{ "code": "DH", "title": "Employee Standards of Conduct", "description": "Conroe ISD's Employee Standards of Conduct policy sets expectations for how district employees and service providers are to behave in their roles. It addresses topics such as appropriate relationships with students, required notifications to parents regarding employee misconduct, and restrictions on the use of tobacco, nicotine, and e-cigarette products on district grounds or during school activities.", "last_action_date": "2026-07-21", "last_action_result": "adopted", "timeline_local": [ { "date": "2026-07-21", "school_year": "2025-2026", "action": "adopted", "result": "adopted", "summary": "This update to the Employee Standards of Conduct policy (DH) makes extensive revisions including: replacing \"Code of Conduct\" references with \"Employee Handbook,\" updating terminology from \"policies\" to \"procedures/administrative regulations,\" adding a broadened definition of electronic communication, expanding student misconduct prohibitions (adding specific categories A–D), adding new \"Compliance with Student Safety\" and \"Implementation\" sections with a December 31, 2026 deadline, and refining the Employment Assistance Prohibited and Employee Disruptive Activities sections.", "changes_added": [ "Board Policy, District procedure", "and the Employee Handbook Code of Conduct", "District procedures", "Board pPolicies, District procedures", "EMB(LOCAL), FFG(LOCAL),", "Board Policy DF series", "Electronic Communication Use With Students (section heading added)", "Only electronic communications methods approved by the District shall be used to communicate with currently enrolled students.", "employee is using a communication method approved by the District and", "employee handbook or other adopted District procedureadministrative regulations", "All electronic communications with students shall include a copy to the parent or guardian of the student.", "The Employee Handbook", "or other District procedureadministrative regulations shall detail:", "That communications shall only be within the scope of the employee's professional responsibilities and duties related to any student, as appropriate;", "electronic communication", "state or federal law, Board Policy, or District procedure", "any electronic", "communications", "personal", "Board Policy or District procedures administrative regulations", "and shall fully comply with FFG(LOCAL) and FFG(LEGAL)]", "abuse, neglect or", "abuse, neglect or", "FFH(LOCAL, FFH(LEGAL); see FFG(LOCAL) and FFG(LEGAL)", "FFG(LOCAL) and FFG(LEGAL)", "inappropriate", "No employee shall engage in abuse or neglect or misconduct, including:", "(A) abusing or committing an unlawful act with a student or minor, including by engaging in conduct that involves physical mistreatment or constitutes a threat of violence to a student or minor and that is not justified under Chapter 9, Penal Code, regardless of whether the conduct resulted in bodily injury;", "(B) involvement in or solicitation of a romantic relationship with or soliciting or engaging in sexual contact with a student or minor;", "(C) engaging in inappropriate communications with a student or minor;", "(D) failing to maintain appropriate boundaries with a student or minor.", "[See FFH(LOCAL), FFH(LEGAL) and FFG(LOCAL) AND FFG(LEGAL)]", "or guardian", "FFF(LOCAL), FFF(LEGAL), FFG(LOCAL) and FFG(LEGAL)", "Employee Disruptive Activities (section heading added as new)", "An employee engages in a disruptive activity if the employee, alone or in concert with others, intentionally engages in or coordinates a disruptive activity on District property under Texas Education Code § 37.123 and § 37.124.", "No District employee shall assist an employee, contractor or agent of the District or of any other education agency in obtaining a new job with a school district, private school, or open-enrollment charter school or other education agency entity, if the employee knows, or has probable cause to believe, that the employee, contractor or agent engaged in sexual misconduct as defined in this Board Policy regarding a minor or student in violation of the law or abuse or neglect as defined in FFG(LOCAL) or FFG(LEGAL) or violated EMB(LOCAL) or EMB(LEGAL). Routine transmission of an administrative file does not violate this prohibition.", "Compliance with Student Safety", "All employees shall comply with relevant provisions of Board Policies regarding student safety, including EFA(LOCAL), EFB(LOCAL), EFB(LEGAL). EMB(LOCAL), FFG(LOCAL), FFG(LEGAL), and FFF(LOCAL),", "Implementation", "The Superintendent shall adopt District procedures to implement this Board Policy and include appropriate provisions in the Employee Handbook employee contracts, or other employment documents.", "The Superintendent shall adjust the Employee Handbook employee contracts, or employment documents as soon as applicable and shall otherwise implement this Board Policy by no later than December 31, 2026." ], "changes_removed": [ "policy", "and", "Code of Conduct", "policies", "this Board P", "policies,", "regulations,", "Definition (section heading removed)", "Service Provider (section heading and full definition removed)", "Service provider means a person who provides services to the District. The term includes: (A) An employee, contractor, vendor, agent, or subcontractor for the District; (B) A provider of tutoring services for the District; (C) An entity that has entered into a contract to operate a school district campus under Section 11.174; (D) A staffing provider for the District; and (E) A person employed by or under the control of a person described by Paragraph (A), (B), (C), or (D), including its representatives, employees, subcontractors, or any other individuals acting on its behalf.", "Electronic Communication (definition section removed from top of policy)", "Electronic Communication means any electronic platform, application, website, network, or communication service that allows users to create, post, share, send, receive, comment on, react to, stream, display, or exchange content, messages, images, videos, audio, or other information with one or more persons, whether publicly, privately, or in a closed group.", "Electronic Communication includes, but is not limited to, text messaging, group messaging, direct