| 1 | 1 | | 85R12566 MK-D |
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| 2 | 2 | | By: Minjarez H.B. No. 2518 |
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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 student/teacher ratios for prekindergarten classes |
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| 8 | 8 | | provided by or on behalf of 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 E, Chapter 29, Education Code, is |
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| 11 | 11 | | amended by adding Section 29.1535 to read as follows: |
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| 12 | 12 | | Sec. 29.1535. STUDENT/TEACHER RATIOS. A school district |
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| 13 | 13 | | that offers a prekindergarten program under Section 29.153 or a |
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| 14 | 14 | | private entity that provides a prekindergarten program under |
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| 15 | 15 | | contract with a school district must maintain an average ratio of |
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| 16 | 16 | | not less than one certified teacher or teacher's aide for each 11 |
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| 17 | 17 | | students. |
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| 18 | 18 | | SECTION 2. Section 29.167(d), Education Code, is amended to |
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| 19 | 19 | | read as follows: |
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| 20 | 20 | | (d) A school district must [attempt to] maintain an average |
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| 21 | 21 | | ratio in any prekindergarten program class of not less than one |
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| 22 | 22 | | certified teacher or teacher's aide for each 11 students. |
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| 23 | 23 | | SECTION 3. Section 29.171(c), Education Code, is amended to |
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| 24 | 24 | | read as follows: |
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| 25 | 25 | | (c) A prekindergarten program provided by a private |
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| 26 | 26 | | provider under this section is subject to the requirements of this |
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| 27 | 27 | | subchapter, including the student/teacher ratio requirement |
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| 28 | 28 | | imposed under Section 29.167(d). |
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| 29 | 29 | | SECTION 4. This Act applies beginning with the 2017-2018 |
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| 30 | 30 | | school year. |
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| 31 | 31 | | SECTION 5. This Act takes effect immediately if it receives |
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| 32 | 32 | | a vote of two-thirds of all the members elected to each house, as |
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| 33 | 33 | | provided by Section 39, Article III, Texas Constitution. If this |
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| 34 | 34 | | Act does not receive the vote necessary for immediate effect, this |
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| 35 | 35 | | Act takes effect September 1, 2017. |
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