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A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
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AN ACT
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relating to Texas community schools. |
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BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
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SECTION 1. Chapter 29, Education Code, is amended by adding |
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Subchapter N to read as follows: |
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SUBCHAPTER N. TEXAS COMMUNITY SCHOOLS |
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Sec. 29.551. DEFINITION. In this subchapter, |
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"community-based organization" means a nonprofit corporation or |
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association located in close proximity to the population the |
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organization serves. |
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Sec. 29.552. TEXAS COMMUNITY SCHOOL. (a) A Texas |
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community school is a public elementary, middle, junior high, or |
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high school that partners with one or more community-based |
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organizations to coordinate academic, social, and health services |
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to reduce barriers to learning and improve the quality of education |
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for students in the community. |
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(b) A Texas community school offers a variety of programs |
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and services, which may include: |
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(1) early childhood education; |
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(2) after-school and summer school academic and |
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enrichment programs; |
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(3) college and career preparation; |
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(4) service learning opportunities, such as |
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internships and community service programs; |
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(5) leadership and mentoring programs; |
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(6) activities to encourage community and parent |
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engagement in students' education; |
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(7) health and social services for students and their |
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families; and |
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(8) parenting classes. |
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Sec. 29.553. TRANSITION TO TEXAS COMMUNITY SCHOOL. (a) A |
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public elementary, middle, junior high, or high school may |
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transition to a Texas community school if the school: |
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(1) establishes a school community partnership team to |
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function as the campus-level planning and decision-making |
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committee required under Section 11.251, composed of the members |
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required under Section 11.251 and additional community |
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representatives; |
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(2) conducts a comprehensive on-site needs assessment |
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using the guidelines and procedures described by Section 39.106(b); |
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(3) establishes a partnership with a lead |
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community-based organization, such as Communities In Schools, a |
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social service provider, or an education or youth services |
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organization, that has experience in developing and implementing a |
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community school plan; |
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(4) develops a community school plan that satisfies |
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the requirements for a campus improvement plan under Section |
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11.253; and |
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(5) gains approval for the community school plan from: |
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(A) at least 75 percent of campus faculty and |
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staff and 75 percent of parents of students enrolled at the school; |
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and |
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(B) the board of trustees of the school district |
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in which the school is located. |
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(b) A school that transitions to a Texas community school |
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under Subsection (a) shall hire a new employee or designate a school |
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district employee or an employee of a community-based organization |
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with experience in developing and implementing a community school |
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plan as the community school coordinator for the school. The |
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coordinator's duties include: |
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(1) recruiting community partners and building |
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community support for the school; |
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(2) coordinating: |
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(A) the school community partnership team's |
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planning and training activities; |
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(B) planning and evaluation efforts between the |
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school and community partners; |
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(C) academic and student and family support |
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programs; and |
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(D) after-school, summer, and enrichment |
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programs for students; |
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(3) encouraging community and parent engagement in the |
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school; |
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(4) seeking available resources for implementing |
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community school programs and services; |
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(5) conducting an annual needs assessment of the |
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school in coordination with the school community partnership team; |
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(6) acting as a liaison between the school, other |
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community schools, the school district, and community partners; and |
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(7) developing a plan for sustaining the community |
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school plan. |
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(c) In developing or implementing a community school plan, |
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the school may seek assistance from other community schools, |
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regional education service centers, or technical assistance |
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providers. |
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(d) For purposes of Subsection (c), a technical assistance |
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provider is a public or private entity that has experience in |
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developing and implementing a community school plan and that |
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provides: |
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(1) professional development, training, technical |
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assistance, coaching, or quality assurance activities to assist |
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schools in transitioning to a Texas community school, sustaining |
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the community school plan, or maximizing the effectiveness of that |
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plan; or |
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(2) capacity-building training to regional education |
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service centers to enable the centers to support a school's |
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transition to a Texas community school or assist the school in |
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sustaining the school's community school plan. |
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Sec. 29.554. COMMUNITY AND DISTRICT OVERSIGHT. A school |
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that transitions to a Texas community school shall: |
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(1) hold a community meeting at least twice each year |
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to: |
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(A) inform community stakeholders about the |
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school's progress in implementing the community school plan; and |
