Sec. 25.001. ADMISSION. (a) A person who, on the first day of September of any school year, is at least five years of age and under 21 years of age, or is at least 21 years of age and under 26 years of age and is admitted by a school district to complete the requirements for a high school diploma is entitled to the benefits of the available school fund for that year. Any other person enrolled in a prekindergarten class under Section 29.153 is entitled to the benefits of the available school fund.

(b) The board of trustees of a school district or its designee shall admit into the public schools of the district free of tuition a person who is over five and younger than 21 years of age on the first day of September of the school year in which admission is sought, and may admit a person who is at least 21 years of age and under 26 years of age for the purpose of completing the requirements for a high school diploma, if:

(1) the person and either parent of the person reside in the school district;

(2) the person does not reside in the school district but a parent of the person resides in the school district and that parent is a joint managing conservator or the sole managing conservator or possessory conservator of the person;

(3) the person and the person's guardian or other person having lawful control of the person under a court order reside within the school district;

(4) the person has established a separate residence under Subsection (d);

(5) the person is homeless, regardless of the residence of the person, of either parent of the person, or of the person's guardian or other person having lawful control of the person;

(6) the person is a foreign exchange student placed with a host family that resides in the school district by a nationally recognized foreign exchange program, unless the school district has applied for and been granted a waiver by the commissioner under Subsection (e);

(7) the person resides at a residential facility located in the district;

(8) the person resides in the school district and is 18 years of age or older or the person's disabilities of minority have been removed;

(9) the person does not reside in the school district but the grandparent of the person:

(A) resides in the school district; and

(B) provides a substantial amount of after-school care for the person as determined by the board; or

(10) the person and either parent of the person reside in a residence homestead, as defined by Section 11.13(j), Tax Code, that is located on a parcel of property any part of which is located in the school district.

(b-1) A person who is 21 years of age or older and is admitted by a school district for the purpose stated in Subsection (b) is not eligible for placement in a disciplinary alternative education program or a juvenile justice alternative education program if the person engages in conduct that would require or authorize such placement for a student under the age of 21. If the student engages in conduct that would otherwise require such placement, the district shall revoke admission of the student into the public schools of the district.

(b-2) A person who is 21 years of age or older who is admitted by a school district to complete the requirements for a high school diploma and who has not attended school in the three preceding school years may not be placed with a student who is 18 years of age or younger in a classroom setting, a cafeteria, or another district-sanctioned school activity. Nothing in this subsection prevents a student described by this subsection from attending a school-sponsored event that is open to the public as a member of the public.

(c) The board of trustees of a school district or the board's designee may require evidence that a person is eligible to attend the public schools of the district at the time the board or its designee considers an application for admission of the person. The board of trustees or its designee shall establish minimum proof of residency acceptable to the district. The board of trustees or its designee may make reasonable inquiries to verify a person's eligibility for admission.

(c-1) A person whose parent or guardian is an active-duty member of the armed forces of the United States, including the state military forces or a reserve component of the armed forces, may establish residency for purposes of Subsection (b) by providing to the school district a copy of a military order requiring the parent's or guardian's transfer to a military installation in or adjacent to the district's attendance zone.

(c-2) A person who establishes residency as provided by Subsection (c-1) shall provide to the school district proof of residence in the district's attendance zone not later than the 10th day after the arrival date specified in the order described by that subsection. For purposes of this subsection, "residence" includes residence in a military temporary lodging facility.

(d) For a person under the age of 18 years to establish a residence for the purpose of attending the public schools separate and apart from the person's parent, guardian, or other person having lawful control of the person under a court order, it must be established that the person's presence in the school district is not for the primary purpose of participation in extracurricular activities. The board of trustees shall determine whether an applicant for admission is a resident of the school district for purposes of attending the public schools and may adopt reasonable guidelines for making a determination as necessary to protect the best interests of students. The board of trustees is not required to admit a person under this subsection if the person:

(1) has engaged in conduct or misbehavior within the preceding year that has resulted in:

(A) removal to a disciplinary alternative education program; or

(B) expulsion;

(2) has engaged in delinquent conduct or conduct in need of supervision and is on probation or other conditional release for that conduct; or

(3) has been convicted of a criminal offense and is on probation or other conditional release.

