United ISD reviews STEP Academy placements as vaping law, discretionary placements shift

At the July 2025 United Independent School District board meeting, district staff presented data on student placements to STEP Academy, the district’s disciplinary alternative program, and described changes the district expects after recent state legislative changes affecting e-cigarette discipline.

The presentation showed STEP Academy had about 1,207 total placements in 2024–25, with 808 classified as mandatory and roughly 399 classified as discretionary; staff said daily attendance at STEP averages about 84 percent. "From the beginning to the end ... in May ... our high peak numbers ... go up to 297," a presenter said, summarizing monthly intake trends. The district also reported 179 repeat offenders for 2024–25 and that school testing and instruction continue at STEP using district curriculum and arrangements with home campuses.

District leaders told trustees the recent legislative change that removes automatic DAEP (disciplinary alternative education program) placement for nicotine-only e-cigarette offenses will reduce mandatory placements for nicotine cases but could leave other issues unchanged. "This change in the house bill ... is a good thing and it's a bad thing," a district speaker said, adding administrators worry the loss of a hard consequence may reduce deterrence for some students while helping students who do not need DAEP placement. Staff identified marijuana possession and being under the influence as the primary causes for mandatory placements in prior years, and reported nicotine-only e-cigarette cases numbered 159 in 2024–25.

Trustees and presenters discussed which incidents are categorized as mandatory versus discretionary and who makes that determination. District staff said discipline management provides guidance, handbooks and training to campuses and screens discretionary placement recommendations. "We have guidance that comes through our discipline management department," a district presenter said.

Trustees and presenters also discussed supports and interventions at STEP. Staff described the "U First" program for first-time offenders, added LCDC counseling sessions after an earlier legislative change, and partnerships providing no-cost counseling (identified in the presentation as "PILLAR" and "SCAN" counseling under memoranda of understanding). The district said STEP conducts daily intake/registration, requires parent attendance for an orientation video available in English and Spanish, has strict dress-code expectations and issues a $15 STEP shirt that the district will provide when needed. The STEP director said the campus uses PBIS, point sheets and regular counseling; the presentation noted five PBIS facilitators districtwide and one PBIS staff member who rotates weekly at STEP.

Staff also told trustees STEP has five security staff and two police officers on campus and that the district is installing vape detectors primarily at high schools and some middle schools, using Title IV funds to date. "We're driven by data on where we're going to be, including more vaping detectors," a staff member said, and added the district intends to expand detectors where data shows the most need but will slow installations if federal Title IV funding is not available.

Trustees asked staff to return with more tracking of discretionary placements and repeat-offender outcomes. One trustee requested semester- or seasonal-level reports to see whether additional staff or supports are reducing discretionary placements and recidivism after the law change.

The presentation included campus-level supports and testing data and concluded with trustees commending STEP leadership for campus management and student engagement. No board action was taken on the presentation itself.