| 1 | 1 | | 84R2032 MK-D |
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| 2 | 2 | | By: González H.B. No. 56 |
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| 3 | 3 | | |
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| 4 | 4 | | |
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| 5 | 5 | | A BILL TO BE ENTITLED |
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| 6 | 6 | | AN ACT |
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| 7 | 7 | | relating to the creation of a task force to evaluate the English |
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| 8 | 8 | | language proficiency standards used in public schools. |
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| 9 | 9 | | BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
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| 10 | 10 | | SECTION 1. Subchapter B, Chapter 29, Education Code, is |
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| 11 | 11 | | amended by adding Section 29.067 to read as follows: |
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| 12 | 12 | | Sec. 29.067. TASK FORCE ON ENGLISH LANGUAGE PROFICIENCY |
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| 13 | 13 | | STANDARDS. (a) A task force is established under this section to |
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| 14 | 14 | | evaluate the efficacy of the agency's English language proficiency |
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| 15 | 15 | | standards for students in grades 9-12. |
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| 16 | 16 | | (b) The task force shall be composed of the following |
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| 17 | 17 | | members appointed by the commissioner: |
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| 18 | 18 | | (1) five teachers who are certified in bilingual |
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| 19 | 19 | | education, with appointments reflecting the geographic diversity |
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| 20 | 20 | | of this state and including teachers from both rural and urban |
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| 21 | 21 | | school districts; |
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| 22 | 22 | | (2) one representative of the agency with expertise |
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| 23 | 23 | | related to the English language proficiency standards; |
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| 24 | 24 | | (3) one representative of the agency with expertise |
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| 25 | 25 | | related to the Texas essential knowledge and skills; |
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| 26 | 26 | | (4) one central office administrator from an urban |
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| 27 | 27 | | school district and one central office administrator from a rural |
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| 28 | 28 | | school district; and |
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| 29 | 29 | | (5) one superintendent of a school district that has a |
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| 30 | 30 | | proportionately high number of students of limited English |
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| 31 | 31 | | proficiency. |
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| 32 | 32 | | (c) The member of the task force appointed under Subsection |
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| 33 | 33 | | (b)(2) shall serve as the presiding officer of the task force. |
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| 34 | 34 | | (d) The commissioner shall appoint the members of the task |
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| 35 | 35 | | force not later than December 1, 2015. |
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| 36 | 36 | | (e) The presiding officer shall call the initial meeting of |
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| 37 | 37 | | the task force on or before January 1, 2016. The task force shall |
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| 38 | 38 | | meet at the times and places that the presiding officer determines |
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| 39 | 39 | | are appropriate. The task force shall adopt rules necessary to |
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| 40 | 40 | | fulfill the task force's duties under this section. |
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| 41 | 41 | | (f) Chapter 2110, Government Code, does not apply to the |
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| 42 | 42 | | task force. |
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| 43 | 43 | | (g) The task force shall: |
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| 44 | 44 | | (1) examine the impact of the agency's English |
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| 45 | 45 | | language proficiency standards on the achievement of students of |
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| 46 | 46 | | limited English proficiency in grades 9-12; |
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| 47 | 47 | | (2) examine the impact of the Texas essential |
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| 48 | 48 | | knowledge and skills on the agency's English language proficiency |
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| 49 | 49 | | standards; |
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| 50 | 50 | | (3) evaluate the efficacy of the agency's English |
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| 51 | 51 | | language proficiency standards for grades 9-12, with a focus on |
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| 52 | 52 | | maintaining quality of instruction and full access to the Texas |
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| 53 | 53 | | essential knowledge and skills curriculum; |
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| 54 | 54 | | (4) identify effective methods for incorporating the |
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| 55 | 55 | | Texas essential knowledge and skills curriculum into the agency's |
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| 56 | 56 | | English language proficiency standards for students in grades 9-12; |
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| 57 | 57 | | (5) examine the impact of the agency's English |
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| 58 | 58 | | language proficiency standards on the achievement of students |
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| 59 | 59 | | enrolled in special education programs; and |
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| 60 | 60 | | (6) examine the performance of students of limited |
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| 61 | 61 | | English proficiency who are evaluated with the agency's English |
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| 62 | 62 | | language proficiency standards against the performance of students |
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| 63 | 63 | | who are proficient in English. |
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| 64 | 64 | | (h) The task force shall prepare a report that includes: |
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| 65 | 65 | | (1) a description of the activities of the task force; |
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| 66 | 66 | | (2) the findings and recommendations of the task |
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| 67 | 67 | | force, including any proposed policy recommendations; and |
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| 68 | 68 | | (3) any proposals for legislation or other matters the |
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| 69 | 69 | | task force considers appropriate. |
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| 70 | 70 | | (i) Not later than September 1, 2017, the task force shall |
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| 71 | 71 | | deliver the report required by Subsection (h) to the governor, the |
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| 72 | 72 | | lieutenant governor, the speaker of the house of representatives, |
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| 73 | 73 | | the chair of the State Board of Education, and the Bilingual/ESL |
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| 74 | 74 | | Unit of the Division of Curriculum in the agency. |
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| 75 | 75 | | (j) The task force is abolished and this section expires |
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| 76 | 76 | | December 1, 2017. |
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| 77 | 77 | | SECTION 2. This Act takes effect immediately if it receives |
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| 78 | 78 | | a vote of two-thirds of all the members elected to each house, as |
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| 79 | 79 | | provided by Section 39, Article III, Texas Constitution. If this |
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| 80 | 80 | | Act does not receive the vote necessary for immediate effect, this |
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| 81 | 81 | | Act takes effect September 1, 2015. |
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