The bill, S.B. No. 544, aims to enhance the educational support for public school students placed in alternative special education settings by mandating the development of individualized education program (IEP) supplements. It introduces a new section, 29.0053, to the Education Code, which defines "alternative special education setting" and requires that the committee responsible for a student's IEP develop measurable academic and social-emotional goals that facilitate the student's potential return to a general education environment. Additionally, the committee is required to meet at least once each semester to review the student's progress towards these goals.

Furthermore, the bill amends Section 29.011 by adding a new subsection (a-3), which stipulates that the admission, review, and dismissal committee for students aged 18 and older in alternative special education settings must also create an attached supplement to the IEP that includes individualized, measurable goals. The provisions of this bill will take effect starting with the 2025-2026 school year, and it will become effective immediately if it receives a two-thirds vote from both houses of the legislature; otherwise, it will take effect on September 1, 2025.

Statutes affected:
Introduced: Education Code 29.011 (Education Code 29)