New Parental Consent Forms

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Updated: September 11, 2025. We will update this page as TEA issues additional guidance.   

What parents need to know about the new Parental Consent Forms

During the 89th Texas Legislative Session, lawmakers passed Senate Bill 12, which requires schools to get annual parental consent before providing routine physical or mental health services. The Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) section will be updated as additional guidance is received from the Texas Education Agency (TEA). 

NOTICE: Forms must be completed by Friday, September 19

Delivery this year:

An email will be sent to parents listed as guardian one in ESchool during the week of September 8. This is for this year only. The consent forms will be part of the regular registration/verification process in subsequent years.

All 国产麻豆 employees: 

  • Shall report alleged abuse or neglect of a student as required by law; and
  • May verbally inquire about a student鈥檚 daily well-being without parental consent.

A parent may not opt out of the following:

  • General caretaking;
  • School district emergency responses;
  • Law enforcement or Department of Family and Protective Services activities;
  • Behavior threat assessments required by law; or
  • Other rights or duties required by law, including Texas Family Code.

Health Services:

Parents must give consent before schools can provide routine physical health services, such as:

  • Administration of over-the-counter medications in accordance with the law
  • Administration of prescription medications in accordance with the law
  • Monitoring of chronic health conditions (e.g., asthma, diabetes)
  • Vision, hearing, and scoliosis screenings
  • Lice screening
  • Acanthosis screening (Texas risk assessment for Type 2 Diabetes in children)

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) for health services:

Examples of routine health services that may be provided with your consent acknowledged on the SB 12 Annual Consent Form:

Physical Health Services (by school nurses or athletic trainers):

  • Routine health screenings- vision, hearing, spinal screening, and Texas Risk Assessment for Type 2 Diabetes in Children
  • Monitoring of chronic health conditions (e.g., diabetes, seizures, asthma)
  • Communicable disease or condition symptom evaluation, exclusion, and readmission
  • Administration of medications (upon written parent request and with a physician鈥檚 order)

General caretaking means noninvasive actions to address minor student claims of feeling unwell or adult observations of a child being physically unwell, such as cleaning spills or other accidents, offering a change of clothing if necessary, and providing support that an adult would typically provide to support a child's expressions of being unwell feeling a student's forehead, checking for a swollen throat, etc.) It also includes minor student care actions such as applying adhesive bandages (e.g., Band-Aids), wiping a bloody nose, etc. 

Parental Consent is not required for these services:

  • General caretaking
  • Medical Emergencies or those required by law
  • Immediate student safety situations
  • Support during illness or physical symptoms at school
  • Heat illness prevention and injury support for student athletes
  • Administration of scheduled prescription medications with a physician's order
  • Administration of over-the-counter medications in accordance with the law
  • Scheduled nursing procedures
  • Long-term therapy or treatment that legally requires separate parental notification or consent

In a serious emergency, staff will still act to protect your child鈥檚 safety.

Yes. All health records are protected under state and federal privacy laws.

Mental Health Services:

State law requires school counselors to provide the following services as part of a Comprehensive School Counseling Program:

  • A guidance curriculum consisting of classroom presentations led by the school counselor to support academic, career, and social-emotional development.
  • A responsive services component to intervene on behalf of any student whose immediate personal concerns or problems put the student's continued educational, career, personal, or social development at risk. This includes crisis counseling and intervention.
  • An individual planning system to guide a student as the student plans, monitors, and manages the student's own educational, career, personal, and social development.
  • System support to support the efforts of teachers, staff, parents, and other community members in promoting students' educational, career, personal, and social development.

School counselors provide the following services

  • Advise students and their parents regarding the importance of postsecondary education, coursework designed to prepare students for postsecondary education, and financial aid availability and requirements;
  • Early mental health prevention and intervention;
  • Building skills related to managing emotions, establishing and maintaining positive relationships, and responsible decision-making;
  • Substance abuse prevention and intervention;
  • Suicide prevention, intervention, and postvention;
  • Grief-informed and trauma-informed practices;
  • Positive behavior interventions and supports;
  • Safe, supportive, and positive school climate.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) for mental health services:

  • Short-term individual counseling
  • Short-term small group counseling
  • Behavioral observation
  • Referral to community providers, if needed (with additional consent)

Licensed school nurses, certified school counselor, athletic trainers, or other certified health professionals employed by NISD

No. Parental consent is not required for school counselors to provide academic services. Counselors will continue to support students with:

  • Course selection and scheduling
  • College and career readiness planning
  • Academic goal setting and monitoring
  • General school success strategies

Note: This law (SB 12) only applies to mental and behavioral health-related counseling services, not academic counseling.

Parental consent is not required for these services:

  • Medical emergencies or those required by law, including:
  • Immediate help if a student is at risk of self-harm or experiencing suicidal thoughts
  • Support for grief after a death or traumatic event
  • Situations involving suspected abuse or neglect (required by law to report)
  • Other urgent matters required by state or federal law

Note: Under Texas law, a child may also consent to their own counseling in specific cases, including:

  • Suicide prevention
  • Chemical addiction or dependency
  • Sexual, physical, or emotional abuse

In a serious emergency, staff will still act to protect your child鈥檚 safety. 

Yes. You can revoke or provide consent at any time by contacting your campus.

Yes. All health records are protected under state and federal privacy laws.

You should contact your campus nurse or school counselor.