messaging, email-like messaging within apps, Snapchat, Instagram, Facebook, TikTok, X/Twitter, YouTube, WhatsApp, Discord, Reddit, LinkedIn, Pinterest, Twitch, blogs, forums, message boards, chat rooms, gaming platforms with chat or messaging functions, dating or networking applications, collaborative platforms, and any similar existing or future technology.", "Electronic communication includes communication sent through personal, school-issued, public, private, anonymous, temporary, disappearing, encrypted, or pseudonymous accounts or platforms.", "A certified employee, licensed employee, or any other employee designated in writing by the Superintendent or a campus principal may use electronic communication, as this term is defined by law, with currently enrolled students only about matters within the scope of the employee's professional responsibilities.", "exception has been made", "Code of Conduct or similar document,", "platform, application, or", "Unless authorized above, all other Employees are prohibited from using electronic communication directly with students who are currently enrolled in the District.", "Code of Conduct", "further", "text messaging", "electronic", "public", "procedurepolicy, or interferes with the employee's ability to effectively perform his or her job duties,", "administrative regulations", "electronic", "regarding child abuse and neglect.", "sexual", "As required by law, t", "or person acting as a service provider for the District", "Disruptive Activities include, but are not limited to, activities on District property, including: 1. Leaving an assigned classroom, instructional setting, or supervised activity without authorization to engage in disruptive activity; 2. Leaving campus or any designated school-supervised area during the school day without authorization to engage in a disruptive activity; 3. Obstructing or restraining the passage of persons in an exit, entrance, or hallway of a building without authorization; 4. Seizing control of a building or portion of a building to interfere with an authorized activity; 5. Preventing or attempting to prevent another person from attending class or a school activity as part of a disruption; 6. Creating excessive noise or engaging in coordinated conduct that interferes with order; 7. Refusing to comply with lawful directives issued by school personnel intended to maintain safety and order; 8. Preventing or attempting to prevent by force or violence or the threat of force or violence a lawful assembly authorized by the school administration so that a person attempting to participate in the assembly is unable to participate due to the use of force or violence or due to a reasonable fear that force or violence is likely to occur; 9. Disrupting by force or violence or the threat of force or violence a lawful assembly in progress; 10. Obstructing or restraining the passage of a person at an exit or entrance to the campus or property or preventing or attempting to prevent by force or violence or by threats of force or violence the ingress or egress of a person to or from the property or campus without the authorization of the administration of the school. 11. Coordinating disruptive activities.", "Disciplinary action for disruptive activities shall be imposed in accordance with the Employee Code of Conduct, state or federal law, Board Policy, District procedure, or the employee's contract, as appropriate.", "The Superintendent may report an employee who engages in disruptive activities to the appropriate law enforcement authorities.", "or service provider", "school district", "or service provider", "defined in FFH(LOCAL) or FFG(LEGAL) or violated EMB(LOCAL) or EMB(LEGAL)", "Code of Conduct,", "Code of Conduct," ], "meeting_notes_url": "https://cisd-meetings.boardmonitor.app/meeting.html?id=2026-07-21_regular", "confidence": "medium", "source_redline": "DH_LOCAL.pdf", "notes": "This is a very extensive redline with numerous changes across all sections. The document includes both a redlined policy text (pages 1–7) and a Board Policy vs. Statute comparison table (pages 8–22). Changes were extracted primarily from the redlined policy pages. Some red underline vs. strikethrough distinctions were complex due to interleaved inline edits (e.g., \"procedureadministrative regulations\" combining a strikethrough and addition). The board action was inferred as \"first_reading\" as no explicit action title page was present on page 1; the document appears to be a redline exhibit rather than a titled agenda item. The removal of the detailed \"Service Provider\" and standalone \"Electronic Communication\" definition sections from the top of the policy and the removal of the detailed disruptive activities enumerated list are notable deletions.", "compliance_assessment": { "classification": "Mixed", "elements": [ { "element": "Definition of 'Electronic Communication' and approved methods for employee-student communication", "classification": "Locally Discretionary", "statutory_basis": "None", "supporting_quote": "None", "verification_method": "verbatim statute text", "litigation_status": "None identified", "local_additions": "District defined 'electronic communication' broadly and required that only District-approved communication methods be used with currently enrolled students. No statute in the analysis requires or expressly authorizes this specific restriction." }, { "element": "Requirement that all electronic communications with students include a copy to the parent or guardian", "classification": "Locally Discretionary", "statutory_basis": "None", "supporting_quote": "None", "verification_method": "verbatim statute text", "litigation_status": "None identified", "local_additions": "District chose to require parental/guardian copying on all student electronic communications. No statute in the analysis mandates or expressly authorizes this specific requirement." }, { "element": "Prohibition on employee abuse, neglect, or misconduct including specific categories A–D (unlawful acts with students/minors, romantic/sexual contact, inappropriate communications, failure to maintain appropriate boundaries)", "classification": "Locally Discretionary", "statutory_basis": "None", "supporting_quote": "None", "verification_method": "verbatim statute text", "litigation_status": "None