On November 1, 2017, it was announced that amendments to the school year 2017-2018 Student Attendance Accounting Handbook have been finalized with only minor amendment to the proposed changes to the Handbook. It is important to carefully review all changes to the Handbook to ensure the district- and campus-level processes, forms, procedures, checklists, and student information system modules have been updated to ensure implement of changes effective beginning with the 2017-18 school year. Significant changes disclosed in the Commissioner's Rule adoption text are excerpted below.
"Significant changes to the 2017-2018 Student Attendance Accounting Handbook from the 2016-2017 Student Attendance Accounting Handbook include the following.
Section 3, General Attendance Requirements
TEC, §25.081, and Chapter 42, specifically §42.005, establish the general parameters for attendance and school operation in §42.004. The following changes implement reporting requirements for attendance and funding.
- Language was added stating that to be eligible for funding for work-based learning opportunities, a student must participate in the work-based learning opportunity for at least two hours (half-day attendance) or at least four hours (full-day attendance). Work-based learning opportunities include internships, externships, apprenticeships, mentorships, etc. (This is not an exhaustive list of work-based learning opportunities.)
- A chart was added to specify that the following activities are eligible for funding under the 2-through-4 hour rule: instruction, in-class breakfast, recess, work-based learner, and study program for state assessments (if the student has met all graduation requirements). The list of ineligible activities includes study hall, sign ins, and repeated courses (if a student has already received credit for that course). In response to public comment, the term "in-class meal" was changed to "in-class breakfast."
- A requirement was added that districts can code students who meet all of the criteria listed in Section 3.3.1 of the handbook as immigrants and that once a student has been in U.S. schools for more than three full academic years, the immigrant indicator code should be removed.
- A note was added in the section on compulsory attendance that a child engages in truant conduct if the child is required to attend school under the TEC, §25.085, and fails to attend school on 10 or more days or parts of days within a six-month period in the same school year.
- Language was added specifying that attendance must not be taken by students or classroom aides and clerks who do not meet the requirements of a highly qualified paraprofessional.
- Language was added to allow a student to be considered present for FSP funding if the student is participating in an off-campus work-based learning opportunity and is not scheduled to be on campus during any part of the school day. The language also states that a student who is participating in an off-campus work-based learning opportunity and is scheduled to be on campus during any part of the school day should have his or her attendance recorded while on campus.
- Language was added to specify that paraprofessionals who take attendance must meet the requirements of a highly qualified paraprofessional.
- Language was added to state that the school nurse will not count for FSP funding as a health care professional appointment.
- Language was added to state that a student who is 17 years of age or older may be considered present for FSP funding if the student is absent to pursue enlistment in a branch of the armed services of the United States or the National Guard. Language states that the district (1) must not excuse for this purpose more than 4 days of school during the period the student is enrolled in high school; and (2) must adopt a policy stating when an absence will be excused for this purpose and a policy that verifies the student's activities related to pursuing enlistment in a branch of the armed services or the Texas National Guard.
- Clarification was added that days of instruction are the number of days that satisfy the instructional time requirements established under the student attendance accounting handbook that are required by a district or charter school to accumulate 75,600 minutes of operation in a school year.
- Language was added stating that a school district may not provide student instruction on Memorial Day.
- Language stating that a student who is served through the general education homebound (GEH) program retains the same average daily attendance (ADA) eligibility code he or she had before receiving GEH services, regardless of how many hours the student will be served through the GEH program, was deleted.
Section 4, Special Education
TEC, Chapter 42, specifically §42.151, authorizes funding for special education in certain circumstances. TEC, §42.004, authorizes the commissioner to adopt reports that may be necessary to implement and administer the FSP. The following changes implement reporting for special education to account for attendance and funding.
- Language was added stating that upon completion of a full individual and initial evaluation of a student, an Admission, Review, and Dismissal (ARD) committee meets and develops the student's individualized education program (IEP) that includes the appropriate educational placement for implementing the student's IEP.
- Language was added to state that the ARD committee determines the date that services will begin (the effective date) and the duration of the services and records this information in the IEP.
- Language was added to specify that when a student moves from one district to another within the state in the same school year and either the parents verify that the student was receiving special education services in the previous district or the previous district verifies in writing or by telephone that the student was receiving special education services, a district must meet the requirements of 34 Code of Federal Regulations (CFR) §300.323(a) and (e) regarding the provision of special education services.
- Language stating that a student aged 6 years or older who is served in the special education homebound instructional setting retains the same ADA eligibility code he or she had before receiving homebound services, regardless of how many hours the student will be served in the homebound instructional setting, was deleted.
- Additional language was added in the chart for preschool programs for children with disabilities and homebound services.
- Language was added specifying that, to claim special education contact hours, a student must be employed (paid or unpaid full- or part-time), receiving special education services as required in the IEP, and coded a Vocational Adjustment Class (VAC) (08).
- Language was added to state that for students currently residing in a hospital, residential facility, or state supported living center, the instructional arrangement coding for an adult student who resides in a residential facility can be interchanged with the word "parent."
- Language relating to teachers providing instruction in mainstream settings was added to state that if certified special education personnel are only monitoring student progress, mainstream special education funding must not be generated. The adopted new language specifies that in order to report this instructional arrangement, the district should document the details of the specially designed instruction that is being provided in the student's IEP.
- Language stating that sheltered workshops should be included in the residential care and treatment facility community class and off home campus community class was deleted.
