| 1 | 1 | | 81R9407 KKA-D |
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| 2 | 2 | | By: Eissler H.B. No. 2264 |
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| 3 | 3 | | |
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| 4 | 4 | | |
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| 5 | 5 | | A BILL TO BE ENTITLED |
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| 6 | 6 | | AN ACT |
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| 7 | 7 | | relating to establishment of an after-school grant program for |
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| 8 | 8 | | certain students in public middle or junior high schools. |
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| 9 | 9 | | BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
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| 10 | 10 | | SECTION 1. Subchapter C, Chapter 29, Education Code, is |
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| 11 | 11 | | amended by adding Section 29.091 to read as follows: |
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| 12 | 12 | | Sec. 29.091. MIDDLE AND JUNIOR HIGH SCHOOL GRANT PROGRAM |
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| 13 | 13 | | FOR AFTER-SCHOOL LEARNING OPPORTUNITIES. (a) From funds |
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| 14 | 14 | | appropriated for that purpose, the commissioner shall establish a |
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| 15 | 15 | | program under which grants are awarded to school districts to |
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| 16 | 16 | | implement after-school learning opportunities for students in |
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| 17 | 17 | | middle and junior high schools who are at risk of dropping out of |
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| 18 | 18 | | school, as described by Section 29.081(d). |
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| 19 | 19 | | (b) Activities funded with a grant under this section must |
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| 20 | 20 | | be designed to: |
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| 21 | 21 | | (1) promote the ability of students to succeed in |
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| 22 | 22 | | middle or junior high school; |
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| 23 | 23 | | (2) prepare students for the transition to high school |
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| 24 | 24 | | so that the students enter high school with the ability to succeed, |
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| 25 | 25 | | graduate, and successfully pursue postsecondary options; |
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| 26 | 26 | | (3) provide students with the opportunity to |
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| 27 | 27 | | investigate diverse career options; and |
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| 28 | 28 | | (4) provide students and their parents with |
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| 29 | 29 | | information regarding opportunities for higher education. |
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| 30 | 30 | | (c) The commissioner shall establish application criteria |
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| 31 | 31 | | for receiving a grant under this section. The criteria must |
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| 32 | 32 | | require a school district that applies for a grant to collaborate |
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| 33 | 33 | | with local businesses and nonprofit organizations in providing |
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| 34 | 34 | | activities designed to achieve the goals described by Subsection |
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| 35 | 35 | | (b). |
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| 36 | 36 | | (d) The commissioner may: |
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| 37 | 37 | | (1) accept gifts, grants, or donations from a private |
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| 38 | 38 | | foundation to implement a grant program under this section; and |
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| 39 | 39 | | (2) coordinate gifts, grants, or donations with other |
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| 40 | 40 | | available funding to implement a grant program under this section. |
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| 41 | 41 | | (e) The commissioner shall establish procedures for |
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| 42 | 42 | | evaluating the effectiveness of activities funded with a grant |
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| 43 | 43 | | awarded under this section. The procedures must include |
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| 44 | 44 | | consideration of: |
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| 45 | 45 | | (1) school attendance rates; |
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| 46 | 46 | | (2) student performance in academic subjects; and |
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| 47 | 47 | | (3) subsequent high school completion rates. |
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| 48 | 48 | | (f) The commissioner shall adopt rules necessary to |
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| 49 | 49 | | administer the grant program under this section. |
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| 50 | 50 | | SECTION 2. This Act takes effect immediately if it receives |
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| 51 | 51 | | a vote of two-thirds of all the members elected to each house, as |
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| 52 | 52 | | provided by Section 39, Article III, Texas Constitution. If this |
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| 53 | 53 | | Act does not receive the vote necessary for immediate effect, this |
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| 54 | 54 | | Act takes effect September 1, 2009. |
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