§ 37.007 — EXPULSION FOR SERIOUS OFFENSES.

Texas § 37.007

• Jurisdiction: Texas
• Code ED: Education Code

Text

Sec. 37.007. EXPULSION FOR SERIOUS OFFENSES. (a) Except as provided by Subsection (k) and subject to the requirements of Section 37.009 (a), a student shall be expelled from a school if the student, on or off of school property:
(1) engages in conduct that contains the elements of the offense of unlawfully carrying weapons under Section 46.02 , Penal Code, or elements of an offense relating to prohibited weapons under Section 46.05 , Penal Code;
(2) engages in conduct that contains the elements of the offense of:
(A) aggravated assault under Section 22.02 , Penal Code, sexual assault under Section 22.011 , Penal Code, or aggravated sexual assault under Section 22.021 , Penal Code;
(B) arson under Section 28.02 , Penal Code;
(C) murder under Section 19.02 , Penal Code, capital murder under Section 19.03 , Penal Code, or criminal attempt, under Section 15.01 , Penal Code, to commit murder or capital murder;
(D) indecency with a child under Section 21.11 , Penal Code;
(E) kidnapping under Section 20.03 , Penal Code, or aggravated kidnapping under Section 20.04 , Penal Code;
(F) burglary under Section 30.02 , Penal Code, robbery under Section 29.02 , Penal Code, or aggravated robbery under Section 29.03 , Penal Code;
(G) manslaughter under Section 19.04 , Penal Code;
(H) criminally negligent homicide under Section 19.05 , Penal Code; or
(I) continuous sexual abuse of young child or disabled individual under Section 21.02 , Penal Code;
(3) engages in conduct specified by Section 37.006 (a)(2)(C), if the conduct is punishable as a felony;
(4) engages in conduct that contains the elements of the offense of assault under Section 22.01 (a)(1), Penal Code, against a school district employee or volunteer as defined by Section 22.053 of this code; or
(5) engages in conduct that contains the elements of the offense of exhibiting, using, or threatening to exhibit or use a firearm under Section 37.125 of this code.
(b) A student may be expelled if the student:
(1) engages in conduct involving a public school that contains the elements of the offense of false alarm or report under Section 42.06 , Penal Code, or terroristic threat under Section 22.07 , Penal Code;
(2) while on or within 300 feet of school property, as measured from any point on the school's real property boundary line, or while attending a school-sponsored or school-related activity on or off of school property:
(A) except as provided by Subsection (a)(3), sells, gives, or delivers to another person or possesses, uses, or is under the influence of any amount of:
(i) marihuana or a controlled substance, as defined by Chapter 481 , Health and Safety Code, or by 21 U.S.C. Section 801 et seq.;
(ii) a dangerous drug, as defined by Chapter 483 , Health and Safety Code; or
(iii) an alcoholic beverage, as defined by Section 1.04 , Alcoholic Beverage Code;
(B) engages in conduct that contains the elements of an offense relating to an abusable volatile chemical under Sections 485.031 through 485.034 , Health and Safety Code; or
(C) engages in conduct that contains the elements of the offense of deadly conduct under Section 22.05 , Penal Code;
(3) while within 300 feet of school property, as measured from any point on the school's real property boundary line, possesses a firearm, as defined by 18 U.S.C. Section 921; or
(4) engages in conduct that contains the elements of the offense of breach of computer security under Section 33.02 , Penal Code, if:
(A) the conduct involves accessing a computer, computer network, or computer system owned by or operated on behalf of a school district; and
(B) the student knowingly:
(i) alters, damages, or deletes school district property or information; or
(ii) commits a breach of any other computer, computer network, or computer system.
(c) A student may be expelled if the student, while placed in a disciplinary alternative education program, engages in documented serious misbehavior while on the program campus despite documented behavioral interventions. For purposes of this subsection, "serious misbehavior" means:
(1) deliberate violent behavior that poses a direct threat to the health or safety of others;
(2) extortion, meaning the gaining of money or other property by force or threat;
(3) conduct that constitutes coercion, as defined by Section 1.07 , Penal Code; or
(4) conduct that constitutes the offense of:
(A) public lewdness under Section 21.07 , Penal Code;
(B) indecent exposure under Section 21.08 , Penal Code;
(C) criminal mischief under Section 28.03 , Penal Code;
(D) personal hazing under Section 37.152 ; or
(E) harassment under Section 42.07 (a)(1), Penal Code, of a student or district employee.
(d) Repealed by Acts 2025, 89th Leg., R.S., Ch. 1066 (H.B. 6 ), Sec. 21, eff. June 20, 2025.
(e) In accordance with 20 U.S.C. Section 7151, a local educational agency, including a school district, home-rule school district, or open-enrollment charter school, shall expel a student who brings a firearm, as defined by 18 U.S.C. Section 921, to school. The student must be expelled from the student's regular campus for a period of at least one year, except that:
(1) the superintendent or other chief administrative officer of the school district or of the other local educational agency, as defined by 20 U.S.C. Section 7801, may modify the length of the expulsion in the case of an individual student;
(2) the district or other local educational agency shall provide educational services to an expelled student in a disciplinary alternative education program as provided by Section 37.008 if the student is younger than 10 years of age on the date of expulsion; and
(3) the district or other local educational agency may provide educational services to an expelled student who is 10 years of age or older in a disciplinary alternative education program as provided in Section 37.008 .
(f) A student who engages in conduct that contains the elements of the offense of criminal mischief under Section 28.03 , Penal Code, may be expelled at the district's discretion if the conduct is punishable as a felony under that section. The student shall be referred to the authorized officer of the juvenile court regardless of whether the student is expelled.
(g) In addition to any notice required under Article 15.27 , Code of Criminal Procedure, a school district shall inform each educator who has responsibility for, or is under the direction and supervision of an educator who has responsibility for, the instruction of a student who has engaged in any violation listed in this section of the student's misconduct. Each educator shall keep the information received under this subsection confidential from any person not entitled to the information under this subsection, except that the educator may share the information with the student's parent or guardian as provided for by state or federal law. The State Board for Educator Certification may revoke or suspend the certification of an educator who intentionally violates this subsection.
(h) Subject to Subsection (e), notwithstanding any other provision of this section, a student who is younger than 10 years of age may not be expelled for engaging in conduct described by this section.
(i) Repealed by Acts 2025, 89th Leg., R.S., Ch. 1066 (H.B. 6 ), Sec. 21, eff. June 20, 2025.
(k) A student may not be expelled solely on the basis of the student's use, exhibition, or possession of a firearm that occurs:
(1) at an approved target range facility that is not located on a school campus; and
(2) while participating in or preparing for a school-sponsored shooting sports competition or a shooting sports educational activity that is sponsored or supported by the Parks and Wildlife Department or a shooting sports sanctioning organization working with the department.
(l) Subsection (k) does not authorize a student to bring a firearm on school property to participate in or prepare for a school-sponsored shooting sports competition or a shooting sports educational activity described by that subsection.