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(B) seek community input regarding any |
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improvements or changes that could be made to the plan; and |
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(2) report annually to the board of trustees of the |
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school district in which the school is located regarding the |
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school's progress in implementing the plan. |
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Sec. 29.555. LOW-PERFORMING SCHOOLS. (a) A school |
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community partnership team formed by a school with performance |
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below any standard under Section 39.054(e) functions as the campus |
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intervention team for purposes of Section 39.106. |
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(b) A low-performing school transitioning to a Texas |
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community school shall receive district-level support to assist the |
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school in developing and implementing the community school plan. |
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The support must continue for at least two school years after the |
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school successfully meets the standards under Section 39.054(e). |
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Sec. 29.556. FUNDING. A Texas community school or a school |
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transitioning to a Texas community school may seek and accept |
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gifts, grants, donations, and funds from federal and state agencies |
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and private sources for purposes related to the school's function |
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as a Texas community school. |
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Sec. 29.557. RECOGNITION AS TEXAS COMMUNITY SCHOOL. (a) A |
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school that transitions to a Texas community school shall be |
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recognized by the state as a Texas community school. |
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(b) The agency shall develop methods for recognizing a |
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school as a Texas community school. |
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Sec. 29.558. RULES. The commissioner may adopt rules as |
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necessary to implement this subchapter. |
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SECTION 2. Sections 39.106(c) and (f), Education Code, are |
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amended to read as follows: |
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(c) On completing the on-site needs assessment under this |
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section, the campus intervention team shall, with the involvement |
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and advice of the school community partnership team, if applicable, |
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recommend actions relating to any area of insufficient performance, |
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including: |
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(1) reallocation of resources; |
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(2) technical assistance; |
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(3) changes in school procedures or operations; |
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(4) staff development for instructional and |
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administrative staff; |
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(5) intervention for individual administrators or |
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teachers; |
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(6) waivers from state statutes or rules; |
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(7) teacher recruitment or retention strategies and |
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incentives provided by the district to attract and retain teachers |
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with the characteristics included in Subsection (b)(1); [or] |
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(8) transition to a Texas community school under |
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Subchapter N, Chapter 29; or |
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(9) other actions the campus intervention team |
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considers appropriate. |
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(f) Notwithstanding any other provision of this subchapter, |
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if the commissioner determines that a campus for which an |
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intervention is ordered under Subsection (a) is not fully |
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implementing the campus intervention team's recommendations or |
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targeted improvement plan or updated plan, the commissioner may: |
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(1) order the reconstitution of the campus as provided |
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by Section 39.107; or |
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(2) approve the campus's transition to a Texas |
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community school under Subchapter N, Chapter 29, on request from |
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the principal of the campus. |
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SECTION 3. Section 39.107, Education Code, is amended by |
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amending Subsection (a) and adding Subsections (a-2) and (s) to |
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read as follows: |
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(a) Subject to Subsection (a-2), after [After] a campus has |
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been identified as unacceptable for two consecutive school years, |
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the commissioner shall order the reconstitution of the campus. |
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(a-2) A campus may elect to transition to a Texas community |
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school under Subchapter N, Chapter 29, instead of reconstitution |
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under this section if the campus: |
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(1) notifies the commissioner of the campus's election |
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not later than two weeks after the date on which the commissioner |
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orders reconstitution under Subsection (a); and |
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(2) satisfies the requirements of transitioning to a |
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Texas community school under Subchapter N, Chapter 29, not later |
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than six months after the date on which the commissioner orders |
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reconstitution under Subsection (a). |
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(s) The commissioner may not order the closure of a campus |
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under this section without giving the campus the opportunity to |
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transition to a Texas community school under Subchapter N, Chapter |
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29, and at least two years to implement the campus's community |
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school plan. |
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SECTION 4. Section 29.259, Education Code, is transferred |
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to Subchapter Z, Chapter 29, Education Code, and redesignated as |
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Section 29.923, Education Code, to read as follows: |
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Sec. 29.923 [29.259]. ADULT HIGH SCHOOL DIPLOMA AND |
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INDUSTRY CERTIFICATION CHARTER SCHOOL PILOT PROGRAM. (a) In this |
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section, "adult education" means services and instruction provided |
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below the college level for adults by a nonprofit entity described |
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by Subsection (e). |
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(b) The commissioner shall establish an adult high school |
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diploma and industry certification charter school pilot program as |
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provided by this section as a strategy for meeting industry needs |
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for a sufficiently trained workforce within the state. |
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(c) The agency shall adopt and administer a standardized |
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secondary exit-level assessment instrument appropriate for |
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assessing adult education program participants who successfully |
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complete high school curriculum requirements under a program |
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provided under this section. The commissioner shall determine the |
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level of performance considered to be satisfactory on the secondary |
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exit-level assessment instrument for receipt of a high school |
