Texas 2015 - 84th Regular

Texas Senate Bill SB1483 Compare Versions

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1	1	By: Garcia S.B. No. 1483
2	2	(In the Senate - Filed March 12, 2015; March 19, 2015, read
3	3	first time and referred to Committee on Education; April 28, 2015,
4	4	reported adversely, with favorable Committee Substitute by the
5	5	following vote: Yeas 10, Nays 0; April 28, 2015, sent to printer.)
6	6	Click here to see the committee vote
7	7	COMMITTEE SUBSTITUTE FOR S.B. No. 1483 By: Garcia
8	8
9	9
10	10	A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
11	11	AN ACT
12	12	relating to Texas community schools.
13	13	BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
14	14	SECTION 1. Chapter 29, Education Code, is amended by adding
15	15	Subchapter N to read as follows:
16	16	SUBCHAPTER N. TEXAS COMMUNITY SCHOOLS
17	17	Sec. 29.551. DEFINITION. In this subchapter,
18	18	"community-based organization" means a nonprofit corporation or
19	19	association located in close proximity to the population the
20	20	organization serves.
21	21	Sec. 29.552. TEXAS COMMUNITY SCHOOL. (a) A Texas
22	22	community school is a public elementary, middle, junior high, or
23	23	high school that partners with one or more community-based
24	24	organizations to coordinate academic, social, and health services
25	25	to reduce barriers to learning and improve the quality of education
26	26	for students in the community.
27	27	(b) A Texas community school offers a variety of programs
28	28	and services, which may include:
29	29	(1) early childhood education;
30	30	(2) after-school and summer school academic and
31	31	enrichment programs;
32	32	(3) college and career preparation;
33	33	(4) service learning opportunities, such as
34	34	internships and community service programs;
35	35	(5) leadership and mentoring programs;
36	36	(6) activities to encourage community and parent
37	37	engagement in students' education;
38	38	(7) health and social services for students and their
39	39	families; and
40	40	(8) parenting classes.
41	41	Sec. 29.553. TRANSITION TO TEXAS COMMUNITY SCHOOL. (a) A
42	42	public elementary, middle, junior high, or high school may
43	43	transition to a Texas community school if the school:
44	44	(1) establishes a school community partnership team to
45	45	function as the campus-level planning and decision-making
46	46	committee required under Section 11.251, composed of the members
47	47	required under Section 11.251 and additional community
48	48	representatives;
49	49	(2) conducts a comprehensive on-site needs assessment
50	50	using the guidelines and procedures described by Section 39.106(b);
51	51	(3) establishes a partnership with a lead
52	52	community-based organization, such as Communities In Schools, a
53	53	social service provider, or an education or youth services
54	54	organization, that has experience in developing and implementing a
55	55	community school plan;
56	56	(4) develops a community school plan that satisfies
57	57	the requirements for a campus improvement plan under Section
58	58	11.253; and
59	59	(5) gains approval for the community school plan from:
60	60	(A) at least 75 percent of campus faculty and
61	61	staff and 75 percent of parents of students enrolled at the school;
62	62	and
63	63	(B) the board of trustees of the school district
64	64	in which the school is located.
65	65	(b) A school that transitions to a Texas community school
66	66	under Subsection (a) shall hire a new employee or designate a school
67	67	district employee or an employee of a community-based organization
68	68	with experience in developing and implementing a community school
69	69	plan as the community school coordinator for the school. The
70	70	coordinator's duties include:
71	71	(1) recruiting community partners and building
72	72	community support for the school;
73	73	(2) coordinating:
74	74	(A) the school community partnership team's
75	75	planning and training activities;
76	76	(B) planning and evaluation efforts between the
77	77	school and community partners;
78	78	(C) academic and student and family support
79	79	programs; and
80	80	(D) after-school, summer, and enrichment
81	81	programs for students;
82	82	(3) encouraging community and parent engagement in the
83	83	school;
84	84	(4) seeking available resources for implementing
85	85	community school programs and services;
86	86	(5) conducting an annual needs assessment of the
87	87	school in coordination with the school community partnership team;
88	88	(6) acting as a liaison between the school, other
89	89	community schools, the school district, and community partners; and
90	90	(7) developing a plan for sustaining the community
91	91	school plan.