Legislative History

Added by Acts 1995, 74th Leg., ch. 260, Sec. 1, eff. May 30, 1995. Amended by Acts 1997, 75th Leg., ch. 1015, Sec. 5, eff. June 19, 1997; Acts 1999, 76th Leg., ch. 542, Sec. 1, eff. Aug. 30, 1999; Acts 2001, 77th Leg., ch. 486, Sec. 2, eff. June 11, 2001; Acts 2003, 78th Leg., ch. 225, Sec. 1, eff. June 18, 2003; Acts 2003, 78th Leg., ch. 443, Sec. 1, eff. June 20, 2003; Acts 2003, 78th Leg., ch. 1055, Sec. 10, eff. June 20, 2003. Amended by: Acts 2005, 79th Leg., Ch. 504 (H.B. 603 ), Sec. 4, eff. June 17, 2005. Acts 2005, 79th Leg., Ch. 728 (H.B. 2018 ), Sec. 5.004, eff. September 1, 2005. Acts 2007, 80th Leg., R.S., Ch. 593 (H.B. 8 ), Sec. 3.26, eff. September 1, 2007. Acts 2009, 81st Leg., R.S., Ch. 338 (H.B. 1020 ), Sec. 1, eff. June 19, 2009. Acts 2011, 82nd Leg., R.S., Ch. 948 (H.B. 968 ), Sec. 2, eff. June 17, 2011. Acts 2011, 82nd Leg., R.S., Ch. 963 (H.B. 1224 ), Sec. 1, eff. June 17, 2011. Acts 2015, 84th Leg., R.S., Ch. 1267 (S.B. 107 ), Sec. 3, eff. June 20, 2015. Acts 2021, 87th Leg., R.S., Ch. 221 (H.B. 375 ), Sec. 2.16, eff. September 1, 2021. Acts 2023, 88th Leg., R.S., Ch. 797 (H.B. 114 ), Sec. 2, eff. September 1, 2023. Acts 2025, 89th Leg., R.S., Ch. 1066 (H.B. 6 ), Sec. 11, eff. June 20, 2025. Acts 2025, 89th Leg., R.S., Ch. 1066 (H.B. 6 ), Sec. 21, eff. June 20, 2025.