By: Watson, et al. S.B. No. 276
(Parker)
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
AN ACT
relating to an adult high school diploma and industry certification
charter school pilot program.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
SECTION 1. Section 29.259, Education Code, is amended by
amending Subsections (d) and (i) and adding Subsections (n), (o),
(p), (q), and (r) to read as follows:
(d) Notwithstanding any other law and in addition to the
number of charters allowed under Subchapter D, Chapter 12, the
commissioner [a charter under the pilot program] may, on the basis
of an application submitted, grant a charter under the pilot
program [be granted] to a single nonprofit entity described by
Subsection (e) to provide an adult education program for [not more
than 150] individuals described by Subsection (g) to successfully
complete:
(1) a high school program that can lead to a diploma;
and
(2) career and technology education courses that can
lead to industry certification.
(i) A charter granted under this section must:
(1) include a description of the adult education
program to be offered under this section; and
(2) establish specific, objective standards for
receiving a high school diploma, including:
(A) successful completion of:
(i) if applicable to the program
participant, the curriculum requirements under Section 28.025; or
(ii) the appropriate curriculum
requirements applicable to the program participant; and
(B) satisfactory performance on the standardized
secondary exit-level assessment instrument described by Subsection
(c).
(n) An adult education program operated under a charter
granted under this section is subject to:
(1) a provision of this title establishing a criminal
offense; and
(2) a prohibition, restriction, or requirement, as
applicable, imposed by this title or a rule adopted under this
title, relating to:
(A) the Public Education Information Management
System (PEIMS) to the extent necessary as determined by the
commissioner to monitor compliance with this section and, as
applicable, Subchapter D, Chapter 12;
(B) criminal history records under Subchapter C,
Chapter 22;
(C) high school graduation requirements under
Section 28.025, to the extent applicable to a program participant;
(D) special education programs under Subchapter
A, Chapter 29;
(E) bilingual education under Subchapter B,
Chapter 29;
(F) health and safety under Chapter 38;
(G) the requirement under Section 21.006 to
report an educator's misconduct; and
(H) the right of an employee to report a crime, as
provided by Section 37.148.
(o) The commissioner shall develop and adopt performance
frameworks that establish standards by which to measure the
performance of an adult high school program operated under a
charter granted under this section in a manner consistent with the
requirements provided for an open-enrollment charter school under
Sections 12.1181(a) and (b). The commissioner shall include in the
performance frameworks adopted under this subsection the following
performance indicators:
(1) the percentage of program participants who
performed satisfactorily on the standardized secondary exit-level
assessment instrument described by Subsection (c);
(2) the percentage of program participants who
successfully completed the high school program and earned a high
school diploma;
(3) the percentage of program participants who
successfully completed career and technology education courses and
obtained industry certification;
(4) the percentage of program participants who have
enrolled in an institution of higher education or private or
independent institution of higher education, as those terms are
defined under Section 61.003; and
(5) the percentage of program participants who earned
a wage, salary, or other income increase that was significant as
determined and reported by the Texas Workforce Commission.
(p) Each year, the commissioner shall evaluate the
performance of an adult high school program operated under a
charter granted under this section based on the applicable
performance frameworks adopted under Subsection (o).
(q) The commissioner shall adopt rules as necessary to
implement and administer the reporting requirements under
Subsection (n)(2)(A) and the evaluation provisions of Subsections
(o) and (p).
(r) The commissioner or an adult education program operated
under a charter granted under this section may accept gifts,
grants, or donations from any public or private source to be used
for purposes of this section.
SECTION 2. Section 29.259(l), Education Code, is repealed.
SECTION 3. Section 29.259(p), Education Code, as added by
this Act, applies beginning with the 2017-2018 school year.
SECTION 4. Section 29.259(d), Education Code, as amended by
this Act, takes effect only if a specific appropriation is provided
for additional funding for the increase in the number of program
participants above 150 in a general appropriations act of the 85th
Legislature.
SECTION 5. This Act takes effect immediately if it receives
a vote of two-thirds of all the members elected to each house, as
provided by Section 39, Article III, Texas Constitution. If this
Act does not receive the vote necessary for immediate effect, this
Act takes effect September 1, 2017.