86R16303 CAE-D
By: Powell S.B. No. 2302
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
AN ACT
relating to the inclusion of school climate in the indicators for
evaluating the performance of public schools.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
SECTION 1. Section 39.053(c), Education Code, as amended by
Chapters 807 (H.B. 22), 842 (H.B. 2223), and 1088 (H.B. 3593), Acts
of the 85th Legislature, Regular Session, 2017, is reenacted and
amended to read as follows:
(c) School districts and campuses must be evaluated based on
three domains of indicators of achievement adopted under this
section that include:
(1) in the student achievement domain, indicators of
student achievement that must include:
(A) for evaluating the performance of districts
and campuses generally:
(i) an indicator that accounts for the
results of assessment instruments required under Sections
39.023(a), (c), and (l), as applicable for the district and campus,
including the results of assessment instruments required for
graduation retaken by a student, aggregated across grade levels by
subject area, including:
(a) for the performance standard
determined by the commissioner under Section 39.0241(a), the
percentage of students who performed satisfactorily on the
assessment instruments, aggregated across grade levels by subject
area; and
(b) for the college readiness
performance standard as determined under Section 39.0241, the
percentage of students who performed satisfactorily on the
assessment instruments, aggregated across grade levels by subject
area; and
(ii) an indicator that accounts for the
results of assessment instruments required under Section
39.023(b), as applicable for the district and campus, including the
percentage of students who performed satisfactorily on the
assessment instruments, as determined by the performance standard
adopted by the agency, aggregated across grade levels by subject
area; and
(B) for evaluating the performance of high school
campuses and districts that include high school campuses,
indicators that account for:
(i) students who satisfy the Texas Success
Initiative (TSI) college readiness benchmarks prescribed by the
Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board under Section 51.334 on
an assessment instrument in reading or mathematics designated by
the coordinating board under that section;
(ii) students who satisfy relevant
performance standards on advanced placement tests or similar
assessments;
(iii) students who earn dual course credits
in the dual credit courses;
(iv) students who enlist in the armed
forces of the United States;
(v) students who earn industry
certifications;
(vi) students admitted into postsecondary
industry certification programs that require as a prerequisite for
entrance successful performance at the secondary level;
(vii) students whose successful completion
of a course or courses under Section 28.014 indicates the student's
preparation to enroll and succeed, without remediation, in an
entry-level general education course for a baccalaureate degree or
associate degree;
(viii) students who successfully met
standards on a composite of indicators that through research
indicates the student's preparation to enroll and succeed, without
remediation, in an entry-level general education course for a
baccalaureate degree or associate degree;
(ix) high school graduation rates, computed
in accordance with standards and definitions adopted in compliance
with the Every Student Succeeds Act (20 U.S.C. Section 6301 et seq.)
subject to the exclusions provided by Subsections (g), (g-1),
(g-2), and (g-3);
(x) students who successfully completed an
OnRamps dual enrollment course; [and]
(xi) [the percentage of] students who
successfully completed a practicum or internship approved by the
State Board of Education; and
(xii) students who are awarded an associate
[associate's] degree;
(2) in the school progress domain, indicators for
effectiveness in promoting student learning, which must include:
(A) for assessment instruments, including
assessment instruments under Subdivisions (1)(A)(i) and (ii), the
percentage of students who met the standard for improvement, as
determined by the commissioner; and
(B) for evaluating relative performance, the
performance of districts and campuses compared to similar districts
or campuses; and
(3) in the closing the gaps domain:
(A) [,] the use of disaggregated data to
demonstrate the differentials among students from different racial
and ethnic groups, socioeconomic backgrounds, and other factors,
including:
(i) [(A)] students formerly receiving
special education services;
(ii) [(B)] students continuously enrolled;
and
(iii) [(C)] students who are mobile; and
(B) the use of local evaluations, as provided by
Section 39.0545, to demonstrate differential performance ratings
among districts and campuses in school climate.
SECTION 2. Subchapter C, Chapter 39, Education Code, is
amended by adding Section 39.0545 to read as follows:
Sec. 39.0545. EVALUATION OF SCHOOL CLIMATE AS COMPONENT OF
OVERALL DISTRICT AND CAMPUS RATING. (a) For purposes of including
the local evaluation of districts and campuses under Section
39.053(c)(3)(B) and assigning an overall rating under Section
39.054, the commissioner by rule shall adopt a method that is based
on recognized research and national standards to evaluate the
school climate of school districts and campuses.
(b) Using the method adopted by the commissioner under
Subsection (a) to evaluate school climate, each school district
shall assign the district and each campus shall assign the campus a
school climate performance rating of exemplary, recognized,
acceptable, or needs improvement.
(c) On or before the date determined by the commissioner by
rule, each school district and campus shall report the school
climate performance rating to the agency for the purpose of
including the rating in evaluating school district and campus
performance and assigning an overall rating under Section 39.054.
SECTION 3. As soon as practicable, the commissioner of
education shall adopt a method to evaluate the school climate of
school districts and campuses as provided by Section 39.0545,
Education Code, as added by this Act.
SECTION 4. To the extent of any conflict, this Act prevails
over another Act of the 86th Legislature, Regular Session, 2019,
relating to nonsubstantive additions to and corrections in enacted
codes.
SECTION 5. This Act applies beginning with the 2019-2020
school year.
SECTION 6. 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.