86R12857 KJE-F
By: Hinojosa H.B. No. 2616
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
AN ACT
relating to Texas Community Schools.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
SECTION 1. Chapter 29, Education Code, is amended by adding
Subchapter M to read as follows:
SUBCHAPTER M. TEXAS COMMUNITY SCHOOLS
Sec. 29.501. DEFINITION. In this subchapter,
"community-based organization" means a nonprofit corporation or
association located in close proximity to the population the
organization serves.
Sec. 29.502. TEXAS COMMUNITY SCHOOL. (a) A Texas Community
School is a public elementary, middle, junior high, or high school
that partners with one or more community-based organizations to
coordinate academic, social, and health services to reduce barriers
to learning and improve the quality of education for students in the
community.
(b) A Texas Community School offers a variety of programs
and services, which may include:
(1) early childhood education;
(2) after-school and summer school academic and
enrichment programs;
(3) college and career preparation;
(4) service learning opportunities, such as
internships and community service programs;
(5) leadership and mentoring programs;
(6) activities to encourage community and parent
engagement in students' education;
(7) health and social services for students and their
families; and
(8) parenting classes.
Sec. 29.503. TRANSITION TO TEXAS COMMUNITY SCHOOL. (a) A
public elementary, middle, junior high, or high school may
transition to a Texas Community School if the school:
(1) establishes a school community partnership team to
function as the campus-level planning and decision-making
committee required under Section 11.251, composed of the members
required under Section 11.251 and additional community
representatives;
(2) conducts a comprehensive on-site needs assessment
using the guidelines and procedures described by Section
39A.053(c);
(3) establishes a partnership with a lead
community-based organization, such as Communities In Schools, a
social service provider, or an education or youth services
organization, that has experience in developing and implementing a
community school plan;
(4) develops a community school plan that satisfies
the requirements for a campus improvement plan under Section
11.253; and
(5) gains approval for the community school plan from:
(A) at least 75 percent of campus faculty and
staff and 75 percent of parents of students enrolled at the school;
and
(B) the board of trustees of the school district
in which the school is located.
(b) A school that transitions to a Texas Community School
under Subsection (a) shall hire a new employee or designate a school
district employee or an employee of a community-based organization
with experience in developing and implementing a community school
plan as the community school coordinator for the school. The
coordinator's duties include:
(1) recruiting community partners and building
community support for the school;
(2) coordinating:
(A) the school community partnership team's
planning and training activities;
(B) planning and evaluation efforts between the
school and community partners;
(C) academic and student and family support
programs; and
(D) after-school, summer, and enrichment
programs for students;
(3) encouraging community and parent engagement in the
school;
(4) seeking available resources for implementing
community school programs and services;
(5) conducting an annual needs assessment of the
school in coordination with the school community partnership team;
(6) acting as a liaison between the school, other
community schools, the school district, and community partners; and
(7) developing a plan for sustaining the community
school plan.
(c) In developing or implementing a community school plan,
the school may seek assistance from other community schools,
regional education service centers, or technical assistance
providers.
(d) For purposes of Subsection (c), a technical assistance
provider is a public or private entity that has experience in
developing and implementing a community school plan and that
provides:
(1) professional development, training, technical
assistance, coaching, or quality assurance activities to assist
schools in transitioning to a Texas Community School, sustaining
the community school plan, or maximizing the effectiveness of that
plan; or
(2) capacity-building training to regional education
service centers to enable the centers to support a school's
transition to a Texas Community School or assist the school in
sustaining the school's community school plan.
Sec. 29.504. COMMUNITY AND DISTRICT OVERSIGHT. A school
that transitions to a Texas Community School shall:
(1) hold a community meeting at least twice each year
to:
(A) inform community stakeholders about the
school's progress in implementing the community school plan; and
(B) seek community input regarding any
improvements or changes that could be made to the plan; and
(2) report annually to the board of trustees of the
school district in which the school is located regarding the
school's progress in implementing the plan.
Sec. 29.505. FUNDING. A Texas Community School or a school
transitioning to a Texas Community School may seek and accept
gifts, grants, donations, and funds from federal and state agencies
and private sources for purposes related to the school's function
as a Texas Community School.
Sec. 29.506. RECOGNITION AS TEXAS COMMUNITY SCHOOL. (a) A
school that transitions to a Texas Community School shall be
recognized by the state as a Texas Community School.
(b) The agency shall develop methods for recognizing a
school as a Texas Community School.
Sec. 29.507. RULES. The commissioner may adopt rules as
necessary to implement this subchapter.
SECTION 2. 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, 2019.