Sec. 25.0951. SCHOOL DISTRICT COMPLAINT OR REFERRAL FOR FAILURE TO ATTEND SCHOOL. (a) If a student fails to attend school without excuse on 10 or more days or parts of days within a six-month period in the same school year, a school district shall within 10 school days of the student's 10th absence refer the student to a truancy court for truant conduct under Section 65.003(a), Family Code.
(b) If a student fails to attend school without excuse as specified by Subsection (a), a school district may file a complaint against the student's parent in a county, justice, or municipal court for an offense under Section 25.093 if the school district provides evidence of the parent's criminal negligence. In this subsection, "parent" includes a person standing in parental relation.
(c) A court shall dismiss a complaint made by a school district under Subsection (b) that:
(1) does not comply with this section;
(2) does not allege the elements required for the offense;
(3) is not timely filed, unless the school district delayed the referral under Subsection (d); or
(4) is otherwise substantively defective.
(d) Notwithstanding Subsection (a), a school district may delay a referral of a student for truant conduct, or may choose to not refer a student for truant conduct, if the school district:
(1) is applying truancy prevention measures to the student under Section 25.0915; and
(2) determines that the truancy prevention measures are succeeding and it is in the best interest of the student that a referral be delayed or not be made.
Added by Acts 2001, 77th Leg., ch. 1514, Sec. 6, eff. Sept. 1, 2001. Amended by Acts 2003, 78th Leg., ch. 137, Sec. 9, eff. Sept. 1, 2003.
Amended by:
Acts 2005, 79th Leg., Ch. 949 (H.B. 1575), Sec. 37, eff. September 1, 2005.
Acts 2007, 80th Leg., R.S., Ch. 908 (H.B. 2884), Sec. 31, eff. September 1, 2007.
Acts 2007, 80th Leg., R.S., Ch. 984 (S.B. 1161), Sec. 1, eff. June 15, 2007.
Acts 2009, 81st Leg., R.S., Ch. 87 (S.B. 1969), Sec. 7.003, eff. September 1, 2009.
Acts 2015, 84th Leg., R.S., Ch. 935 (H.B. 2398), Sec. 13, eff. September 1, 2015.
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