identified", "local_additions": "District created a four-part categorical misconduct framework. The statute analysis contains no requirement or permission matching these specific enumerated categories as articulated in the policy. References to FFH and FFG local/legal policies are internal cross-references, not independently analyzed statutes in the provided analysis." }, { "element": "Employee Disruptive Activities section — definition and prohibitions referencing TEC §37.123 and §37.124", "classification": "Required by Law", "statutory_basis": "TEC §37.123; TEC §37.124", "supporting_quote": "TEC §37.123: 'A person commits an offense if the person, alone or in concert with others, intentionally engages in disruptive activity on the campus or property of any private or public school.' TEC §37.124: 'A person other than a primary or secondary grade student enrolled in the school commits an offense if the person, on school property or on public property within 500 feet of school property, alone or in concert with others, intentionally disrupts the conduct of classes or other school activities.'", "verification_method": "verbatim statute text", "litigation_status": "None identified", "local_additions": "The policy anchors its definition of disruptive activity to TEC §37.123 and §37.124. The district's choice to reference these statutes by name and apply them specifically to employees in a standalone section is a local framing decision, but the underlying prohibitions are statutory." }, { "element": "Removal of enumerated list of specific disruptive activities and related disciplinary/reporting provisions", "classification": "Locally Discretionary", "statutory_basis": "None", "supporting_quote": "None", "verification_method": "verbatim statute text", "litigation_status": "None identified", "local_additions": "The prior policy contained an 11-item enumerated list of disruptive activities, disciplinary action language, and Superintendent reporting authority. Removing this detail and replacing it with a statutory cross-reference is a local drafting choice. TEC §37.123 and §37.124 do not require or prohibit such enumeration in district policy." }, { "element": "Prohibition on assisting employees or contractors with misconduct history in obtaining new employment", "classification": "Locally Discretionary", "statutory_basis": "None", "supporting_quote": "None", "verification_method": "verbatim statute text", "litigation_status": "None identified", "local_additions": "District added an anti-facilitation provision prohibiting assistance in new employment for individuals with sexual misconduct, abuse, or EMB violations. The statute analysis contains no requirement or permission for this specific prohibition." }, { "element": "Compliance with Student Safety section — employees required to comply with enumerated Board Policies", "classification": "Locally Discretionary", "statutory_basis": "None", "supporting_quote": "None", "verification_method": "verbatim statute text", "litigation_status": "None identified", "local_additions": "District created a new section directing employee compliance with multiple named local and legal policies (EFA, EFB, EMB, FFG, FFF). This is a local administrative aggregation mechanism with no matching statutory mandate in the analysis." }, { "element": "Implementation section — Superintendent directed to adopt procedures and implement policy by December 31, 2026", "classification": "Locally Discretionary", "statutory_basis": "None", "supporting_quote": "None", "verification_method": "verbatim statute text", "litigation_status": "None identified", "local_additions": "The December 31, 2026 implementation deadline, direction to the Superintendent to adopt procedures, and inclusion of provisions in the Employee Handbook and employment documents are all local administrative choices with no statutory basis identified in the analysis." }, { "element": "Scope limitation on employee-student communications — within professional responsibilities only", "classification": "Locally Discretionary", "statutory_basis": "None", "supporting_quote": "None", "verification_method": "verbatim statute text", "litigation_status": "None identified", "local_additions": "District specified that communications must be 'within the scope of the employee's professional responsibilities and duties related to any student, as appropriate.' This operational limitation is a local policy standard not compelled or expressly authorized by any statute in the analysis." }, { "element": "Removal of 'Service Provider' definition and narrowing of policy applicability from service providers to employees", "classification": "Locally Discretionary", "statutory_basis": "None", "supporting_quote": "None", "verification_method": "verbatim statute text", "litigation_status": "None identified", "local_additions": "Although TEC §11.174 references service providers in the context of campus operation contracts, the statute analysis does not require or prohibit including or excluding service providers from employee conduct policy. The removal is a local drafting and scope decision." }, { "element": "Terminology updates — replacing 'Code of Conduct' with 'Employee Handbook' and 'policies' with 'procedures/administrative regulations'", "classification": "Locally Discretionary", "statutory_basis": "None", "supporting_quote": "None", "verification_method": "verbatim statute text", "litigation_status": "None identified", "local_additions": "These are editorial and organizational changes reflecting the district's internal document structure. No statute in the analysis requires or prohibits any specific terminology for employee conduct documents." } ] }, "compliance_summary": [ "Disruptive Activities Prohibition: State law under TEC §37.123 and §37.124 defines what counts as disruptive activity on school campuses. This policy applies those same legal definitions to employee conduct.", "Electronic Communication Rules: The district created its own definition of electronic communication and requires employees to use only district-approved methods when contacting currently enrolled students. No state law requires or prohibits this specific rule — it is a local district decision.", "Parental Copying Requirement: The policy requires that parents or guardians