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A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
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AN ACT
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relating to the intervention in and sanction of a public school that |
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has received an academically unsuccessful performance rating for at |
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least two consecutive school years. |
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BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
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SECTION 1. The heading to Section 39.107, Education Code, |
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is amended to read as follows: |
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Sec. 39.107. CAMPUS TURNAROUND PLAN, BOARD OF MANAGERS |
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[RECONSTITUTION, REPURPOSING], ALTERNATIVE MANAGEMENT, AND |
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CLOSURE. |
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SECTION 2. Section 39.107, Education Code, is amended by |
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amending Subsections (a), (a-1), (b), (b-1), (b-2), (d), (e), |
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(e-1), (e-2), (f), and (g) and adding Subsections (a-2), (b-3), |
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(b-4), (b-5), (b-6), (b-7), (b-8), (b-9), (e-4), (e-5), (e-6), |
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(g-1), and (g-2) to read as follows: |
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(a) After a campus has been identified as unacceptable for |
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two consecutive school years, the commissioner shall order the |
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campus to prepare and submit a campus turnaround plan [the
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reconstitution of the campus]. The commissioner shall by rule |
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establish procedures governing the time and manner in which the |
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campus must submit the campus turnaround plan. |
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(a-1) A [In reconstituting a campus, a] campus intervention |
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team shall assist the campus in: |
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(1) developing an updated targeted improvement plan, |
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including a campus turnaround plan to be implemented by the campus; |
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(2) submitting the updated targeted improvement plan |
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to the board of trustees of the school district for approval and |
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presenting the plan in a public hearing as provided by Section |
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39.106(e-1); |
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(3) obtaining approval of the updated plan from the |
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commissioner; and |
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(4) executing the plan on approval by the |
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commissioner. |
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(a-2) Before a campus turnaround plan is prepared and |
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submitted for approval to the board of trustees of the school |
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district, the district, in consultation with the campus |
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intervention team, shall: |
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(1) provide notice to parents, the community, and |
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stakeholders that the campus has received an academically |
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unacceptable performance rating for two consecutive years and will |
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be required to submit a campus turnaround plan; and |
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(2) request assistance from parents, the community, |
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and stakeholders in developing the campus turnaround plan. |
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(b) The school district, in consultation with the campus |
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intervention team, shall prepare the campus turnaround plan and |
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allow parents, the community, and stakeholders an opportunity to |
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review the plan before it is submitted for approval to the board of |
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trustees of the school district. The plan must include details on |
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the method for restructuring, reforming, or reconstituting the |
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campus. If the district determines that granting a district |
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charter under Section 12.0522 is appropriate for the campus, the |
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campus turnaround plan must provide information on the |
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implementation of the district charter. The plan must assist the |
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campus in implementing procedures to satisfy all performance |
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standards required under Section 39.054(e) [decide which educators
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may be retained at that campus.
A principal who has been employed
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by the campus in that capacity during the full period described by
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Subsection (a) may not be retained at that campus unless the campus
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intervention team determines that retention of the principal would
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be more beneficial to the student achievement and campus stability
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than removal]. |
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(b-1) A campus turnaround plan must include: |
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(1) a detailed description of the academic programs to |
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be offered at the campus, including instructional methods, length |
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of school day and school year, academic credit and promotion |
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criteria, and programs to serve special student populations; |
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(2) the term of the charter, if a district charter is |
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to be granted for the campus under Section 12.0522, which may not |
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exceed five years; |
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(3) written comments from the campus-level committee |
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established under Section 11.251, if applicable, parents, and |
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teachers at the campus; and |
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(4) a detailed description of the budget, staffing, |
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and financial resources required to implement the plan, including |
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any supplemental resources to be provided by the district or other |
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identified sources [A teacher of a subject assessed by an
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assessment instrument under Section 39.023 may be retained only if
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the campus intervention team determines that a pattern exists of
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significant academic improvement by students taught by the teacher.
