Texas 2009 - 81st Regular

Texas Senate Bill SB1576 Compare Versions

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1	1	By: Shapiro, West S.B. No. 1576
2	2
3	3
4	4	A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
5	5	AN ACT
6	6	relating to an algebra instruction grant program.
7	7	BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
8	8	SECTION 1. Subchapter C, Chapter 29, Education Code, is
9	9	amended by adding Section 29.092 to read as follows:
10	10	Sec. 29.092. ALGEBRA INSTRUCTION GRANT PROGRAM. (a) From
11	11	funds appropriated for that purpose, the commissioner shall
12	12	establish a program under which grants are awarded to school
13	13	districts to implement an algebra instruction program. From the
14	14	funds appropriated for use under Section 28.0211, the commissioner
15	15	may use not more than $50 million for the grant program provided by
16	16	this section.
17	17	(b) The commissioner shall develop a comprehensive
18	18	intervention plan to assist school districts with a
19	19	disproportionate number of students who fail to perform
20	20	satisfactorily on the assessment instrument administered under
21	21	Section 39.023(a)(1) in grades five through seven. The plan must be
22	22	based on high-quality research.
23	23	(c) The commissioner shall establish application criteria
24	24	for receiving a grant under this section. The criteria must require
25	25	a school district that applies for a grant to submit a local
26	26	intervention plan that meets the standards adopted by the
27	27	commissioner. In awarding grants under this section, the
28	28	commissioner shall give preference to districts with the lowest
29	29	rate of satisfactory performance on assessment instruments
30	30	administered under Section 39.023(a)(1) in grades five through
31	31	seven.
32	32	(d) A grant under this section must:
33	33	(1) support sustained improvement in the school
34	34	district's pre-algebra mathematics instruction in grades five
35	35	through eight; and
36	36	(2) target students who will be administered the
37	37	Algebra I end-of-course assessment instrument beginning in the
38	38	2011-2012 school year.
39	39	(e) A grant awarded under this section may be used for
40	40	providing:
41	41	(1) training and payment of state intervention coaches
42	42	to assist school districts in implementing the grant;
43	43	(2) training and instructional materials in
44	44	pre-algebra skills in grades five through eight;
45	45	(3) professional development of mathematics teachers
46	46	assigned to grades five through eight;
47	47	(4) flexibility in the school day for instruction;
48	48	(5) instructional services; and
49	49	(6) technology as part of instructional activities.
50	50	(f) The commissioner may condition a grant on the
51	51	implementation of the comprehensive intervention plan and may
52	52	withhold or recover any funds not spent as provided by the plan
53	53	approved under Subsection (b). A decision of the commissioner
54	54	under this subsection is final and may not be appealed.
55	55	(g) The commissioner may require a school district to make
56	56	financial and other commitments as part of a grant application.
57	57	(h) The commissioner shall:
58	58	(1) establish guidelines for implementing the grant
59	59	program; and
60	60	(2) adopt rules necessary to administer the grant
61	61	program.
62	62	SECTION 2. This Act does not make an appropriation. This
63	63	Act takes effect only if a specific appropriation for the
64	64	implementation of the Act is provided in a general appropriations
65	65	act of the 81st Legislature.
66	66	SECTION 3. Except as otherwise provided by this Act, this
67	67	Act takes effect immediately if it receives a vote of two-thirds of
68	68	all the members elected to each house, as provided by Section 39,
69	69	Article III, Texas Constitution. If this Act does not receive the
70	70	vote necessary for immediate effect, this Act takes effect
71	71	September 1, 2009, except as otherwise provided by this Act.