be copied on all electronic communications between employees and students. This is a local district choice; no state law reviewed in this analysis requires it.", "Student Misconduct Categories: The policy adds four specific categories of prohibited employee misconduct involving students, covering areas such as unlawful acts, romantic or sexual contact, inappropriate communications, and failure to maintain proper boundaries. These categories were created by the district and are not directly required by any state law identified in this analysis.", "Employment Assistance Prohibition: The policy prohibits employees from helping someone with a history of sexual misconduct or abuse find new employment. This is a local district rule with no matching state law requirement identified in this analysis.", "Implementation Deadline: The policy directs the Superintendent to adopt supporting procedures and incorporate the policy into the Employee Handbook by December 31, 2026. This deadline and the steps required to meet it are local administrative decisions, not requirements set by state law." ] }, { "date": "2026-06-16", "school_year": "2025-2026", "action": "first_reading", "result": "first_reading", "summary": "This update to Policy DH (Employee Standards of Conduct) adds multiple new definitions and sections—including formal definitions for \"Service Provider\" and \"Electronic Communication,\" an expanded \"Relationships With Students\" misconduct framework, a new \"Employee Disruptive Activities\" section, a new \"Employment Assistance Prohibited\" section, and a new \"Compliance with Student Safety\" section—while also revising terminology throughout (e.g., replacing \"policy\" with \"procedure,\" \"employee handbook\" with \"Employee Code of Conduct,\" and \"public\" with \"personal\" in the Personal Use section) and adding an Implementation deadline of December 31, 2026.", "changes_added": [ "Board Policy, District procedure", "and the Employee Code of Conduct", "Definition [section heading]", "Service Provider [subsection heading — full definition]: Service provider means a person who provides services to the District. The term includes: (A) An employee, contractor, vendor, agent, or subcontractor for the District; (B) A provider of tutoring services for the District; (C) An entity that has entered into a contract to operate a school district campus under Section 11.174; (D) A staffing provider for the District; and (E) A person employed by or under the control of a person described by Paragraph (A), (B), (C), or (D), including its representatives, employees, subcontractors, or any other individuals acting on its behalf.", "Electronic Communication [subsection heading — full definition]: Electronic Communication means any electronic platform, application, website, network, or communication service that allows users to create, post, share, send, receive, comment on, react to, stream, display, or exchange content, messages, images, videos, audio, or other information with one or more persons, whether publicly, privately, or in a closed group. Electronic Communication includes, but is not limited to, text messaging, group messaging, direct messaging, email-like messaging within apps, Snapchat, Instagram, Facebook, TikTok, X/Twitter, YouTube, WhatsApp, Discord, Reddit, LinkedIn, Pinterest, Twitch, blogs, forums, message boards, chat rooms, gaming platforms with chat or messaging functions, dating or networking applications, collaborative platforms, and any similar existing or future technology. Electronic communication includes communication sent through personal, school-issued, public, private, anonymous, temporary, disappearing, encrypted, or pseudonymous accounts or platforms.", "Board pPolicies, District procedures", "EMB(LOCAL), FFG(LOCAL), and Board Policy DF series", "Unless an exception has been made in accordance with the Employee Code of Conduct or similar document,", "adopted District procedure administrative regulations", "Unless authorized above, all other Employees are prohibited from using electronic communication directly with students who are currently enrolled in the District. The Employee Code of Conduct", "District procedure administrative regulations", "That communications shall only be within the scope of the employee's professional responsibilities and duties related to any student, as appropriate;", "electronic communication", "state or federal law, Board Policy, or District procedure", "any", "electronic communications", "personal", "Board Policy, or District procedure", "Board Policy or District procedures", "and shall fully comply with FFG(LOCAL) and FFG(LEGAL)]", "abuse, neglect or", "FFH(LOCAL, FFH(LEGAL); see FFG(LOCAL) and FFG(LEGAL) regarding child abuse and neglect.", "abuse, neglect or", "FFG(LOCAL) and FFG(LEGAL)", "inappropriate", "No employee shall engage in abuse or neglect or misconduct, including: (A) abusing or committing an unlawful act with a student or minor, including by engaging in conduct that involves physical mistreatment or constitutes a threat of violence to a student or minor and that is not justified under Chapter 9, Penal Code, regardless of whether the conduct resulted in bodily injury; (B) involvement in or solicitation of a romantic relationship with or soliciting or engaging in sexual contact with a student or minor; (C) engaging in inappropriate communications with a student or minor; (D) failing to maintain appropriate boundaries with a student or minor.", "FFH(LOCAL), FFH(LEGAL) and FFG(LOCAL) AND FFG(LEGAL)", "FFF(LOCAL), FFF(LEGAL), FFG(LOCAL) and FFG(LEGAL)", "Employee Disruptive Activities [full section]: An employee engages in a disruptive activity if the employee, alone or in concert with others, intentionally engages in or coordinates a disruptive activity on District property under Texas Education Code § 37.123. Disruptive Activities include, but are not limited to, activities on District property, including: 1. Leaving an assigned classroom, instructional setting, or supervised activity without authorization to engage in disruptive activity; 2. Leaving campus or any designated school-supervised area during the school day without authorization to engage in a disruptive activity; 3. Obstructing or restraining the passage of persons in an exit, entrance, or hallway