Student Handbook and �Code of Conduct �2021-2022

Presented by Mary Seltzer, Ed.D.,

Director of Student Services

Student Handbook Changes

HB 1525

• Revised the required components of this annual notification to parents regarding human sexuality instruction.
• Changed parental consent requirements for a student’s participation in human sexuality instruction so that a parent must now give consent, or opt in, for a student’s participation rather than opt out of participation.

​

​

Student Handbook Changes

SB 348

• Specifies that a parent's right to examine instructional materials applies whether instruction is delivered in person, virtually, or remotely.

Student Handbook Changes

HB 699

• Requires a school district to excuse a student absence resulting from as serious or life-threatening illness or related treatment that makes the student’s attendance infeasible.

Student Handbook Changes

SB 289

• Allows a district to excuse a student who is 15 years of age or older for one day during the student’s enrollment in high school to visit a driver’s license office to obtain a learner license and one day to visit a driver's license office to obtain a driver license.

Student Handbook Changes

Latex Policy

• A person who is allergic to LATEX may experience mild symptoms (such as itching, redness, or runny nose) or may experience a life-threatening reaction (including difficulty breathing, swelling of the throat, severe congestion, or anaphylaxis). To create a safer environment for students with latex allergies, NISD is committed to reducing or eliminating latex on campus. In addition, we will prepare staff members to react to accidental exposure for the individual who is sensitive.

​

Student Handbook Changes

SB 2050

• Requires TEA to adopt minimum standards for a board-adopted policy prohibiting bullying. The new text has been suggested to align with the components in SB 2050 and emphasize the district’s efforts to prevent and address bullying.
• “The district strives to prevent bullying, in accordance with the district’s policies, by promoting a respectful school climate; encouraging reporting of bullying incidents, including anonymous reporting; and investigating and addressing reported bullying incidents.”

Student Handbook Changes

SB 746

• Requires a parent to provide in writing the parent's contact information to the district – the district may choose to accept electronic submission of the information. State law requires parents to update contact information within two weeks after the date the information changes.

Student Handbook Changes

HB 1080

• Requires the UIL to ensure that its rules do not exclude a student from participation in league activities solely because the student receives outpatient mental health services from a mental health facility.

Student Handbook Changes

HB 2721

• Prohibits a student from participating in any future extracurricular activity sponsored by the district or the UIL if the UIL determines that the student caused bodily injury to a referee, judge, or other official in retaliation for actions that person takes in performing their official duties.

Student Handbook Changes

SB 1697

• Allows a parent to request, in writing, for a student to repeat prekindergarten, kindergarten, or grades 1, 2, or 3, even if the student has met the promotion standards.
• For the 2021-2022 school year, a parent may request in writing that a student repeat grade 4, 5, 6, 7, or 8 that the student was enrolled in during the 2020-2021 school year.
• For the 2021-2022 school year only, authorizes a parent to elect, in writing, for a student to repeat a high school credit course taken in the 2021-2021 school year, even if the student received credit for the course.

​

Student Handbook Changes

SB 1888

• Requires districts to notify students and parents, upon the student’s initial enrollment in high school in a grade below 12, with information regarding the Texas First Scholarship Program.

Student Handbook Changes

HB 4545

• Requires districts to provide accelerated instruction to high school students who fail to perform satisfactorily on an EOC in accordance with rules established for accelerated instruction for students in grades 3-8.
• Removes the requirement to retain a student who does not perform satisfactorily in grade 5 or grade 8 on the mathematics and reading sections of the state assessment for the student’s grade.
• For a student who does not perform satisfactorily on the math or reading assessment in grades 3, 5, or 8, the district will establish an accelerated learning committee (ALC), which includes the student’s parent, to develop an educational plan for accelerated instruction to enable the student to perform at the appropriate grade level by the conclusion of the next school year. The district will document the educational plan in writing and provide a copy to the student’s parent.

​

Student Handbook Changes

HB 4545

• A parent of a student in grades 3, 5, or 8 who fails to perform satisfactorily on the math or reading assessment may:
• Request that the district consider assigning the student to a particular classroom teacher in the applicable subject area, if more than one classroom teacher is available.
• File a grievance or complaint regarding the content or implementation of the ALCs educational plan.

Student Handbook Changes

HB 4545

• Requires an ARD committee to meet regarding a student receiving special education services in grade 3, 5, or 8 who fails to meet satisfactory performance on the STAAR administrations in reading or math.

​

Student Handbook Changes

HB 1525

• Requires that at least 72 hours before each SHAC meeting, the SHAC will:
• Post notice of the date, hour, place, and subject of the meeting on a bulletin board in the administration office of each campus in the district; and
• Publish the same notification on the district’s website.

​

Student Handbook Changes

SB 348

• Entitles a parent to observe virtual instruction while the parent’s child is participating in virtual or remote learning to the same extent the parent would be entitled to observe in-person instruction of the child.

Student Handbook Changes

Masks 

• Students and staff members may choose to wear facial coverings for disease mitigation. �

Student Code of Conduction Changes

Added to Property Offenses:

• Enter, without authorization, district facilities that are not open for operations.

Student Code of Conduction Changes

HB 957

• Removed from state law criminal penalties for possession of a firearm silencer and added provision to the Government Code regarding regulation of firearm suppressors, defined as any device designed to muffle the report of a firearm.

​

Student Code of Conduction Changes

HB 375

• Amends the offense of continuous sexual abuse of a young child or children under Penal Code 21/02 to include continuous sexual abuse of “a disabled individual” and amends the name of the offense to reflect the change.

Student Code of Conduction Changes

HB 248

• Expanded the definition of e-cigarettes in the health and Safety Code.
• “or a consumable liquid solution or other material aerosolized or vaporized during the use of an electronic cigarette or other device described by this provision.”

Student Code of Conduction Changes

SB 530

• Expands the offense of harassment to include publishing repeated electronic communications that are likely to cause emotional distress, abuse, or torment to another person, unless the communications are made in connection with a matter of public concern, as defined by law.

Student Code of Conduction Changes

Mutual Combat

• Added the definition of Fighting/Mutual Combat
• Fighting is defined as two or more students or persons that choose to mutually engage in physical combat using blows or force to strive to overcome the other student(s) or person(s).

Questions