Texas 2023 - 88th Regular

Texas House Bill HB1678 Compare Versions

Version 1 (Old)

Version 2 (New)

Old	New	Differences
1	1	88R1432 CXP-D
2	2	By: Jetton H.B. No. 1678
3	3
4	4
5	5	A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
6	6	AN ACT
7	7	relating to a local remote learning program offered by a public
8	8	school for certain students at risk of dropping out of school.
9	9	BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
10	10	SECTION 1. Subchapter Z, Chapter 29, Education Code, is
11	11	amended by adding Section 29.9092 to read as follows:
12	12	Sec. 29.9092. LOCAL REMOTE LEARNING PROGRAM FOR STUDENTS AT
13	13	RISK OF DROPPING OUT OF SCHOOL. (a) A school district or
14	14	open-enrollment charter school may operate a local remote learning
15	15	program to offer virtual courses outside the state virtual school
16	16	network under Chapter 30A to eligible students at risk of dropping
17	17	out of school.
18	18	(b) A virtual course offered under the local remote learning
19	19	program must:
20	20	(1) be provided through asynchronous instruction; and
21	21	(2) provide for at least the same number of
22	22	instructional hours as required for a course offered in a program
23	23	that meets the required minimum number of minutes of operation
24	24	under Section 25.081.
25	25	(c) A student is eligible to enroll in a virtual course
26	26	offered under a local remote learning program if:
27	27	(1) the student is:
28	28	(A) enrolled at the high school level at a school
29	29	district or open-enrollment charter school; and
30	30	(B) a student at risk of dropping out of school,
31	31	as defined by Section 29.081; and
32	32	(2) the district or school at which the student is
33	33	enrolled determines under Subsection (d)(2) that participation in
34	34	the program is suitable for the student.
35	35	(d) A school district or open-enrollment charter school
36	36	that operates a local remote learning program shall develop a
37	37	process to:
38	38	(1) identify students who are potentially eligible to
39	39	enroll in a virtual course offered under the program; and
40	40	(2) screen students identified under Subdivision (1)
41	41	to ensure that participation in the program is suitable for the
42	42	student based on the student's academic needs and access to
43	43	necessary technology.
44	44	(e) A school district or open-enrollment charter school
45	45	may, but is not required to, provide technological equipment to
46	46	students who enroll in a virtual course offered under a local remote
47	47	learning program operated under this section.
48	48	(f) A student enrolled in a virtual course offered under a
49	49	local remote learning program operated under this section shall be
50	50	counted toward the school district's or open-enrollment charter
51	51	school's average daily attendance in the same manner as other
52	52	district or school students. The commissioner shall adopt rules
53	53	providing for a method of taking attendance, once each school day,
54	54	for students enrolled in a virtual course offered under a local
55	55	remote learning program operated under this section.
56	56	(g) Chapter 30A does not apply to a virtual course offered
57	57	under a local remote learning program operated under this section.
58	58	(h) This section does not prohibit a student enrolled in a
59	59	school district or open-enrollment charter school that operates a
60	60	local remote learning program under this section from enrolling in
61	61	courses offered through the state virtual school network under
62	62	Chapter 30A.
63	63	SECTION 2. This Act applies beginning with the 2023-2024
64	64	school year.
65	65	SECTION 3. This Act takes effect immediately if it receives
66	66	a vote of two-thirds of all the members elected to each house, as
67	67	provided by Section 39, Article III, Texas Constitution. If this
68	68	Act does not receive the vote necessary for immediate effect, this
69	69	Act takes effect September 1, 2023.