Texas 2011 - 82nd Regular

Texas Senate Bill SB1557 Compare Versions

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1	1	By: Carona S.B. No. 1557
2	2	(Strama)
3	3
4	4
5	5	A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
6	6	AN ACT
7	7	relating to the Texas High Performance Schools Consortium.
8	8	BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
9	9	SECTION 1. Subchapter C, Chapter 7, Education Code, is
10	10	amended by adding Section 7.0561 to read as follows:
11	11	Sec. 7.0561. TEXAS HIGH PERFORMANCE SCHOOLS CONSORTIUM.
12	12	(a) In this section, "consortium" means the Texas High Performance
13	13	Schools Consortium established under this section.
14	14	(b) The Texas High Performance Schools Consortium is
15	15	established to inform the governor, legislature, and commissioner
16	16	concerning methods for transforming public schools in this state by
17	17	improving student learning through the development of innovative,
18	18	next-generation learning standards and assessment and
19	19	accountability systems.
20	20	(c) From among school districts and eligible
21	21	open-enrollment charter schools that apply using the form and in
22	22	the time and manner established by commissioner rule, the
23	23	commissioner may select not more than 20 participants for the
24	24	consortium. The districts selected by the commissioner must
25	25	represent a range of district types, sizes, and diverse student
26	26	populations, as determined by the commissioner in accordance with
27	27	commissioner rule. To be eligible to participate in the
28	28	consortium, an open-enrollment charter school must have been
29	29	awarded an exemplary distinction designation under Subchapter G,
30	30	Chapter 39, during the preceding school year.
31	31	(d) The number of students enrolled in consortium
32	32	participants may not be greater than a number equal to five percent
33	33	of the total number of students enrolled in public schools in this
34	34	state according to the most recent agency data.
35	35	(e) The application process under Subsection (c) must
36	36	require school districts and open-enrollment charter schools
37	37	applying to participate in the consortium to submit a detailed plan
38	38	designed to both support improved instruction of and learning by
39	39	students and provide evidence of the accurate assessment of the
40	40	quality of learning on campuses. The plan submitted by a school
41	41	district may designate the entire district or one or more district
42	42	campuses as proposed consortium participants. The plan submitted
43	43	by a district or open-enrollment charter school must include:
44	44	(1) a clear description of each assessed curricular
45	45	goal included in the learning standards adopted in accordance with
46	46	Subsection (f)(2);
47	47	(2) a plan for acquiring resources to support teachers
48	48	in improving student learning;
49	49	(3) a description of any waiver of an applicable
50	50	prohibition, requirement, or restriction the district or charter
51	51	school would want to apply for; and
52	52	(4) any other provisions required by the commissioner.
53	53	(f) In consultation with interested school districts,
54	54	open-enrollment charter schools, and other appropriate interested
55	55	persons, the commissioner shall adopt rules applicable to the
56	56	consortium, according to the following principles for a next
57	57	generation of higher performing public schools:
58	58	(1) engagement of students in digital learning,
59	59	including engagement through the use of electronic textbooks and
60	60	instructional materials adopted under Subchapters B and B-1,
61	61	Chapter 31, and courses offered through the state virtual school
62	62	network under Subchapter 30A;
63	63	(2) emphasis on learning standards that focus on
64	64	high-priority standards identified in coordination with districts
65	65	and charter schools participating in the consortium;
66	66	(3) use of multiple assessments of learning capable of
67	67	being used to inform students, parents, districts, and charter
68	68	schools on an ongoing basis concerning the extent to which learning
69	69	is occurring and the actions consortium participants are taking to
70	70	improve learning; and
71	71	(4) reliance on local control that enables communities
72	72	and parents to be involved in the important decisions regarding the
73	73	education of their children.
74	74	(g) The commissioner shall convene consortium leaders
75	75	periodically to discuss methods to transform learning
76	76	opportunities for all students, build cross-district and
77	77	cross-school support systems and training, and share best practices
78	78	tools and processes.
79	79	(h) The commissioner or a school district or
80	80	open-enrollment charter school participating in the consortium
81	81	may, for purposes of this section, accept gifts, grants, or
82	82	donations from any source, including a private entity or
83	83	governmental entity.
84	84	(i) To cover the costs of administering the consortium, the
85	85	commissioner may charge a fee to a school district or
86	86	open-enrollment charter school participating in the consortium.
87	87	(j) With the assistance of the school districts and
88	88	open-enrollment charter schools participating in the consortium,
89	89	the commissioner shall submit reports concerning the performance
90	90	and progress of the consortium to the governor and the legislature
91	91	not later than December 1, 2012, and not later than December 1,
92	92	2014. The report submitted not later than December 1, 2012, must
93	93	include any recommendation by the commissioner concerning
94	94	legislative authorization for the commissioner to waive a
95	95	prohibition, requirement, or restriction that applies to a
96	96	consortium participant. That report must also include a plan for an
97	97	effective and efficient accountability system for consortium
98	98	participants that balances academic excellence and local values to
99	99	inspire learning and, at the state level, contingent on any
100	100	necessary waiver of federal law, may incorporate use of a
101	101	stratified random sampling of students or other objective
102	102	methodology to hold consortium participants accountable while
103	103	attempting to reduce the number of state assessment instruments
104	104	that are required to be administered to students. The commissioner
105	105	shall seek a federal waiver, to any extent necessary, to prepare for
106	106	implementation of the plan if enacted by the legislature. This
107	107	subsection expires January 1, 2018.
108	108	SECTION 2. (a) Not later than January 1, 2012, the
109	109	commissioner of education shall adopt rules as required under
110	110	Section 7.0561, Education Code, as added by this Act.
111	111	(b) Not later than March 1, 2012, the commissioner of
112	112	education shall make available to school districts and
113	113	open-enrollment charter schools the application forms required
114	114	under Section 7.0561, Education Code, as added by this Act. The
115	115	commissioner of education shall require school districts and
116	116	open-enrollment charter schools that intend to apply to participate
117	117	in the Texas High Performance Schools Consortium to submit
118	118	applications not later than June 1, 2012.
119	119	(c) Not later than July 1, 2012, the commissioner of
120	120	education shall formally select participants for the Texas High
121	121	Performance Schools Consortium established under Section 7.0561,
122	122	Education Code, as added by this Act. The consortium must begin
123	123	operating not later than the beginning of the 2012-2013 school
124	124	year.
125	125	SECTION 3. This Act takes effect immediately if it receives
126	126	a vote of two-thirds of all the members elected to each house, as
127	127	provided by Section 39, Article III, Texas Constitution. If this
128	128	Act does not receive the vote necessary for immediate effect, this
129	129	Act takes effect September 1, 2011.