Gov. Abbott signs SB 68 allowing student absences for 'career shadowing days'

GRANGER, TEXAS - Granger ISD Superintendent Jeni Neatherlin has been advocating for Senate Bill 68 for years.

The bill allows students to visit a professional workplace to explore a career path before they go to college.

"Right now, they have college days. Kids can take college days, but they don't have the opportunity to go explore careers. And we wanted to give them that," says Granger ISD superintendent Jeni Neatherlin.

Neatherlin says she was inspired to write the bill when she asked her niece what she wanted to do after she graduated from high school.

"For me, that's very important that our kids get some kind of plan together about what's next, because you don't want to leave high school not knowing," says Neatherlin.

Neatherlin has advocated for this bill before, but it failed two years ago.

"We went and testified. Representative Andrew Murr put it forward last session, and it made it through. But it didn't. It just died. And that's part of the process," says Neatherlin.

RELATED: Granger ISD students testify for SB 68 allowing absences for 'career shadowing days'

Neatherlin says that wasn't going to stop them from trying again. Governor Greg Abbott signed Senate Bill 68 into law on May 24.

Neatherlin says she couldn't have done it alone. She had help from Granger ISD students.

"I took three of our students, seniors, and they went down, and they testified, and they were there in front of the committee. Senator Creighton said Granger ISD was well-represented, and he was very proud of them," says Neatherlin.

This upcoming school year, Senate Bill 68 will go into effect, allowing students in the state of Texas two excused absences for career shadowing days.

Superintendent Neatherlin says she's working with teachers and counselors this summer to make sure students at Granger ISD know about this resource.