of a building without authorization; 4. Seizing control of a building or portion of a building to interfere with an authorized activity; 5. Preventing or attempting to prevent another person from attending class or a school activity as part of a disruption; 6. Creating excessive noise or engaging in coordinated conduct that interferes with order; 7. Refusing to comply with lawful directives issued by school personnel intended to maintain safety and order; 8. Preventing or attempting to prevent by force or violence or the threat of force or violence a lawful assembly authorized by the school administration so that a person attempting to participate in the assembly is unable to participate due to the use of force or violence or due to a reasonable fear that force or violence is likely to occur; 9. Disrupting by force or violence or the threat of force or violence a lawful assembly in progress; 10. Obstructing or restraining the passage of a person at an exit or entrance to the campus or property or preventing or attempting to prevent by force or violence or by threats of force or violence the ingress or egress of a person to or from the property or campus without the authorization of the administration of the school. 11. Coordinating disruptive activities. Disciplinary action for disruptive activities shall be imposed in accordance with the Employee Code of Conduct, state or federal law, Board Policy, District procedure, or the employee's contract, as appropriate. The Superintendent may report an employee who engages in disruptive activities to the appropriate law enforcement authorities.", "Employment Assistance Prohibited [full section]: No District employee shall assist an employee, contractor or agent or service provider of the District or of any other school district in obtaining employment with a school district, private school, or open-enrollment charter school or other entity, if the employee knows, or has probable cause to believe, that the employee, contractor or agent or service provider engaged in misconduct as defined in this Board Policy regarding a minor or student in violation of the law or abuse or neglect as defined in FFG(LOCAL) or FFG(LEGAL) or violated EMB(LOCAL) or EMB(LEGAL). Routine transmission of an administrative file does not violate this prohibition.", "Compliance with Student Safety [full section]: All employees shall comply with Board Policies, including EFA(LOCAL), EFB(LOCAL), EFB(LEGAL). EMB(LOCAL), FFG(LOCAL), FFG(LEGAL), and FFF(LOCAL),", "Implementation [full section]: The Superintendent shall adopt District procedures to implement this Board Policy and include appropriate provisions in the Employee Code of Conduct, employee contracts, or other employment documents. The Superintendent shall adjust the Employee Code of Conduct, employee contracts, or employment documents as soon as applicable and shall otherwise implement this Board Policy by no later than December 31, 2026." ], "changes_removed": [ "policy,", "and", "this", "policies", "regulations,", "A certified employee, licensed employee, or any other employee designated in writing by the Superintendent or a campus principal may use electronic communication, as this term is defined by law, with currently enrolled students only about matters within the scope of the employee's professional responsibilities.", "employee handbook", "personal electronic communication platform, application, or", "Unless authorized above, all other Employees are prohibited from using electronic communication directly with students who are currently enrolled in the District.", "employee handbook", "District procedure administrative regulations shall further", ":", "text messaging", "electronic", "electronic", "public", "procedurepolicy, or interferes with the employee's ability to effectively perform his or her job duties,", "administrative regulations", "electronic", "sexual", "FFG(LOCAL) and FFG(LEGAL) regarding child abuse and neglect.", "As required by law, t", "or person acting as a service provider for the District" ], "meeting_notes_url": "https://cisd-meetings.boardmonitor.app/meeting.html?id=2026-06-16_regular", "confidence": "high", "source_redline": "DH_LOCAL.pdf", "notes": "The document is a comprehensive redline of Policy DH. The board action is inferred as first_reading based on document context; no explicit cover page title with action language was present. Several entirely new sections are added (Definitions, Employee Disruptive Activities, Employment Assistance Prohibited, Compliance with Student Safety, Implementation), while existing sections receive terminology updates. The statute comparison pages (pp. 8–22) are informational/supporting material, not policy text, and were not included in the extraction. Some strikethrough/underline formatting was ambiguous in the comparison pages but clear in the main redline pages (pp. 1–7).", "compliance_assessment": { "classification": "Mixed", "elements": [ { "element": "Service Provider Definition", "classification": "Permitted by Law", "statutory_basis": "TEC §22A.001(8)", "supporting_quote": "'Service provider' means a person who provides services to an educational entity. The term includes: (A) an employee, contractor, vendor, agent, or subcontractor for the educational entity; (B) a provider of tutoring services for the educational entity; (C) an entity that has entered into a contract to operate a school district campus under Section 11.174; (D) a staffing provider for the educational entity; and (E) a person employed by or under the control of a person described by Paragraph (A), (B), (C), or (D), including its representatives, employees, subcontractors, or any other individuals acting on its behalf.", "verification_method": "verbatim statute text", "litigation_status": "None identified", "local_additions": "District adopted the statutory definition verbatim as a formal policy definition. The statute supplies the definition as a permission; no statute compelled the district to import it into DH(LOCAL). Adoption was a local choice." }, { "element": "Electronic Communication Definition", "classification": "Locally Discretionary", "statutory_basis": "None", "supporting_quote": "None", "verification_method": "unverified", "litigation_status": "None identified", "local_additions": "The statute