Texas Senate Bill SB917

Texas 2019 - 86th Regular

Caption

Relating to the approval of open-enrollment charter schools and the review of challenges by open-enrollment charter schools or school districts to accountability determinations.

Impact

The bill amends several sections of the Education Code, significantly altering how accountability ratings are managed for charter schools. One of the critical changes is the enhancement of the appeal process, allowing schools the chance to challenge application selection determinations based on the scoring of their applications. This adaptive measure aims to ensure fairer opportunities for schools wishing to open charters, potentially increasing the number and diversity of school options available within the community.

Summary

Senate Bill 917 focuses on the processes surrounding the approval of open-enrollment charter schools in Texas, specifically addressing appeal mechanisms for accountability determinations. This legislation introduces specific guidelines that the State Board of Education must follow when creating procedures for appealing the results of charter school application reviews. Notably, it stipulates that applicants scoring within a threshold close to the minimum score required for selection will have the opportunity to appeal their scores to the State Board.

Contention

There are several notable points of contention regarding SB 917. Proponents argue that the enhanced appeal process will lead to fairer evaluations and counter the rigid nature of current accountability measures that may unjustly penalize schools due to minor data errors. Conversely, critics may express concerns that leniency in accountability reviews could enable poorly performing schools to continue operating under charters, consequently impacting overall educational standards. As such, the bill has spurred discussions on the balance between accountability and flexibility in educational governance.