- Language for indicator code 1 - speech therapy was revised.
- An example was added to Code 8 - VAC and Codes 91-98 - Off Home Campus.
Section 5, Career and Technical Education (CTE)
TEC, Chapter 42, including §42.154, authorizes funding for career and technical education (CTE) in certain circumstances. TEC, Chapter 29, Subchapter F, establishes general parameters for CTE programs. TEC, §42.004, authorizes the commissioner to adopt reports that may be necessary to implement and administer the FSP. The following changes implement reporting for CTE to account for attendance and funding.
- Additional language was added to state that teachers with less than a bachelor's degree are not eligible to teach CTE courses that meet graduation requirements for English language arts and reading, science, mathematics, or fine arts. The language also notes that certain teacher assignments may require an industry license that is regulated outside of the TEA.
- Language was added stating that with the approval of the local board of trustees, school districts and charter schools may offer any state-approved innovative course for state elective credit. The language specifies that no application is required for a district or charter school to offer an approved innovative course but, if a district wishes to submit a new innovative course, the district must follow the process for applying to the TEA for approval to offer the new innovative course.
- Language was revised to include Project-Based Research, Principles of Applied Engineering, Principles of Transportation Systems, and Health Science Theory/Health Science Clinical as CTE courses.
- Language was added to state that an 8th grade student who is not enrolled in a Career and Technical Education for the Disabled (CTED) course but who is enrolled in a Principles of Law, Public Safety, Corrections, and Security course is not eligible to generate contact hour funding. The language specifies that only students in Grades 9-12 are eligible for CTE contact hours, except for students in Grades 7 and 8 who are eligible for and enrolled in CTED courses.
Section 6, Bilingual/English as a Second Language (ESL)
TEC, §42.153, authorizes funding for bilingual or special language programs in certain circumstances. TEC, Chapter 29, Subchapter B, establishes general parameters for bilingual and special language programs. TEC, §42.004, authorizes the commissioner to adopt reports that may be necessary to implement and administer the FSP. The following change implements reporting for bilingual and special language programs to account for attendance and funding.
- The chart for the exit criteria for the English language learner was updated.
Section 7, Prekindergarten (PK)
TEC, Chapter 29, Subchapter E, establishes special general parameters for pre-kindergarten (PK) programs. TEC, Chapter 42, including §42.005, establishes average daily attendance (ADA) requirements and authorizes funding for certain circumstances. TEC, §42.004, authorizes the commissioner to adopt reports that may be necessary to implement and administer the FSP. The following changes implement reporting for PK to account for attendance and funding.
- Additional language was added stating that a district must verify a student's eligibility for PK in order to receive funding in the PK program. Districts are required to have the verification document on file for their records.
- Language was revised to state that if a student qualifies for PK on the basis of being limited English proficient (LEP) but is not receiving required services through the bilingual/ESL program because of a parental denial, the student remains eligible for PK if the student enrolls in a new district provided that the documentation described in Section 7.2.2.1 of the handbook is made available to the new district.
Section 9, Pregnancy-Related Services (PRS)
TEC, Chapter 42, including §42.152, authorizes funding for students who are pregnant under certain circumstances. TEC, §42.004, authorizes the commissioner to adopt reports that may be necessary to implement and administer the FSP. The following changes implement reporting for pregnancy-related services (PRS) to account for attendance and funding.
- Language was revised to state that a district receives 2.41 PRS weighted funding while PRS, consisting of support services and compensatory education home instruction (CEHI), are being provided to the student.
- Language was added specifying that remote instruction for the PRS program means that CEHI is provided to a student through a technology that allows for real-time, two-way interaction between a student and teacher who are in different physical locations.
- Language was updated to state that The Life Skills Program for Student Parents (previously called the Pregnancy Education and Parenting (PEP) Program) will not be funded for the 2017-2018 school year.
- Language was added to allow a district to apply for a waiver to provide CEHI on campus in a small group of four or less students when a student in postpartum recovery is transitioning back to school in accordance with the terms of the approved waiver.
- Language stating that a student who is provided CEHI services retains the same ADA eligibility code she had before receiving CEHI services, regardless of how many hours she will receive CEHI, was deleted.
- Language stating that a student who is provided special education services and PRS during confinement retains the same ADA eligibility code she had before receiving the services, regardless of how many hours the student will be provided the services, was deleted.
- Language was added to specify that when a student is enrolled in the PRS program, districts should inform the student of the services that are offered and the options that are available, such as the CEHI break in service option, in order to support quality district and student service planning.
Section 12, Virtual, Remote, and Electronic Instruction
TEC, Chapter 30A, establishes the general parameters for the Texas Virtual School Network (TxVSN). TEC, §30A.153, authorizes funding for the TxVSN for the FSP under certain circumstances. TEC, §42.004, authorizes the commissioner to adopt reports that may be necessary to implement and administer the FSP. The following change implements reporting for the TxVSN to account for attendance and funding.
- Language was added stating that each TxVSN course is considered to be 55 minutes of daily classroom instruction for purposes of the 2-through-4-hour rule.
Section 13, Appendix: Average Daily Attendance (ADA) and Funding
In response to public comment, the definition of School Day was clarified in relation to charter schools.
Section 14, Glossary
Definitions were updated to reflect changes made throughout the handbook.
The definition of career cluster was revised to include a new hyperlink to the TEA website.
A definition for work-based learner was added.
A definition for days of instruction was added."