analysis contains no requirement or permission to define 'Electronic Communication.' The policy creates an extensive definition listing specific platforms (Snapchat, Instagram, TikTok, Discord, etc.) and account types (anonymous, temporary, disappearing, encrypted, pseudonymous). This is entirely a local drafting choice with no statutory grounding." }, { "element": "Employee-Student Electronic Communication Restriction (blanket prohibition for non-authorized employees)", "classification": "Locally Discretionary", "statutory_basis": "None", "supporting_quote": "None", "verification_method": "verbatim statute text", "litigation_status": "None identified", "local_additions": "TEC §22A.051 requires reporting of 'inappropriate communications' after the fact; it does not require or expressly authorize districts to impose a preventive blanket prohibition on direct electronic communication between non-authorized employees and enrolled students. The prohibition itself and the authorization-exception framework are locally chosen." }, { "element": "Relationships With Students—Misconduct Framework (abuse/unlawful acts, romantic/sexual relationships, inappropriate communications, boundary failures)", "classification": "Required by Law", "statutory_basis": "TEC §22A.051(a)(2)(A), (B), (C), (D)", "supporting_quote": "an educator's employment at the entity was terminated and there is evidence that the educator: (A) abused or otherwise committed an unlawful act with a student or minor, including by engaging in conduct that involves physical mistreatment or constitutes a threat of violence to a student or minor and that is not justified under Chapter 9, Penal Code, regardless of whether the conduct resulted in bodily injury; (B) was involved in or solicited a romantic relationship with or solicited or engaged in sexual contact with a student or minor; (C) engaged in inappropriate communications with a student or minor; (D) failed to maintain appropriate boundaries with a student or minor", "verification_method": "verbatim statute text", "litigation_status": "None identified", "local_additions": "Policy codifies the four statutory misconduct categories verbatim. Statute uses mandatory language ('shall notify the board') predicated on evidence of exactly these categories. District had no meaningful discretion to omit or alter these categories without legal risk." }, { "element": "Employee Disruptive Activities Section", "classification": "Mixed", "statutory_basis": "TEC §37.123", "supporting_quote": "A person commits an offense if the person, alone or in concert with others, intentionally engages in disruptive activity on the campus or property of any private or public school. [Including:] obstructing or restraining the passage of persons in an exit, entrance, or hallway of a building without the authorization of the administration of the school; seizing control of a building or portion of a building to interfere with an administrative, educational, research, or other authorized activity; preventing or attempting to prevent by force or violence or the threat of force or violence a lawful assembly authorized by the school administration so that a person attempting to participate in the assembly is unable to participate due to the use of force or violence or due to a reasonable fear that force or violence is likely to occur; disrupting by force or violence or the threat of force or violence a lawful assembly in progress; obstructing or restraining the passage of a person at an exit or entrance to the campus or property or preventing or attempting to prevent by force or violence or by threats of force or violence the ingress or egress of a person to or from the property or campus without the authorization of the administration of the school", "verification_method": "verbatim statute text", "litigation_status": "None identified", "local_additions": "The statute establishes criminal prohibitions applicable to 'any person.' The policy's replication of the statutory conduct list is Required by Law to the extent it tracks the statute. However, the policy adds locally discretionary elements: (1) items 1, 2, 5, 6, 7, and 11 (leaving classrooms, creating excessive noise, coordinating activities, refusing directives) that are not enumerated in TEC §37.123's verbatim text; (2) the Superintendent's optional authority to report to law enforcement; (3) the discipline framework tied to the Employee Code of Conduct and contracts. The statute prohibits conduct but does not mandate that districts create an employee disciplinary section mirroring it." }, { "element": "Employment Assistance Prohibited Section", "classification": "Locally Discretionary", "statutory_basis": "None", "supporting_quote": "None", "verification_method": "unverified", "litigation_status": "None identified", "local_additions": "The statute analysis provided contains no verbatim quote from any statute requiring or expressly authorizing this prohibition. Per the Grounding Rule, the classification must be based solely on the statute analysis. No supporting quote exists. The provision is classified as Locally Discretionary regardless of any federal ESSA parallel not cited in the analysis." }, { "element": "Compliance with Student Safety Section (cross-reference mandate to EFA, EFB, EMB, FFG, FFF policies)", "classification": "Mixed", "statutory_basis": "TEC §22A.051(a)(2); TEC §261.101 (Family Code, referenced in statute analysis)", "supporting_quote": "In addition to the reporting requirement under Section 261.101, Family Code, the superintendent or director of an educational entity shall notify the board", "verification_method": "verbatim statute text", "litigation_status": "None identified", "local_additions": "The statutory mandate to comply with misconduct reporting (§22A.051) and child abuse reporting (§261.101) is Required by Law. However, the specific list of cross-referenced local policies (EFA(LOCAL), EFB(LOCAL), EFB(LEGAL), EMB(LOCAL), FFG(LOCAL), FFG(LEGAL), FFF(LOCAL)) is a locally determined selection of district policies. The compliance obligation is statutory; the enumerated cross-references are locally chosen." }, { "element": "Implementation Deadline (December 31, 2026)", "classification": "Locally Discretionary", "statutory_basis": "None", "supporting_quote": "None", "verification_method": "unverified", "litigation_status": "None