By: Taylor, et al. S.B. No. 1263
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
AN ACT
relating to allowing parents to petition for repurposing,
alternative management, or closure of certain public school
campuses.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
SECTION 1. Section 39.107, Education Code, is amended by
amending Subsections (e-2) and (e-3) and adding Subsections (e-4)
and (e-5) to read as follows:
(e-2) For purposes of this subsection, "parent" has the
meaning assigned by Section 12.051. Notwithstanding any other
provision of this chapter, if [If] the commissioner is presented,
in the time and manner specified by commissioner rule, a written
petition signed by the parents of a majority of the students
enrolled at a campus that is assigned an unacceptable performance
rating under Section 39.054 for three consecutive school years [to
which Subsection (e) applies], specifying the action described by
Subsection (e)(1), (2), or (3) that the parents request the
commissioner to order, the commissioner shall, except as otherwise
authorized by this subsection, order the specific action requested.
The commissioner shall verify that a petition received under this
subsection contains the required number of signatures. If the
board of trustees of the school district in which the campus is
located presents to the commissioner, in the time and manner
specified by commissioner rule, a written request that the
commissioner order specific action authorized under Subsection (e)
other than the specific action requested in the parents' petition
and a written explanation of the basis for the board's request, the
commissioner may order the action requested by the board of
trustees.
(e-3) For purposes of Subsection (e-2), the petition shall:
(1) be developed by the commissioner;
(2) be made available to all parents or guardians of
students enrolled at the campus;
(3) include unbiased information on the status of the
campus, including why the campus has been assigned an unacceptable
performance rating in each year;
(4) include detailed information on the options
available for the campus, including a copy of the proposed options
listed under Subsection (e); and
(5) require the signature of only one parent of a
student [is required].
(e-4) The governing body of an open-enrollment charter
school may not coerce, bribe, or induce a parent to sign a petition
under Subsection (e-2).
(e-5) If the commissioner orders repurposing of a campus or
alternative management of a campus under Subsection (e-2), the
campus shall remain a part of the school district in which the
campus was included before the commissioner ordered repurposing or
alternative management.
SECTION 2. This Act applies beginning with the 2015-2016
school year.
SECTION 3. This Act takes effect immediately if it receives
a vote of two-thirds of all the members elected to each house, as
provided by Section 39, Article III, Texas Constitution. If this
Act does not receive the vote necessary for immediate effect, this
Act takes effect September 1, 2013.