86R12379 TSS-F
By: González of El Paso H.B. No. 3237
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
AN ACT
relating to a temporary suspension of accountability sanctions for
public schools and to studies on accountability assessment
instruments.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
SECTION 1. Subchapter K, Chapter 39, Education Code, is
amended by adding Section 39.335 to read as follows:
Sec. 39.335. ALTERNATIVE ACCOUNTABILITY INSTRUMENT STUDY.
(a) The agency shall conduct a study on potential alternative
assessment instruments that may be used for purposes of the state
accountability system instead of the assessment instruments
adopted under Section 39.023.
(b) Not later than December 1, 2020, the agency shall submit
a report to the legislature that includes the results of the study
and any recommendations for legislative or other action.
(c) This section expires September 1, 2021.
SECTION 2. Subchapter Z, Chapter 39A, Education Code, is
amended by adding Section 39A.907 to read as follows:
Sec. 39A.907. TEMPORARY SUSPENSION OF SANCTIONS;
ASSESSMENT INSTRUMENT STUDY. (a) Notwithstanding any other law,
interventions and sanctions under this chapter may not be applied
to a school district or campus for an unacceptable performance
rating under Section 39.054 received for the 2019-2020 or 2020-2021
school year.
(b) The performance rating assigned to a school district or
campus for the 2019-2020 or 2020-2021 school year may not be used as
the basis for the imposition of any intervention or sanction
authorized by this chapter after the 2020-2021 school year,
including an intervention or sanction authorized by Section 39A.101
or 39A.111.
(c) The commissioner shall conduct a study to determine
whether, for each applicable grade level, each assessment
instrument administered under Section 39.023(a) is written at the
appropriate reading level for students in that grade level.
(d) As part of the study required by Subsection (c), the
commissioner shall provide notice of and hold at least one public
hearing to receive public comment.
(e) Not later than August 1, 2020, the commissioner shall
submit a report to the legislature that includes the results of the
study, a summary of the comments from the public hearing or
hearings, and any recommendations for legislative or other action.
(f) If the report submitted by the commissioner under
Subsection (e) indicates that any assessment instrument adopted
under Section 39.023(a) was written at a reading level above the
grade level of the students to which the assessment instrument was
administered, the commissioner shall revise the performance
standard for that assessment instrument under Section 39.0241 as
necessary to more accurately reflect student performance.
(g) This section expires September 1, 2023.
SECTION 3. Section 39A.907, Education Code, as added by
this Act, applies beginning with the 2019-2020 school year.
SECTION 4. 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.