Texas 2015 - 84th Regular

Texas Senate Bill SB916 Compare Versions

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

Old	New	Differences
1	1	2015S0340-1 02/26/15
2	2	By: Seliger S.B. No. 916
3	3
4	4
5	5	A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
6	6	AN ACT
7	7	relating to the creation of a program to improve public education
8	8	through partnerships between certain public school campuses and
9	9	public universities.
10	10	BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
11	11	SECTION 1. Section 39.106(f), Education Code, is amended to
12	12	read as follows:
13	13	(f) Notwithstanding any other provision of this subchapter,
14	14	if the commissioner determines that a campus for which an
15	15	intervention is ordered under Subsection (a) is not fully
16	16	implementing the campus intervention team's recommendations or
17	17	targeted improvement plan or updated plan, the commissioner may:
18	18	(1) approve a university partner, as defined by
19	19	Section 51.360, as a locally selected partner in operating or
20	20	improving the campus; or
21	21	(2) order the reconstitution of the campus as provided
22	22	by Section 39.107.
23	23	SECTION 2. The heading to Section 39.107, Education Code,
24	24	is amended to read as follows:
25	25	Sec. 39.107. RECONSTITUTION, REPURPOSING, UNIVERSITY
26	26	PARTNERSHIP, ALTERNATIVE MANAGEMENT, AND CLOSURE.
27	27	SECTION 3. Sections 39.107(d), (e), and (e-2), Education
28	28	Code, are amended to read as follows:
29	29	(d) If the commissioner determines that the campus is not
30	30	fully implementing the updated targeted improvement plan or if the
31	31	students enrolled at the campus fail to demonstrate substantial
32	32	improvement in the areas targeted by the updated plan, the
33	33	commissioner may [order]:
34	34	(1) order repurposing of the campus under this
35	35	section;
36	36	(2) order alternative management of the campus under
37	37	this section; [or]
38	38	(3) approve a university partner, as defined by
39	39	Section 51.360, as a locally selected partner in operating or
40	40	improving the campus; or
41	41	(4) order closure of the campus.
42	42	(e) If a campus is considered to have an unacceptable
43	43	performance rating for three consecutive school years after the
44	44	campus is reconstituted under Subsection (a), the commissioner,
45	45	subject to Subsection (e-1) or (e-2), shall [order]:
46	46	(1) order repurposing of the campus under this
47	47	section;
48	48	(2) order alternative management of the campus under
49	49	this section; [or]
50	50	(3) approve a university partner, as defined by
51	51	Section 51.360, as a locally selected partner in operating or
52	52	improving the campus; or
53	53	(4) order closure of the campus.
54	54	(e-2) For purposes of this subsection, "parent" has the
55	55	meaning assigned by Section 12.051. If the commissioner is
56	56	presented, in the time and manner specified by commissioner rule, a
57	57	written petition signed by the parents of a majority of the students
58	58	enrolled at a campus to which Subsection (e) applies, specifying
59	59	the action described by Subsection (e)(1), (2), [or] (3), or (4)
60	60	that the parents request the commissioner to order or approve, the
61	61	commissioner shall, except as otherwise authorized by this
62	62	subsection, order or approve the specific action requested. If the
63	63	board of trustees of the school district in which the campus is
64	64	located presents to the commissioner, in the time and manner
65	65	specified by commissioner rule, a written request that the
66	66	commissioner order or approve specific action authorized under
67	67	Subsection (e) other than the specific action requested in the
68	68	parents' petition and a written explanation of the basis for the
69	69	board's request, the commissioner may order or approve the action
70	70	requested by the board of trustees.
71	71	SECTION 4. Subchapter G, Chapter 51, Education Code, is
72	72	amended by adding Section 51.360 to read as follows:
73	73	Sec. 51.360. SCHOOL TURNAROUND EDUCATION PROGRAM:
74	74	UNIVERSITY PARTNERSHIPS (STEP UP). (a) The School Turnaround
75	75	Education Program: University Partnerships (STEP UP) is created.
76	76	(b) The purpose of the program is to raise student
77	77	performance at public school campuses through partnerships with
78	78	universities. The program offers an opportunity to avoid school
79	79	reconstitution, repurposing, alternative management, or closure.
80	80	(c) In this section:
81	81	(1) "University partner" means each university system
82	82	and Midwestern State University, Stephen F. Austin State
83	83	University, Texas Southern University, and Texas Woman's
84	84	University.
85	85	(2) "University system" has the meaning assigned by
86	86	Section 61.003.
87	87	(d) Each university partner shall establish a task force for
88	88	the improvement of public school campuses.
89	89	(e) The task force shall conduct research and construct
90	90	models to identify best practices for school improvement to assist
91	91	school districts in this state with more effective management and
92	92	operation of campuses.
93	93	(f) A school district board of trustees, on behalf of a
94	94	campus, and a university partner that it selects may enter into a
95	95	contract for school improvement initiatives or for a local
96	96	partnership as approved by the commissioner of education under
97	97	Section 39.106 or 39.107.
98	98	SECTION 5. This Act takes effect immediately if it receives
99	99	a vote of two-thirds of all the members elected to each house, as
100	100	provided by Section 39, Article III, Texas Constitution. If this
101	101	Act does not receive the vote necessary for immediate effect, this
102	102	Act takes effect September 1, 2015.