Texas 2015 - 84th Regular

Texas Senate Bill SB801 Compare Versions

Only one version of the bill is available at this time.

Old	New	Differences
1	1	84R10720 JSL-F
2	2	By: Zaffirini, Campbell S.B. No. 801
3	3
4	4
5	5	A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
6	6	AN ACT
7	7	relating to a high quality prekindergarten program provided by
8	8	public school districts.
9	9	BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
10	10	SECTION 1. Section 12.104(b), Education Code, is amended to
11	11	read as follows:
12	12	(b) An open-enrollment charter school is subject to:
13	13	(1) a provision of this title establishing a criminal
14	14	offense; and
15	15	(2) a prohibition, restriction, or requirement, as
16	16	applicable, imposed by this title or a rule adopted under this
17	17	title, relating to:
18	18	(A) the Public Education Information Management
19	19	System (PEIMS) to the extent necessary to monitor compliance with
20	20	this subchapter as determined by the commissioner;
21	21	(B) criminal history records under Subchapter C,
22	22	Chapter 22;
23	23	(C) reading instruments and accelerated reading
24	24	instruction programs under Section 28.006;
25	25	(D) accelerated instruction under Section
26	26	28.0211;
27	27	(E) high school graduation requirements under
28	28	Section 28.025;
29	29	(F) special education programs under Subchapter
30	30	A, Chapter 29;
31	31	(G) bilingual education under Subchapter B,
32	32	Chapter 29;
33	33	(H) prekindergarten programs under Subchapter E
34	34	or E-1, Chapter 29;
35	35	(I) extracurricular activities under Section
36	36	33.081;
37	37	(J) discipline management practices or behavior
38	38	management techniques under Section 37.0021;
39	39	(K) health and safety under Chapter 38;
40	40	(L) public school accountability under
41	41	Subchapters B, C, D, E, F, G, and J, Chapter 39;
42	42	(M) the requirement under Section 21.006 to
43	43	report an educator's misconduct; and
44	44	(N) intensive programs of instruction under
45	45	Section 28.0213.
46	46	SECTION 2. Section 25.001(a), Education Code, is amended to
47	47	read as follows:
48	48	(a) A person who, on the first day of September of any school
49	49	year, is at least five years of age and under 21 years of age, or is
50	50	at least 21 years of age and under 26 years of age and is admitted by
51	51	a school district to complete the requirements for a high school
52	52	diploma is entitled to the benefits of the available school fund for
53	53	that year. Any other person enrolled in a prekindergarten class
54	54	under Section 29.153 or Subchapter E-1, Chapter 29, is entitled to
55	55	the benefits of the available school fund.
56	56	SECTION 3. Chapter 29, Education Code, is amended by adding
57	57	Subchapter E-1 to read as follows:
58	58	SUBCHAPTER E-1. HIGH QUALITY PREKINDERGARTEN PROGRAM
59	59	Sec. 29.164. DEFINITION. In this subchapter, "program"
60	60	means a high quality prekindergarten program provided free of
61	61	tuition or fees in accordance with this subchapter.
62	62	Sec. 29.165. HIGH QUALITY PREKINDERGARTEN PROGRAM. (a) From
63	63	funds appropriated for that purpose, the commissioner by rule shall
64	64	establish a funding program under which funds are awarded to school
65	65	districts and open-enrollment charter schools to implement a
66	66	prekindergarten program under this subchapter.
67	67	(b) A school district may participate in and receive funding
68	68	under the program if the district meets all program standards
69	69	required under this subchapter.
70	70	(c) A program is subject to any other requirements imposed
71	71	by law that apply to a prekindergarten program not provided in
72	72	accordance with this subchapter, except that to the extent a
73	73	conflict exists between this subchapter and any other provision of
74	74	law, this subchapter prevails.
75	75	Sec. 29.166. HIGH QUALITY PROGRAM FUNDING. (a) In addition
76	76	to funding granted under Subsection (b), a school district is
77	77	eligible for half-day funding under the Foundation School Program
78	78	for students enrolled in a program class.
79	79	(b) A school district is entitled to receive additional
80	80	funding in an amount determined by the commissioner for each
81	81	qualifying student described under Subsection (c) in average daily
82	82	attendance in a program class.
83	83	(c) A student qualifies for additional funding under
84	84	Subsection (b) if the student is four years of age on September 1 of
85	85	the year the student begins the program.
86	86	(d) A school district that receives the funding under this
87	87	section may use the funding only to improve the quality of the
88	88	district's prekindergarten programs.
89	89	Sec. 29.167. HIGH QUALITY CURRICULUM AND TEACHER
90	90	REQUIREMENTS. (a) A school district shall select and implement a
91	91	curriculum for a prekindergarten program under this subchapter that
92	92	includes the prekindergarten guidelines established by the agency
93	93	and measures the progress of students in meeting the recommended
94	94	learning outcomes.
95	95	(b) Each teacher for a program class must be certified under
96	96	Subchapter B, Chapter 21.
97	97	Sec. 29.168. PARENT ENGAGEMENT PLAN. A school district
98	98	shall develop and implement a parent engagement plan to assist the
99	99	district in achieving and maintaining high levels of parental
100	100	involvement and positive parental attitudes toward education.
101	101	Sec. 29.169. PROGRAM EVALUATION. A school district shall:
102	102	(1) select and implement appropriate methods for
103	103	evaluating the district's program classes by measuring student
104	104	progress; and
105	105	(2) make data from the results of program evaluations
106	106	available to parents.
107	107	Sec. 29.170. PROGRAM FUNDING EVALUATION. (a) The
108	108	commissioner shall evaluate the use and effectiveness of funding
109	109	provided under this subchapter in improving student learning. The
110	110	commissioner shall identify effective instruction strategies
111	111	implemented by school districts under this subchapter.
112	112	(b) Not later than December 1, 2018, the commissioner shall
113	113	deliver a report to the legislature containing the results of the
114	114	evaluation.
115	115	(c) This section expires December 31, 2018.
116	116	Sec. 29.171. RULES. The commissioner may adopt rules
117	117	necessary to implement this subchapter.
118	118	SECTION 4. Section 42.003(b), Education Code, is amended to
119	119	read as follows:
120	120	(b) A student to whom Subsection (a) does not apply is
121	121	entitled to the benefits of the Foundation School Program if the
122	122	student is enrolled in a prekindergarten class under Section 29.153
123	123	or Subchapter E-1, Chapter 29.
124	124	SECTION 5. This Act applies beginning with the 2015-2016
125	125	school year.
126	126	SECTION 6. This Act takes effect immediately if it receives
127	127	a vote of two-thirds of all the members elected to each house, as
128	128	provided by Section 39, Article III, Texas Constitution. If this
129	129	Act does not receive the vote necessary for immediate effect, this
130	130	Act takes effect September 1, 2015.