Like all Texas school districts, the Pasadena Independent School District (PISD) does more than just educate students. To adhere to Texas law, PISD also operates its own Disciplinary Alternative Education Program (DAEP) to address bad behavior and protect campus communities from harm. DAEP removal involves removing students from their home campus and enrolling them in designated district schools, lasting a year or more in some situations.
Temporary enrollment in PISD's DAEP school can significantly impact a student's academic future in both the short and long term. The shift from one school to another, in addition to the unique restrictions of DAEP schools, creates unnecessary challenges for young learners during their formative years. With a local Houston office, the Lento Law Firm can assist families in Pasadena ISD to protect their children when DAEP placement is a possible disciplinary punishment. Call our Student Defense Team today at 888-535-3686 or contact us online to begin building your child's DAEP defense.
The Pasadena Independent School District
The Pasadena Independent School District educates roughly 50,000 students across large parts of Harris County, primarily in Pasadena, the city of South Houston, and southeast portions of Houston. Compared to some Texas school districts, PISD has a greater number of schools due to the way students move between campuses. Young PISD students attend elementary school until 4th grade, middle school for the next two years, intermediate school for 7th and 8th grade, and finish their studies at high school from 9th to 12th grade.
Many PISD schools are located in the city of Pasadena, but not all. Some of the most prominent high schools in the district include:
- Pasadena High School
- J. Frank Dobie High School
- Sam Rayburn High School
- South Houston High School
Additionally, the district is home to many schools educating younger students, such as:
- Bobby Shaw Middle School
- Morris Middle School
- Beverly Hills Intermediate
- South Houston Intermediate
- Golden Acres Elementary
- Gardens Elementary
- South Houston Elementary
Notably, Pasadena ISD also offers a Dual Language program that educates students in both English and Spanish to produce bilingual, cultured high school graduates. PISD's Dual Language program is available for students attending the following schools:
- Pasadena Memorial High School
- Milstead Middle School
- Kendrick Middle School
- Miller Intermediate School
- Fisher Elementary School
- Hancock Elementary School
- Garfield Elementary School
- Laura Bush Elementary School
- Pomeroy Elementary School
Although most students will attend regular Pasadena ISD schools throughout their upbringing, the district contains alternative education options, such as Pasadena Virtual School. However, the school that PISD students and their families should be aware of is The Summit, PISD's designated DAEP school. Being forced to enter this DAEP school means students face difficulties remaining in other district programs like the Dual Language Program.
Students enroll in The Summit when officials from the district and their home campus find them responsible for misbehavior warranting DAEP removal and placement. Every DAEP case is different; two students may have two very different discipline outcomes for the same offense. District and school officials must review the student's history and the circumstances surrounding their actions to determine if DAEP placement is the best solution. That's where the Lento Law Firm can help.
If your student in Pasadena ISD is at risk of DAEP placement, the Lento Law Firm has the necessary experience to defend their name and keep them enrolled in their home campus. With a local office in Houston, our Student Defense Team knows the Pasadena ISD well and has represented many students in similar situations. Call today at 888-535-3686 or contact us online to discuss how we can protect your child's educational future in Pasadena ISD.
The Reasons for DAEP Placement in Pasadena ISD
Pasadena ISD's DAEP school, The Summit, does not accept students through a typical enrollment process. Instead, students enroll in the school on a temporary basis based on recommendations or orders from district officials and staff from their home campus following disciplinary concerns. The Summit DAEP school continues to educate students based on their home campus's curriculum but with additional restrictions and limits on student freedom.
There is no single offense that leads to DAEP placement in Pasadena ISD. Many forms of misbehavior can lead to DAEP placement, and students with a disciplinary history may find themselves at greater risk. District and school officials can order discretionary placements when a student's actions are considered harmful, disruptive, or otherwise inappropriate, even when not legally mandated for DAEP. Examples of behaviors that may result in discretionary placement in PISD include:
- Sharing or threatening to share intimate visual material without consent.
- Participation in unauthorized school groups or gang-related activities.
- Criminal mischief, including acts classified as felonies.
- Physical altercations involving assault.
- Bullying or inciting violence, including group bullying behaviors.
In addition to discretionary placements, Texas law actually requires mandatory DAEP placement for certain disciplinary infractions. A new Texas law added vaping as a mandatory offense, creating a sharp uptick in DAEP placements among nearly all Texas school districts. Pasadena ISD saw a 50% jump, from less than 1,200 students in the 2022-2023 school year to over 1,700 the following year.
While offenses carrying mandatory DAEP placement are typically more severe, many Pasadena ISD students engage in this behavior each year and end up at The Summit. Some offenses with mandatory DAEP placement requirements include:
- Making false alarms, including bomb threats or terroristic threats.
- Engaging in felony acts on school property, near the campus, or at school-related events.
- Assault involving bodily injury or credible threats.
- Possession, use, or distribution of controlled substances, dangerous drugs, marijuana, vapes, or THC.
- Public lewdness and indecent exposure.
- Retaliation or harassment against school staff or volunteers.
