Dallas ISD implements new penalties for vaping under state law

To comply with a new state law, Dallas ISD has implemented stricter penalties for students caught vaping on campus, within 300 feet of school property or at school-sponsored events.

What you need to know

During its Aug. 24 meeting, the DISD board of trustees amended the district’s student code of conduct to align with House Bill 114, which was signed into law during this year's Texas legislative session. Under the new law, any student caught with a vape device must be placed in their district’s disciplinary alternative education program, or DAEP.

DISD students caught with a vape will be required to attend a minimum five-day substance use intervention program through DAEP. Parents will be required to participate in a half-day orientation to have their student’s placement modified.

If a student is caught with a vape a second time, they will be required to serve a full DAEP placement, and their parents must participate in a substance use informational session. A full DAEP placement for students from age 6 up to fifth grade after the first offense is 20 days. For sixth to 12th grades, the placement is 30 days, according to the code of conduct.

“DAEP team members will facilitate the intake or orientation process for the student and parents to have a smooth transition to promote positive student outcomes,” DISD officials said in a statement.