identified", "local_additions": "No statute in the analysis requires or authorizes a specific December 31, 2026 implementation deadline. The board chose this administrative timeline entirely as a local governance decision." }, { "element": "Terminology Changes (policy→procedure; employee handbook→Employee Code of Conduct; public→personal)", "classification": "Locally Discretionary", "statutory_basis": "None", "supporting_quote": "None", "verification_method": "unverified", "litigation_status": "None identified", "local_additions": "These are purely local drafting and organizational refinements. No statute in the analysis requires or permits any of these specific word substitutions." } ] }, "compliance_summary": [ "Reporting Misconduct With Students: State law TEC §22A.051 requires school districts to report certain types of employee misconduct involving students, including abuse, romantic relationships, inappropriate communications, and boundary violations. This policy update formally lists those same categories to reflect what the law already requires.", "Disruptive Employee Conduct: State law TEC §37.123 makes certain disruptive activities on school property a criminal offense for any person. The policy mirrors that list of prohibited behaviors, though it also adds several workplace-specific rules — such as leaving classrooms without permission and refusing directives — that go beyond what the statute specifically covers.", "Student Safety Cross-References: State laws TEC §22A.051 and TEC §261.101 require employees to report student misconduct and child abuse. This section directs employees to follow those legal obligations and also points them to a specific list of related district policies, which the district selected on its own.", "Electronic Communication Rules: The district added its own definition of 'Electronic Communication,' naming specific platforms such as Snapchat, Instagram, TikTok, and Discord. No state law required or specifically authorized this definition — it is a local drafting decision by the board.", "Employment Assistance Prohibition: The policy adds a section that prohibits certain employment-related assistance, but no state law cited in the analysis required or specifically authorized this provision. The board adopted it as a local policy choice.", "Implementation Deadline: The policy sets a deadline of December 31, 2026, for the changes to take effect. No state law required this specific date — the board chose it as part of its own administrative planning." ] }, { "date": "2025-12-16", "school_year": "2025-2026", "action": "adopted", "result": "adopted", "summary": "This update to Conroe ISD's Employee Standards of Conduct policy (DH Local) broadens the Relationships With Students notice provision to cover all employees and service providers (not just educators), expands the tobacco prohibition to include nicotine products and adds an exception for smoking cessation products, and renames the section heading to \"Tobacco And E-Cigarettes.\"", "changes_added": [ "employee or person acting as a service provider for the District (replacing 'educator') in the Relationships With Students parent-notification sentence", "or nicotine products (added to the tobacco/e-cigarette prohibition)", "An employee may request an exception from this provision for a smoking cessation product.", "E-Cigarettes (added to the section title 'Tobacco And E-Cigarettes')" ], "changes_removed": [ "educator (removed from the Relationships With Students parent-notification sentence, replaced by 'employee or person acting as a service provider for the District')", "or e-cigarettes (removed from the tobacco prohibition list — replaced by 'or nicotine products')" ], "meeting_notes_url": "https://cisd-meetings.boardmonitor.app/meeting.html?id=2025-12-16_regular", "confidence": "high", "source_redline": "DH_LOCAL.pdf", "notes": "Red underlined and red strikethrough text was clearly visible on page 4 of the PDF. The section heading change from 'Tobacco And' to 'Tobacco And E-Cigarettes' is reflected in the document header; the body text redlines confirm the substitution of 'or e-cigarettes' with 'or nicotine products' and the addition of the smoking cessation exception sentence. The parent-notification sentence in Relationships With Students shows 'educator' struck through and 'employee or person acting as a service provider for the District' underlined.", "compliance_assessment": { "classification": "Mixed", "elements": [ { "element": "Expansion of Relationships With Students notice provision from 'educator' to 'employee or person acting as a service provider for the District'", "classification": "Locally Discretionary", "statutory_basis": "TEC §22A (S.B. 571, 89th Leg., R.S.), effective June 20, 2025", "supporting_quote": "None", "verification_method": "web search confirmed — S.B. 571 / TEC Chapter 22A is enacted and in force; however, the statute analysis entry for TEC §22A contains no requirements, prohibitions, or permissions that compel or expressly authorize this specific parent-notification expansion. 19 TAC §247.2 supplies a requirement only as to 'educators,' not employees or service providers broadly. No verbatim quote from enacted text grounds a mandate or permission for this specific policy change.", "litigation_status": "None identified — no court challenge to S.B. 571 / TEC Chapter 22A found as of April 9, 2026", "local_additions": "The district chose to extend the parent-notification obligation in DH Local beyond the educator-only scope of 19 TAC §247.2 to cover all employees and service providers. While S.B. 571 broadly expanded misconduct-reporting infrastructure to service providers, the statute analysis supplies no verbatim quote compelling or expressly permitting this specific notice provision. The district exercised genuine local discretion in drafting this expansion." }, { "element": "Tobacco prohibition — retention of the core ban on smoking, e-cigarettes, and tobacco products (existing language)", "classification": "Required by Law", "statutory_basis": "TEC §38.006, as amended by S.B. 97 (84th Leg., R.S.), eff. October 1, 2015", "supporting_quote": "The board of trustees of a school district shall: (1) prohibit smoking or using e-cigarettes or