Cameras in the Classroom

Sec. 29.022. VIDEO SURVEILLANCE OF SPECIAL EDUCATION SETTINGS

(a) In order to promote student safety, on receipt of a written request authorized under Subsection (a-1), a school district or open-enrollment charter school shall provide equipment, including a video camera, to the school or schools in the district or the charter school campus or campuses specified in the request...

CONDITIONS

Required to place equipment only in classrooms or settings in which the parent’s child is in regular attendance or to which the staff member is assigned, as applicable; and
A school or campus that receives equipment as a result of the request by a board of trustees, governing body, principal, or assistant principal is required to place equipment only in classrooms or settings identified by the requestor, if the requestor limits the request to specific classrooms or settings subject to this subjection.

Tex. Educ. Code § 29.022(a)(1)-(2)

WHO CAN REQUEST?

Parent

Board of Trustees

Principal

Assistant Principal

Staff Member

HOW CAN A WRITTEN REQUEST BE SUBMITTED?

(1) a parent, staff member, or assistant principal must submit a request to the principal or the principal's designee of the school or campus addressed in the request, and the principal or designee must provide a copy of the request to the administrator;

(2) a principal must submit a request by the principal to the administrator designated under Subsection (a-2); and

(3) a board of trustees or governing body must submit a request to the administrator designated, and the administrator must provide a copy of the request to the principal or the principal's designee of the school or campus addressed in the request.

Before a school or campus activates a video camera in a classroom or other special education setting under this section, the school or campus shall provide written notice of the placement to all school or campus staff and to the parents of each student attending class or engaging in school activities in the classroom or setting.

5 school business days prior to activating the camera

HOW LONG DO CAMERAS STAY IN THE CLASSROOM?

You must operate and maintain the video camera as long as the classroom or setting continues to satisfy the Texas Education Code requirements for the remainder of the school year in the request was made.

A video camera placed under this section is not required to be in operation for the time during which students are not present in the classroom or other special education setting.

*Unless terminated by Requestor

If for any reason a school or campus will discontinue operation of a video camera during a school year, not later than the fifth school day before the date the operation of the video camera will be discontinued, the school or campus must notify the parents of each student in regular attendance in the classroom or setting that operation of the video camera will not continue unless requested by a person eligible to make a request.

Not later than the tenth school day BEFORE the end of each school year, the school or campus must notify the parents of each student in regular attendance in the classroom or setting that operation of the video camera will not continue during the following school year unless a new request is made.

HOW LONG DO I RETAIN RECORDINGS?

You must operate and maintain the video camera as long as the classroom or setting continues to satisfy the Texas Education Code requirements for the remainder of the school year in the request was made.

A video camera placed under this section is not required to be in operation for the time during which students are not present in the classroom or other special education setting.

*Unless terminated by Requestor

If for any reason a school or campus will discontinue operation of a video camera during a school year, not later than the fifth school day before the date the operation of the video camera will be discontinued, the school or campus must notify the parents of each student in regular attendance in the classroom or setting that operation of the video camera will not continue unless requested by a person eligible to make a request.

Not later than the tenth school day BEFORE the end of each school year, the school or campus must notify the parents of each student in regular attendance in the classroom or setting that operation of the video camera will not continue during the following school year unless a new request is made.

A video recording of a student made according to this section is confidential! Follow Tex. Educ. Code § 29.022 and local board policies when responding to a request to view a video.

Cameras in the Classroom.pdf