Text of TX SB 242 (2017)

85R1254 MK-F By: Burton S.B. No. 242 A BILL TO BE ENTITLED AN ACT relating to the right of a child's parent to public school records and information concerning the child. BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: SECTION 1. Section 26.004, Education Code, is amended to read as follows: Sec. 26.004. ACCESS TO STUDENT RECORDS AND RIGHT TO FULL INFORMATION CONCERNING STUDENT. (a) A parent is entitled to: (1) access to all written records of a school district concerning the parent's child, including: (A) [(1)] attendance records; (B) [(2)] test scores; (C) [(3)] grades; (D) [(4)] disciplinary records; (E) [(5)] counseling records; (F) [(6)] psychological records; (G) [(7)] applications for admission; (H) [(8)] health and immunization information; (I) [(9)] teacher and school counselor evaluations; [and] (J) [(10)] reports of behavioral patterns; and (K) other records relating to the child's general physical, psychological, or emotional well-being; and (2) except as provided by Section 38.004, full information regarding the school activities of the parent's child and disclosure of any general knowledge regarding the parent's child possessed by an employee of a school district, including general knowledge that relates to any of the categories of information addressed in Subdivision (1). (b) An attempt by an employee of a school district to conceal or withhold, or to encourage or coerce a child to withhold, information or general knowledge concerning the child from the child's parent is grounds for discipline under Section 21.104, 21.156, or 21.211, as applicable. (c) A request by a child to an employee of a school district to conceal or withhold information or general knowledge concerning the child from the child's parent is not a defense to any disciplinary action taken against the employee under Subsection (b). (d) A school district may not adopt or enforce any rule that conflicts with this section. (e) For purposes of this section, "general knowledge" means personal, direct, or incidental knowledge. SECTION 2. Section 26.008, Education Code, is repealed. SECTION 3. This Act takes effect September 1, 2017.