92	92	(c) In developing or implementing a community school plan,
93	93	the school may seek assistance from other community schools,
94	94	regional education service centers, or technical assistance
95	95	providers.
96	96	(d) For purposes of Subsection (c), a technical assistance
97	97	provider is a public or private entity that has experience in
98	98	developing and implementing a community school plan and that
99	99	provides:
100	100	(1) professional development, training, technical
101	101	assistance, coaching, or quality assurance activities to assist
102	102	schools in transitioning to a Texas community school, sustaining
103	103	the community school plan, or maximizing the effectiveness of that
104	104	plan; or
105	105	(2) capacity-building training to regional education
106	106	service centers to enable the centers to support a school's
107	107	transition to a Texas community school or assist the school in
108	108	sustaining the school's community school plan.
109	109	Sec. 29.554. COMMUNITY AND DISTRICT OVERSIGHT. A school
110	110	that transitions to a Texas community school shall:
111	111	(1) hold a community meeting at least twice each year
112	112	to:
113	113	(A) inform community stakeholders about the
114	114	school's progress in implementing the community school plan; and
115	115	(B) seek community input regarding any
116	116	improvements or changes that could be made to the plan; and
117	117	(2) report annually to the board of trustees of the
118	118	school district in which the school is located regarding the
119	119	school's progress in implementing the plan.
120	120	Sec. 29.555. LOW-PERFORMING SCHOOLS. (a) A school
121	121	community partnership team formed by a school with performance
122	122	below any standard under Section 39.054(e) functions as the campus
123	123	intervention team for purposes of Section 39.106.
124	124	(b) A low-performing school transitioning to a Texas
125	125	community school shall receive district-level support to assist the
126	126	school in developing and implementing the community school plan.
127	127	The support must continue for at least two school years after the
128	128	school successfully meets the standards under Section 39.054(e).
129	129	Sec. 29.556. FUNDING. A Texas community school or a school
130	130	transitioning to a Texas community school may seek and accept
131	131	gifts, grants, donations, and funds from federal and state agencies
132	132	and private sources for purposes related to the school's function
133	133	as a Texas community school.
134	134	Sec. 29.557. RECOGNITION AS TEXAS COMMUNITY SCHOOL. (a) A
135	135	school that transitions to a Texas community school shall be
136	136	recognized by the state as a Texas community school.
137	137	(b) The agency shall develop methods for recognizing a
138	138	school as a Texas community school.
139	139	Sec. 29.558. RULES. The commissioner may adopt rules as
140	140	necessary to implement this subchapter.
141	141	SECTION 2. Sections 39.106(c) and (f), Education Code, are
142	142	amended to read as follows:
143	143	(c) On completing the on-site needs assessment under this
144	144	section, the campus intervention team shall, with the involvement
145	145	and advice of the school community partnership team, if applicable,
146	146	recommend actions relating to any area of insufficient performance,
147	147	including:
148	148	(1) reallocation of resources;
149	149	(2) technical assistance;
150	150	(3) changes in school procedures or operations;
151	151	(4) staff development for instructional and
152	152	administrative staff;
153	153	(5) intervention for individual administrators or
154	154	teachers;
155	155	(6) waivers from state statutes or rules;
156	156	(7) teacher recruitment or retention strategies and
157	157	incentives provided by the district to attract and retain teachers
158	158	with the characteristics included in Subsection (b)(1); [or]
159	159	(8) transition to a Texas community school under
160	160	Subchapter N, Chapter 29; or
161	161	(9) other actions the campus intervention team
162	162	considers appropriate.