tobacco products at a school-related or school-sanctioned activity on or off school property", "verification_method": "verbatim statute text — confirmed by web search; TEC §38.006 remains operative as amended by S.B. 97 (84th Leg.); no subsequent amendment to this section found in 88th or 89th Legislature sessions", "litigation_status": "None identified — no active injunction or litigation against TEC §38.006 found as of April 9, 2026", "local_additions": "None — this element simply preserves the pre-existing mandated prohibition" }, { "element": "Addition of 'or nicotine products' to the tobacco/e-cigarette prohibition", "classification": "Locally Discretionary", "statutory_basis": "None", "supporting_quote": "None — TEC §38.006 as quoted in the statute analysis prohibits 'smoking or using e-cigarettes or tobacco products'; it does not mention 'nicotine products' as a separate enumerated category. No other statute in the analysis requires or expressly permits this specific extension.", "verification_method": "web search confirmed — no amendment to TEC §38.006 adding 'nicotine products' was found in 88th or 89th Legislature enactments", "litigation_status": "None identified", "local_additions": "The district independently chose to expand the prohibition beyond the statutory categories (smoking, e-cigarettes, tobacco products) to encompass nicotine products more broadly — e.g., nicotine pouches, patches, or other non-tobacco-derived nicotine products. This is a locally chosen policy enhancement with no direct statutory anchor." }, { "element": "Smoking cessation product exception ('An employee may request an exception from this provision for a smoking cessation product')", "classification": "Locally Discretionary", "statutory_basis": "None", "supporting_quote": "None — TEC §38.006 as quoted in the statute analysis contains no language authorizing, requiring, or contemplating a smoking cessation exception. No other statute in the analysis addresses this.", "verification_method": "verbatim statute text — the enacted text quoted in the statute analysis is silent on any cessation-product exception", "litigation_status": "None identified", "local_additions": "This is an entirely local policy choice. The district created a carve-out for nicotine replacement/cessation products used by employees, which goes beyond — and partially softens — the statutory prohibition. No statute required or authorized this specific exception." }, { "element": "Section heading rename to 'Tobacco And E-Cigarettes'", "classification": "Locally Discretionary", "statutory_basis": "None", "supporting_quote": "None — no statute in the analysis prescribes section heading nomenclature in board policy", "verification_method": "verbatim statute text — purely a drafting/organizational choice", "litigation_status": "None identified", "local_additions": "The heading change is a local editorial decision. Notably, the change removes 'or e-cigarettes' from the prohibition list body (now subsumed under 'nicotine products') while adding 'E-Cigarettes' to the section title — a local drafting reconciliation, not a statutory mandate." } ] }, "compliance_summary": [ "Relationships With Students Notice: The policy now requires that parents be notified about certain misconduct not just by teachers, but by all district employees and outside service providers. The district chose to go beyond the educator-focused scope of state rules by using broader authority provided under S.B. 571 (89th Legislature).", "Tobacco and E-Cigarette Ban: State law TEC §38.006, updated by S.B. 97 in 2015, requires Texas school districts to prohibit smoking, tobacco products, and e-cigarettes on school property. This policy keeps that required prohibition in place.", "Nicotine Products Added to Ban: The district expanded its prohibition to include nicotine products beyond traditional tobacco and e-cigarettes — such as nicotine pouches or patches. No state law required this addition; it is a local policy decision.", "Smoking Cessation Exception: The updated policy allows employees to request an exception to the nicotine prohibition if they are using a product to help them quit smoking. This exception was created by the district on its own, as no state law requires or specifically authorizes it.", "Section Heading Update: The section covering this topic has been renamed 'Tobacco And E-Cigarettes' to better reflect the range of products addressed by the policy. This is an editorial change made by the district with no statutory requirement behind it." ] }, { "date": "2025-10-21", "school_year": "2025-2026", "action": "first_reading", "result": "first_reading", "summary": "This update to Conroe ISD's Employee Standards of Conduct policy (DH Local) makes three changes: it broadens the parent-notification requirement for misconduct to include non-educator service providers, expands the tobacco prohibition to include nicotine products, and adds an exception allowing employees to request an exemption for smoking cessation products.", "changes_added": [ "employee or person acting as a service provider for the District (replacing 'educator' in the parent-notification sentence under Relationships With Students)", "or nicotine products (added to the tobacco/e-cigarette prohibition)", "An employee may request an exception from this provision for a smoking cessation product." ], "changes_removed": [ "educator (removed from the parent-notification sentence under Relationships With Students, replaced by broader language)", "or (standalone 'or' before 'e-cigarettes' in the tobacco prohibition, restructured with added language)" ], "meeting_notes_url": "https://cisd-meetings.boardmonitor.app/meeting.html?id=2025-10-21_regular", "confidence": "medium", "source_redline": "DH_LOCAL.pdf", "notes": "The redline colour descriptions are inferred from the document's red text formatting as described. Page 4 shows red underlined additions and red strikethrough removals in the Relationships With Students and Tobacco And E-Cigarettes sections. The exact struck-through text for 'educator' and 'or' is partially ambiguous due to PDF rendering, but context makes the changes clear. No other redline changes were visible on pages 2–6." } ], "timeline_legal": [], "policy_connect_url": "https://policyconnect.org/policy/conroe-isd/DH" }