HB 1992

relating to the establishment of the behaviorally at-risk student
grant program to provide social and cognitive skills training to
certain public school students.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
SECTION 1.  Subchapter A, Chapter 37, Education Code, is
amended by adding Section 37.029 to read as follows:
Sec. 37.029.  BEHAVIORALLY AT-RISK STUDENT GRANT PROGRAM.
(a)  In this section, "behaviorally at-risk student" means a
student in grades 7 through 12 who may have experienced an adverse
childhood experience or other early childhood trauma and has been
suspended,  expelled, removed from class, or subject to another
disciplinary  action at least one time during the school year for:
(1)  engaging in abusive, threatening, or intimidating
behavior, including against a teacher;
(2)  engaging in conduct that constitutes assault or
(3)  possessing a prohibited weapon or controlled
(b)  The commissioner shall establish and administer a
program to award grants to school districts and open-enrollment
charter schools at which a threshold number, as determined by
commissioner rule, of behaviorally at-risk students are enrolled.
(c)  A school district or open-enrollment charter school may
use funds awarded under the grant program only to implement a social
and cognitive skills training program for behaviorally at-risk
(1)  is evidence-based and supported by research
conducted by a reputable research organization;
(2)  focuses on teaching students skills for conflict
resolution, anger management, and peer mediation and other
necessary social and emotional skills;
(3)  is provided to students on a voluntary basis;
(4)  is provided in a manner that will not remove a
participating student from instruction in the required curriculum
under Section 28.002 for the grade level in which the student is
(5)  is provided to students in a group of between four
and eight students at least twice per week during the first
semester a student participates in the program and informally
during the second semester; and
(6)  engages closely with participating students and
the parents of or persons standing in parental relation to the
(d)  A principal or other appropriate administrator of a
campus in a school district or open-enrollment charter school
awarded a grant under this section shall identify students who are
eligible to participate in a program provided under Subsection (c).
The principal or administrator shall notify the parent of or person
standing in parental relation to a student identified under this
subsection of the student's eligibility to participate in the
program and request permission for the student's participation.
(e)  A school district or open-enrollment charter school may
not allow a student to participate in a program provided under
Subsection (c) unless the parent of or person standing in parental
relation to the student has consented to the student's
(f)  Notwithstanding any other provision of this subchapter,
a school district or open-enrollment charter school may not:
(1)  place a student participating in a program
provided under Subsection (c) in a disciplinary alternative
education  program or a juvenile justice alternative education
(2)  use funds awarded under the grant program for
(A)  in-school suspension, a disciplinary
alternative education program, a juvenile justice alternative
education program, or another discipline management program
offered under this chapter other than a program provided under
(B)  the provision of peace officers or security
personnel, as described by Section 37.081, for the district or
(g)  In providing a program under Subsection (c), a school
district or open-enrollment charter school may:
(1)  employ educators or other qualified personnel; or
(2)  contract with a nonprofit organization that
(A)  hold a bachelor's degree from an accredited
institution of higher education; and
(B)  work with not more than 100 behaviorally
at-risk students during each semester.
(h)  The agency shall develop and provide a comprehensive
training program designed to instruct educators and other
individuals involved in providing a program under Subsection (c)
regarding program requirements and best practices.  A school
district or open-enrollment charter school may not permit a person
to be involved in providing a program under Subsection (c) unless
the person has attended a training program developed and provided
under this subsection. The agency may contract with a nonprofit
organization to provide the training program required by this
(i)  A school district or open-enrollment charter school
that has been awarded a grant under this section shall annually
report  to the agency data relating to the progress of students
participating in a program under Subsection (c) compared to the
progress of behaviorally at-risk students who did not participate
in a program under Subsection (c).
(j)  The commissioner shall adopt rules necessary to
implement this section, including rules that:
(1)  establish eligibility criteria for a school
district or open-enrollment charter school to receive a grant under
(2)  provide application procedures and guidelines for
school districts and open-enrollment charter schools; and
(3)  ensure compliance with the reporting requirements
for school districts and open-enrollment charter schools awarded
SECTION 2.  This Act applies beginning with the 2025-2026
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, 2025.