(e) A school district may request that the commissioner waive the requirement that the district admit a foreign exchange student who meets the conditions of Subsection (b)(6). The commissioner shall respond to a district's request not later than the 60th day after the date of receipt of the request. The commissioner shall grant the request and issue a waiver effective for a period not to exceed three years if the commissioner determines that admission of a foreign exchange student would:

(1) create a financial or staffing hardship for the district;

(2) diminish the district's ability to provide high quality educational services for the district's domestic students; or

(3) require domestic students to compete with foreign exchange students for educational resources.

(f) A child placed in foster care by an agency of the state or by a political subdivision shall be permitted to attend the public schools in the district in which the foster parents reside free of any charge to the foster parents or the agency. A durational residence requirement may not be used to prohibit that child from fully participating in any activity sponsored by the school district.

(g) A student who was enrolled in a primary or secondary public school before the student entered the conservatorship of the Department of Family and Protective Services and who is placed at a residence outside the attendance area for the school or outside the school district is entitled to continue to attend the school in which the student was enrolled immediately before entering conservatorship until the student successfully completes the highest grade level offered by the school at the time of placement without payment of tuition. The student is entitled to continue to attend the school regardless of whether the student remains in the conservatorship of the department for the duration of the student's enrollment in the school.

(g-1) If a student who is in the conservatorship of the department is enrolled in a primary or secondary public school, other than the school in which the student was enrolled at the time the student was placed in the conservatorship of the department, the student is entitled to continue to attend that school without payment of tuition until the student successfully completes the highest grade level offered by the school at the time of enrollment in the school, even if the child's placement is changed to a residence outside the attendance area for that school or outside the school district. The student is entitled to continue to attend the school regardless of whether the student remains in the conservatorship of the department for the duration of the student's enrollment in the school.

(h) In addition to the penalty provided by Section 37.10, Penal Code, a person who knowingly falsifies information on a form required for enrollment of a student in a school district is liable to the district if the student is not eligible for enrollment in the district but is enrolled on the basis of the false information. The person is liable, for the period during which the ineligible student is enrolled, for the greater of:

(1) the maximum tuition fee the district may charge under Section 25.038; or

(2) the amount the district has budgeted for each student as maintenance and operating expenses.

(i) A school district may include on an enrollment form notice of the penalties provided by Section 37.10, Penal Code, and of the liability provided by Subsection (h) for falsifying information on the form.

(j) For the purposes of this subchapter, the board of trustees of a school district by policy may allow a person showing evidence of legal responsibility for a child other than an order of a court to substitute for a guardian or other person having lawful control of the child under an order of a court.

Added by Acts 1995, 74th Leg., ch. 260, Sec. 1, eff. May 30, 1995. Amended by Acts 1997, 75th Leg., ch. 1019, Sec. 1, eff. Sept. 1, 1997; Acts 1999, 76th Leg., ch. 396, Sec. 2.08, eff. Sept. 1, 1999; Acts 2003, 78th Leg., ch. 1055, Sec. 2, eff. June 20, 2003.

Amended by:

Acts 2005, 79th Leg., Ch. 164 (H.B. 25), Sec. 2, eff. May 27, 2005.

Acts 2005, 79th Leg., Ch. 920 (H.B. 283), Sec. 1, eff. June 18, 2005.

Acts 2007, 80th Leg., R.S., Ch. 850 (H.B. 1137), Sec. 1, eff. June 15, 2007.

Acts 2013, 83rd Leg., R.S., Ch. 161 (S.B. 1093), Sec. 4.002, eff. September 1, 2013.

Acts 2013, 83rd Leg., R.S., Ch. 688 (H.B. 2619), Sec. 9, eff. September 1, 2013.

Acts 2015, 84th Leg., R.S., Ch. 142 (H.B. 4), Sec. 3, eff. May 28, 2015.

Acts 2015, 84th Leg., R.S., Ch. 944 (S.B. 206), Sec. 1, eff. September 1, 2015.

Acts 2019, 86th Leg., R.S., Ch. 262 (H.B. 1597), Sec. 1, eff. May 28, 2019.

Acts 2019, 86th Leg., R.S., Ch. 597 (S.B. 668), Sec. 1.03, eff. June 10, 2019.

Acts 2019, 86th Leg., R.S., Ch. 823 (H.B. 2526), Sec. 1, eff. June 10, 2019.

Acts 2019, 86th Leg., R.S., Ch. 943 (H.B. 3), Sec. 3.016, eff. September 1, 2019.