By: Dutton, Edwards (Senate Sponsor - West) H.B. No. 999
(In the Senate - Received from the House May 8, 2009;
May 8, 2009, read first time and referred to Committee on
Education; May 23, 2009, rereferred to Committee on Higher
Education; May 26, 2009, reported favorably by the following vote:
Yeas 5, Nays 0; May 26, 2009, sent to printer.)
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
AN ACT
relating to the closure of a school campus by the board of trustees
of certain school districts.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
SECTION 1. Subchapter D, Chapter 11, Education Code, is
amended by adding Section 11.174 to read as follows:
Sec. 11.174. CAMPUS CLOSURE. (a) This section applies only
to a school district with an enrollment of more than 155,000.
(b) Before ordering the closure of a school campus, the
board of trustees of a school district shall hold a public hearing
at which residents of the district may comment on the proposed
closure.
(c) Not later than the 14th day before the date of the
hearing, the board must:
(1) provide written notice of the hearing to the
parent of or person standing in parental relation to each student
affected by the closure; and
(2) publish notice of the hearing in a newspaper of
general circulation in the district.
(d) The notice of the hearing required by Subsection (c)
must include:
(1) the subject matter of the hearing, including the
reason for the proposed closure; and
(2) the location, date, and time of the hearing.
(e) Following a hearing under Subsection (b), the board
shall vote on the proposed closure. If the board votes to close a
school campus, the board shall send the results of the vote to the
commissioner for approval.
(f) The board may not order the closure of a school campus
without first obtaining the approval of the commissioner for the
closure. The commissioner shall approve or deny the board's
request for approval under this subsection not later than the 30th
day after the date the commissioner receives the request. If the
commissioner fails to act within the time prescribed by this
subsection, the request is considered approved.
(g) The board may not order the closure of a school campus
for which a campus intervention team has been appointed under
Section 39.1322(b) until:
(1) the campus intervention team has:
(A) completed the comprehensive on-site
evaluation required under Section 39.1323(a)(1) and the
comprehensive on-site needs assessment under Section 39.1323(b);
(B) made recommendations as provided by Sections
39.1323(a)(2) and (c); and
(C) assisted in the development of a school
improvement plan for student achievement as required under Section
39.1323(a)(3);
(2) the campus has received any financial or other
assistance determined necessary under the evaluation process to
implement the school improvement plan; and
(3) the campus has two complete school years during
which to implement the school improvement plan.
(h) The commissioner may adopt rules as necessary to
implement this section.
SECTION 2. This Act takes effect September 1, 2009.
* * * * *