163	163	(f) Notwithstanding any other provision of this subchapter,
164	164	if the commissioner determines that a campus for which an
165	165	intervention is ordered under Subsection (a) is not fully
166	166	implementing the campus intervention team's recommendations or
167	167	targeted improvement plan or updated plan, the commissioner may:
168	168	(1) order the reconstitution of the campus as provided
169	169	by Section 39.107; or
170	170	(2) approve the campus's transition to a Texas
171	171	community school under Subchapter N, Chapter 29, on request from
172	172	the principal of the campus.
173	173	SECTION 3. Section 39.107, Education Code, is amended by
174	174	amending Subsection (a) and adding Subsections (a-2) and (s) to
175	175	read as follows:
176	176	(a) Subject to Subsection (a-2), after [After] a campus has
177	177	been identified as unacceptable for two consecutive school years,
178	178	the commissioner shall order the reconstitution of the campus.
179	179	(a-2) A campus may elect to transition to a Texas community
180	180	school under Subchapter N, Chapter 29, instead of reconstitution
181	181	under this section if the campus:
182	182	(1) notifies the commissioner of the campus's election
183	183	not later than two weeks after the date on which the commissioner
184	184	orders reconstitution under Subsection (a); and
185	185	(2) satisfies the requirements of transitioning to a
186	186	Texas community school under Subchapter N, Chapter 29, not later
187	187	than six months after the date on which the commissioner orders
188	188	reconstitution under Subsection (a).
189	189	(s) The commissioner may not order the closure of a campus
190	190	under this section without giving the campus the opportunity to
191	191	transition to a Texas community school under Subchapter N, Chapter
192	192	29, and at least two years to implement the campus's community
193	193	school plan.
194	194	SECTION 4. Section 29.259, Education Code, is transferred
195	195	to Subchapter Z, Chapter 29, Education Code, and redesignated as
196	196	Section 29.923, Education Code, to read as follows:
197	197	Sec. 29.923 [29.259]. ADULT HIGH SCHOOL DIPLOMA AND
198	198	INDUSTRY CERTIFICATION CHARTER SCHOOL PILOT PROGRAM. (a) In this
199	199	section, "adult education" means services and instruction provided
200	200	below the college level for adults by a nonprofit entity described
201	201	by Subsection (e).
202	202	(b) The commissioner shall establish an adult high school
203	203	diploma and industry certification charter school pilot program as
204	204	provided by this section as a strategy for meeting industry needs
205	205	for a sufficiently trained workforce within the state.
206	206	(c) The agency shall adopt and administer a standardized
207	207	secondary exit-level assessment instrument appropriate for
208	208	assessing adult education program participants who successfully
209	209	complete high school curriculum requirements under a program
210	210	provided under this section. The commissioner shall determine the
211	211	level of performance considered to be satisfactory on the secondary
212	212	exit-level assessment instrument for receipt of a high school
213	213	diploma by an adult education program participant in a program
214	214	provided under this section.
215	215	(d) Notwithstanding any other law and in addition to the
216	216	number of charters allowed under Subchapter D, Chapter 12, a
217	217	charter under the pilot program may, on the basis of an application
218	218	submitted, be granted to a single nonprofit entity described by
219	219	Subsection (e) to provide an adult education program for not more
220	220	than 150 individuals described by Subsection (g) to successfully
221	221	complete:
222	222	(1) a high school program that can lead to a diploma;
223	223	and
224	224	(2) career and technology education courses that can
225	225	lead to industry certification.
226	226	(e) A nonprofit entity may be granted a charter under this
227	227	section only if the entity:
228	228	(1) has a successful history of providing education
229	229	services, including industry certifications and job placement
230	230	services, to adults 18 years of age and older whose educational and
231	231	training opportunities have been limited by educational
232	232	disadvantages, disabilities, homelessness, criminal history, or
233	233	similar circumstances; and
234	234	(2) agrees to commit at least $1 million to the adult
235	235	education program offered.
