The following words and terms, when used in this subchapter,
have the following meaning, unless the context clearly indicates otherwise.
(1) Caseworker--A person who works on behalf of a student
in the Texas Department of Family and Protective Services (DFPS) Managing
Conservatorship to make decisions regarding the student's case.
(2) Educational and course programs--Programs intended
to provide instruction to students in conjunction with or outside
of the required curriculum, which may include, but are not limited
to, gifted and talented services, bilingual or special language services
for emergent bilingual students, career and technical education, and
early college high school.
(3) Educational decision-maker--A person designated
by DFPS or a court to make education decisions on behalf of youth
in substitute care.
(4) Enrollment conference--A student-centered meeting
between key school district or open-enrollment charter school staff
and the newly enrolled student and/or the student's parent or guardian
that occurs within the first two weeks of enrollment, as soon as feasible,
at a new school to collaboratively ease transitions; identify the
student's academic strengths and extracurricular interests; introduce
school processes and opportunities for engagement; and identify any
interventions and additional support services (e.g., special education
or Section 504 services, academic and/or behavioral interventions,
social and emotional needs, college and career readiness). The student's
attendance in the conference should be addressed on a case-by-case
basis.
(5) Foster care--Twenty-four-hour substitute care for
children placed away from their parents or guardians for whom DFPS
has placement and care responsibility. This includes, but is not limited
to, placements in foster family homes, foster homes of relatives,
group homes, emergency shelters, residential facilities, childcare
institutions, and pre-adoptive homes.
(6) Foster care liaison--The individual each school
district or open-enrollment charter school appoints to act as a liaison
to facilitate enrollment or transfer of a child who is in conservatorship
of the state, pursuant to Texas Education Code, §33.904.
(7) Homeless--This term has the meaning assigned to
the term "homeless children and youths" under 42 United States Code
(USC), §11434a.
(8) McKinney-Vento liaison--A person designated by
a school district or an open-enrollment charter school pursuant to
the McKinney-Vento Homeless Assistance Act (42 USC, §11432(g)(1)(J)(ii)),
to ensure homeless children and youth are identified and enrolled,
with a full and equal opportunity to succeed, in schools.
(9) Records--Documents in printed or electronic form
that include, but are not limited to, student transcripts; individual
course grades; academic achievement records; course credits, whether
full or partial; individualized education program referrals; intervention
data; immunizations; state assessment scores; student attendance data;
disciplinary reports; graduation endorsements; special education/Section
504 committee records; performance acknowledgements; and personal
graduation plans.
(10) Substitute care--The placement of a child who
is in the conservatorship of DFPS in care outside the child's home.
The term includes foster care, institutional care, pre-adoptive homes,
placement with a relative of the child, or commitment to the Texas
Juvenile Justice Department under Texas Family Code, §263.001(a)(4).
(11) Welcome packet--A compilation of school district
or open-enrollment charter school and community resources provided
to new students within the first two weeks of enrollment at a new
school that helps to familiarize the student with the school.
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