarily, and silently
pray or meditate in school in a manner that does not
disrupt the instructional or other activities of the school."
No one may require, encourage or coerce a student toengage in or refrain from such prayer or meditation
during any school activity. A school district may provide
for a period of silence at the beginning of the first class
of each school day, during which a student may reflect or
meditate.
Parental rights
(Chapter 26)
Parents are granted certain rights in order to encourage
parental participation in schools. A parent includes a
person standing in parental relation, unless the parent-
child relationship has been terminated or a court has
eliminated possession of or access to the child.
A school board, administrator, educator or other person
may not limit parental rights, unless otherwise provided
by law. Each board must adopt procedures for
considering complaints that a parent's right has been
denied. The new code further requires school boards to
cooperate in establishing at least one parent-teacher
organization at each school.
Parents will have the right to:
petition the school board to consider or reconsider an
assignment or transfer of their child to a particular school;
* request assignment of a child to a particular class and
teacher;
request the addition of a specific academic class in
keeping with the essential elements;
request that their child be permitted to attend class for
credit above the child's grade level unless the board
expects that the student cannot perform satisfactorily;
* request that their child be permitted to graduate early
from high school and participate in graduation ceremonies,
if the child completes each course required for graduation.
The board's decision on class and teacher assignments
and early graduation will be final and without appeal.
Parental access to materials and records
Parents are entitled to review all teaching materials,
textbooks, teaching aids and all school records - test
scores, reports, evaluations, etc. - concerning their child.
Parents will be entitled to review all tests, including any
state assessment test, after they are administered. Parents
may be charged a fee for copies of materials they request.
Activities requiring parental consent
A school district employee must receive a parent's
written consent to conduct a psychological examination,Page 10
Upcoming Pages
Here’s what’s next.
Search Inside
This issue can be searched. Note: Results may vary based on the legibility of text within the document.
Tools / Downloads
Get a copy of this page or view the extracted text.
Citing and Sharing
Basic information for referencing this web page. We also provide extended guidance on usage rights, references, copying or embedding.
Reference the current page of this Periodical.
Texas. Legislature. House of Representatives. Research Organization. Focus Report: Volume 74, Number 14, August 1995, periodical, August 3, 1995; Austin, Texas. (https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth640372/m1/10/: accessed July 16, 2024), University of North Texas Libraries, The Portal to Texas History, https://texashistory.unt.edu; crediting UNT Libraries Government Documents Department.