236	236	(f) A nonprofit entity granted a charter under this section
237	237	may partner with a public junior college to provide career and
238	238	technology courses that lead to industry certification.
239	239	(g) A person who is at least 19 years of age and not more
240	240	than 50 years of age is eligible to enroll in the adult education
241	241	program under this section if the person has not earned a high
242	242	school equivalency certificate and:
243	243	(1) has failed to complete the curriculum requirements
244	244	for high school graduation; or
245	245	(2) has failed to perform satisfactorily on an
246	246	assessment instrument required for high school graduation.
247	247	(h) The nonprofit entity must include in its charter
248	248	application the information required by Subsection (i).
249	249	(i) A charter granted under this section must:
250	250	(1) include a description of the adult education
251	251	program to be offered under this section; and
252	252	(2) establish specific, objective standards for
253	253	receiving a high school diploma, including satisfactory
254	254	performance on the standardized secondary exit-level assessment
255	255	instrument described by Subsection (c).
256	256	(j) Funding for an adult education program under this
257	257	section is provided based on the following:
258	258	(1) for participants who are 26 years of age and older,
259	259	an amount per participant from available general revenue funds
260	260	appropriated for the pilot program equal to the statewide average
261	261	amount of state funding per student in weighted average daily
262	262	attendance that would be allocated under the Foundation School
263	263	Program to an open-enrollment charter school under Section 12.106
264	264	were the student under 26 years of age; and
265	265	(2) for participants who are at least 19 years of age
266	266	and under 26 years of age, an amount per participant through the
267	267	Foundation School Program equal to the amount of state funding per
268	268	student in weighted average daily attendance that would be
269	269	allocated under the Foundation School Program for the student's
270	270	attendance at an open-enrollment charter school in accordance with
271	271	Section 12.106.
272	272	(k) Sections 12.107 and 12.128 apply as though funds under
273	273	this section were funds under Subchapter D, Chapter 12.
274	274	(l) Not later than December 1 of each even-numbered year,
275	275	beginning December 1, 2016, the agency shall prepare and deliver to
276	276	the governor, lieutenant governor, speaker of the house of
277	277	representatives, and presiding officer of each standing
278	278	legislative committee with primary jurisdiction over public
279	279	education or economic development a report that:
280	280	(1) evaluates any adult education program operated
281	281	under a charter granted under this section; and
282	282	(2) makes recommendations regarding the abolition,
283	283	continuation, or expansion of the pilot program.
284	284	(m) The commissioner shall adopt rules necessary to
285	285	administer the pilot program under this section. In adopting
286	286	rules, the commissioner may modify charter school requirements only
287	287	to the extent necessary for the administration of a charter school
288	288	under this section that provides for adult education.
289	289	SECTION 5. Section 42.003(a), Education Code, is amended to
290	290	read as follows:
291	291	(a) A student is entitled to the benefits of the Foundation
292	292	School Program if, on September 1 of the school year, the student:
293	293	(1) is 5 years of age or older and under 21 years of age
294	294	and has not graduated from high school, or is at least 21 years of
295	295	age and under 26 years of age and has been admitted by a school
296	296	district to complete the requirements for a high school diploma; or
297	297	(2) is at least 19 years of age and under 26 years of
298	298	age and is enrolled in an adult high school diploma and industry
299	299	certification charter school pilot program under Section 29.923
300	300	[29.259].
301	301	SECTION 6. (a) The heading to Subchapter H, Chapter 29,
302	302	Education Code, is repealed.
303	303	(b) Sections 7.021(b)(8), 7.102(c)(17), 29.251, 29.252,
304	304	29.255, 29.256, and 29.257, Education Code, are repealed.
305	305	SECTION 7. This Act takes effect immediately if it receives
306	306	a vote of two-thirds of all the members elected to each house, as
307	307	provided by Section 39, Article III, Texas Constitution. If this
308	308	Act does not receive the vote necessary for immediate effect, this
309	309	Act takes effect September 1, 2015.
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