Every DAEP placement decision in Pasadena ISD must take into account mitigating circumstances, even those involving mandatory placement. District and school officials must take into consideration:
- Whether the student was acting in self-defense
- Whether the student had intent or a lack of intent when engaging in the conduct
- Whether the student has a disability impacting their understanding of their actions
- The student's disciplinary history
- Whether the student is in foster care or currently homeless
The purpose of considering these mitigating factors is to determine if DAEP placement in Pasadena ISD is the best way to help a student. Students routinely engaging in prohibited conduct might benefit from a disciplined, structured school setting. Still, kids who make simple mistakes or engage in first-time offenses should not face removal from their home campus.
The Lento Law Firm's Student Defense Team has worked with many Pasadena ISD students to articulate how mitigating factors played a role in their actions and fight against DAEP placement at The Summit. Contact the Lento Law Firm today to learn more about your student's options for DAEP removal defense in Pasadena ISD.
Steps in the DAEP Process in Pasadena Independent School District
DAEP disciplinary proceedings are incredibly taxing and confusing for most PISD families. In-school suspension or parent-teacher conferences are one thing, but removal from a student's home campus and placement into the district's DAEP is entirely different. The Lento Law Firm has a dedicated Houston office, and our Student Defense Team is intimately familiar with Pasadena ISD's internal policies regarding DAEP processes and removals. The expected steps of the PISD DAEP process include:
- Removal From Class: Students who commit DAEP offenses may face removal from their classroom, even before being found responsible for any conduct.
- Parent Notification: A campus behavior coordinator will schedule a conference within three school days of the classroom removal. Parents receive notice and must find time to attend the conference. Otherwise, the district can hold a conference without the student and their parent present, deciding on DAEP placement without outside input.
- Conference: Conferences are attended by students, their parents, the campus official, and a teacher if they removed the student from their classroom due to a DAEP defense. The campus coordinator will then explain the reasons for the removal and provide the student and their parents an opportunity to respond. This conference is the best opportunity for parents to explain mitigating circumstances that influence DAEP decisions, and the Lento Law Firm can assist PISD families in finding valid avenues for defense.
- Placement Decision: The campus behavior coordinator will issue a formal placement order if they deem DAEP placement appropriate after taking into account the student's actions and mitigating circumstances. The duration of DAEP placement also differs based on the student's history and actions. Typically, DAEP placement cannot exceed one year, except when district officials review the situation and determine the student is a threat to their campus.
DAEP isn't unique to the Pasadena ISD. Since Texas law requires districts to operate their own DAEP schools and systems, DAEP placement can follow students if they move throughout the state. Attempting to withdraw from PISD during DAEP proceedings can still lead to harsh punishments and removal in the future. As a result, your only options are to defend your student during initial proceedings or work after the fact to reverse the decision.
Appealing DAEP Placement in PISD
As a parent, you have the right to challenge DAEP placement, even after the final decision. However, appeals are complicated, and minor mistakes or delays can jeopardize their validity. Luckily, Pasadena ISD explicitly allows attorneys at the Lento Law Firm to represent students throughout appeals. Our Student Defense Team has direct experience crafting DAEP appeals on behalf of Pasadena ISD families and can help protect your student immediately following an adverse outcome.
To have a chance of success, you must send appeals to the Associate Superintendent for Campus Development within two school days of receiving the DAEP placement decision. Then, the Central Administration Hearing Committee reviews the case and schedules a hearing within seven school days. The Lento Law Firm will provide information to the district about why DAEP placement is not warranted, what resolution is preferred, and what issues, if any, existed in your previous DAEP disciplinary proceedings.
There is a lot at stake when you appeal to Pasadena ISD. Importantly, the Committee's decision is final. With only a few days to assemble an appeal, working with experienced Student Defense attorneys is critical if you aim to reverse your student's DAEP decision. During appeals, PISD students continue to face DAEP removal, which means you also want the appeal process to conclude as fast as possible.
The Lento Law Firm understands every aspect of Pasadena ISD DAEP decisions and appeal options. Working out of our local Houston office, the Lento Law Firm Student Defense Team is ready to help your PISD student avoid DAEP removal and remain enrolled in their home campus. Call today to get started on your student's DAEP defense.
DAEP Removal Defense in the Pasadena Independent School District
Avoiding DAEP placement at PISD's The Summit school should be your goal if your student is accused of misbehavior that can lead to removal from their home campus. DAEP schools impose harsher restrictions on students throughout the day, mandating that they focus entirely on academics instead of social or personal growth. Students in DAEP are also restricted from attending district and school extracurricular events, further separating them from the local PISD community.
The fight isn't over after your student receives their DAEP removal order. Pasadena ISD students and their parents have the right to file an appeal and reverse their DAEP decision. The Lento Law Firm Student Defense Team is experienced in crafting appeals in Pasadena ISD, even during the short turnaround periods required by the district. The quicker you contact the Lento Law Firm, the more effective your DAEP appeal will be.
The Lento Law Firm can assist students throughout Pasadena ISD, including students in South Houston, Pasadena, Genoa, and other areas of Harris County. Call our Student Defense Team today at 888-535-3686 or contact us online to begin protecting your PISD student from DAEP removal.
