July 27, 1999
TO THE SUPERINTENDENT ADDRESSED:
SUBJECT: Immediate Implementation of Changes to the Reporting of Student Disciplinary Actions
This letter is to advise you of changes to the reporting of student disciplinary actions that will affect the student disciplinary data compiled in the 1999-2000 school year for reporting in the PEIMS Summer 2000 collection. This notice is being sent to you for your review and immediate action.
Chapter 37 of the Texas Education Code (TEC) requires the Agency to collect very specific data regarding disciplinary placements. Further, the Legislature and the Office of the State Auditor have expressed concerns about the accuracy of the data that have been collected thus far via the 425 PEIMS Record. Additionally, the requirement for an annual evaluation of disciplinary alternative education programs set forth in Section 37.008 (m), TEC, as amended, makes the need for revisions to the data collection record and code tables all the more urgent.
The changes to the PEIMS 425 Disciplinary Record and related code tables must be implemented now in order to accomplish the above goals established by the legislature. Due to the urgent need to ensure that the Agency is able to report quality data on disciplinary placements and alternative education programs, it is necessary that these changes be implemented immediately.
The changes are as follows:
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Two new data fields have been added to the 425 record. The new fields are DISCIPLINARY-INCIDENT-NUMBER and REPORTING-PERIOD-INDICATOR-CODE.
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New codes and clarification of existing codes have been added to the DISCIPLINARY-ACTION-CODE (C164) Table and DISCIPLINARY-ACTION-REASON-CODE (C165) Table.
Both of the above noted changes will directly affect the accuracy of the disciplinary action data for the 1999-2000 school year as well as the accuracy of the annual evaluation of disciplinary alternative education programs set forth in Section 37.008 (m). Detailed information on these changes is attached and is also available in the Addendum to the 1999-2000 PEIMS Data Standards. In addition, a sample form is attached for use in manually recording disciplinary actions until such time as local PEIMS software programs can be updated. This form may be reproduced as necessary. Please note, however, that this is an interim measure only and all data must be recorded in your PEIMS system prior to submission to the Agency in Summer 2000.
Thank you for your immediate attention on this matter. If you have any questions or concerns, please call Billy Jacobs, TEA Director of Safe Schools, at 512-463-9982, or Faye Gonzalez, TEA PEIMS Coordinator, at 512-463-5313.
Sincerely,
Mike Moses
Commissioner of Education
For further information on this topic, contact Safe Schools at (512)463-9982 or the TEA PEIMS Coordinator at (512)463-5313.