82R2927 VOO-D
By: Dutton H.B. No. 516
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 11.172 to read as follows:
Sec. 11.172. CAMPUS CLOSURE. (a) This section applies only
to a school district with an enrollment of more than 155,000
students.
(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 a request for approval of the
vote to the commissioner.
(f) The board may not order the closure of a school campus
before approval of the board's request. The commissioner shall
approve or deny the board's request for approval under Subsection
(e) 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 assigned under
Section 39.106(a) until:
(1) the campus intervention team has:
(A) completed any required needs assessment
under Section 39.106(a);
(B) made recommendations as provided by Section
39.106(c); and
(C) assisted in the development of a targeted
improvement plan for student achievement as required under Section
39.106(a)(3);
(2) the campus has received any financial or other
assistance determined necessary for implementation of the targeted
improvement plan by the needs assessment; and
(3) the campus has two complete school years during
which to implement the targeted improvement plan.
(h) The commissioner may adopt rules as necessary to
implement this section.
SECTION 2. This Act takes effect September 1, 2011.