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diploma by an adult education program participant in a program |
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provided under this section. |
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(d) Notwithstanding any other law and in addition to the |
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number of charters allowed under Subchapter D, Chapter 12, a |
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charter under the pilot program may, on the basis of an application |
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submitted, be granted to a single nonprofit entity described by |
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Subsection (e) to provide an adult education program for not more |
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than 150 individuals described by Subsection (g) to successfully |
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complete: |
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(1) a high school program that can lead to a diploma; |
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and |
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(2) career and technology education courses that can |
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lead to industry certification. |
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(e) A nonprofit entity may be granted a charter under this |
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section only if the entity: |
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(1) has a successful history of providing education |
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services, including industry certifications and job placement |
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services, to adults 18 years of age and older whose educational and |
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training opportunities have been limited by educational |
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disadvantages, disabilities, homelessness, criminal history, or |
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similar circumstances; and |
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(2) agrees to commit at least $1 million to the adult |
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education program offered. |
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(f) A nonprofit entity granted a charter under this section |
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may partner with a public junior college to provide career and |
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technology courses that lead to industry certification. |
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(g) A person who is at least 19 years of age and not more |
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than 50 years of age is eligible to enroll in the adult education |
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program under this section if the person has not earned a high |
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school equivalency certificate and: |
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(1) has failed to complete the curriculum requirements |
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for high school graduation; or |
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(2) has failed to perform satisfactorily on an |
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assessment instrument required for high school graduation. |
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(h) The nonprofit entity must include in its charter |
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application the information required by Subsection (i). |
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(i) A charter granted under this section must: |
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(1) include a description of the adult education |
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program to be offered under this section; and |
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(2) establish specific, objective standards for |
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receiving a high school diploma, including satisfactory |
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performance on the standardized secondary exit-level assessment |
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instrument described by Subsection (c). |
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(j) Funding for an adult education program under this |
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section is provided based on the following: |
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(1) for participants who are 26 years of age and older, |
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an amount per participant from available general revenue funds |
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appropriated for the pilot program equal to the statewide average |
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amount of state funding per student in weighted average daily |
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attendance that would be allocated under the Foundation School |
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Program to an open-enrollment charter school under Section 12.106 |
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were the student under 26 years of age; and |
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(2) for participants who are at least 19 years of age |
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and under 26 years of age, an amount per participant through the |
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Foundation School Program equal to the amount of state funding per |
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student in weighted average daily attendance that would be |
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allocated under the Foundation School Program for the student's |
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attendance at an open-enrollment charter school in accordance with |
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Section 12.106. |
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(k) Sections 12.107 and 12.128 apply as though funds under |
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this section were funds under Subchapter D, Chapter 12. |
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(l) Not later than December 1 of each even-numbered year, |
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beginning December 1, 2016, the agency shall prepare and deliver to |
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the governor, lieutenant governor, speaker of the house of |
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representatives, and presiding officer of each standing |
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legislative committee with primary jurisdiction over public |
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education or economic development a report that: |
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(1) evaluates any adult education program operated |
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under a charter granted under this section; and |
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(2) makes recommendations regarding the abolition, |
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continuation, or expansion of the pilot program. |
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(m) The commissioner shall adopt rules necessary to |
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administer the pilot program under this section. In adopting |
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rules, the commissioner may modify charter school requirements only |
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to the extent necessary for the administration of a charter school |
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under this section that provides for adult education. |
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SECTION 5. Section 42.003(a), Education Code, is amended to |
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read as follows: |
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(a) A student is entitled to the benefits of the Foundation |
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School Program if, on September 1 of the school year, the student: |
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(1) is 5 years of age or older and under 21 years of age |
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and has not graduated from high school, or is at least 21 years of |
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age and under 26 years of age and has been admitted by a school |
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district to complete the requirements for a high school diploma; or |
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(2) is at least 19 years of age and under 26 years of |
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age and is enrolled in an adult high school diploma and industry |
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certification charter school pilot program under Section 29.923 |
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[29.259]. |
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SECTION 6. (a) The heading to Subchapter H, Chapter 29, |
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Education Code, is repealed. |
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(b) Sections 7.021(b)(8), 7.102(c)(17), 29.251, 29.252, |
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29.255, 29.256, and 29.257, Education Code, are repealed. |
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SECTION 7. This Act takes effect immediately if it receives |
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a vote of two-thirds of all the members elected to each house, as |
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provided by Section 39, Article III, Texas Constitution. If this |
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Act does not receive the vote necessary for immediate effect, this |
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Act takes effect September 1, 2015. |
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* * * * * |