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If an educator is not retained, the educator may be assigned to
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another position in the district]. |
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(b-2) A school district may request that a regional |
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education service center provide assistance in the development and |
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implementation of a campus turnaround plan. [For each year that a
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campus is considered to have an unacceptable performance rating, a
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campus intervention team shall:
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[(1)
assist in updating the targeted improvement plan
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to identify and analyze areas of growth and areas that require
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improvement;
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[(2) submit the updated plan to:
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[(A)
the board of trustees of the school
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district; and
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[(B) the parents of campus students; and
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[(3)
assist in submitting the updated plan to the
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commissioner for approval.] |
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(b-3) The updated targeted improvement plan submitted to |
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the board of trustees of a school district under Subsection (a-1) |
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must include all plans and details that are required to execute the |
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campus turnaround plan without any additional action or approval by |
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the board of trustees. |
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(b-4) A campus turnaround plan developed under this section |
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must take effect not later than the school year following the third |
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consecutive school year that the campus has received an |
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academically unacceptable performance rating. |
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(b-5) Following approval of a campus turnaround plan by the |
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commissioner, the school district, in consultation with the campus |
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intervention team, may take any actions needed to prepare for the |
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implementation of the plan. |
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(b-6) If a campus for which a campus turnaround plan has |
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been ordered under Subsection (a) receives an academically |
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acceptable performance rating for the school year following the |
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order, the board of trustees may: |
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(1) implement the campus turnaround plan; |
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(2) implement a modified version of the campus |
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turnaround plan; or |
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(3) withdraw the campus turnaround plan. |
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(b-7) A school district required to implement a campus |
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turnaround plan may modify or withdraw the plan if the campus |
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receives an academically acceptable performance rating for two |
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consecutive school years following the implementation of the plan. |
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(b-8) Section 12.0522(b) does not apply to a district |
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charter approved by the commissioner under this section. A |
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district charter approved under this section may be renewed or |
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continue in effect after the campus is no longer subject to an order |
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under Subsection (a). |
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(b-9) The commissioner shall adopt rules governing the |
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procedures for an open-enrollment charter school campus that is |
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subject to an order issued under Subsection (a). An |
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open-enrollment charter school must revise the school's charter in |
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accordance with Section 12.114 in the campus turnaround plan. |
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Nothing in this section may be construed to modify any provision of |
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Subchapter D, Chapter 12, relating to the expiration, nonrenewal, |
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revocation, or modification of the governance of an open-enrollment |
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charter school. The governing board of the open-enrollment charter |
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school shall perform the duties of a board of trustees of a school |
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district under this section. |
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(d) The commissioner may approve a campus turnaround plan |
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only if the commissioner determines that the campus will satisfy |
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all student performance standards required under Section 39.054(e) |
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not later than the second year the campus receives a performance |
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rating following the implementation of the campus turnaround plan. |
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If the commissioner does not make this determination [determines
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that the campus is not fully implementing the updated targeted
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improvement plan or if the students enrolled at the campus fail to
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demonstrate substantial improvement in the areas targeted by the
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updated plan], the commissioner shall [may] order: |
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(1) appointment of a board of managers to govern the |
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district as provided by Section 39.112(b) [repurposing of the
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campus under this section]; |
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(2) alternative management of the campus under this |
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section; or |
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(3) closure of the campus. |
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(e) If a campus is considered to have an unacceptable |
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performance rating for three consecutive school years after the |
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campus is ordered to submit a campus turnaround plan |
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[reconstituted] under Subsection (a), the commissioner, subject to |
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Subsection [(e-1) or] (e-2), shall order: |
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(1) appointment of a board of managers to govern the |
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district as provided by Section 39.112(b) [repurposing of the
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campus under this section]; or |
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(2) [alternative management of the campus under this
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section; or
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[(3)] closure of the campus. |
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(e-1) If the commissioner orders the closure of a campus |
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under this section, that campus may be repurposed to serve students |
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at that campus location only if the commissioner finds that the |
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repurposed campus offers a distinctly different academic program |
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and serves a majority of grade levels at the repurposed campus not |
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served at the original campus and approves a new campus |
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identification number for the campus. The majority of students |
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assigned to a campus that has been closed and repurposed may not |
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have attended that campus in the previous school year. Any student |
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assigned to a campus that has been closed must be allowed to |
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transfer to any other campus in the district that serves that |
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student's grade level and on request must be provided |
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transportation to the other campus. The commissioner may grant an |
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exemption allowing students assigned to a closed campus to attend |
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the repurposed campus if there is no other campus in the district at |
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which the students may enroll [The commissioner may waive the
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requirement to enter an order under Subsection (e) for not more than
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one school year if the commissioner determines that, on the basis of
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significant improvement in student performance over the preceding
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two school years, the campus is likely to be assigned an acceptable
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performance rating for the following school year]. |
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(e-2) For purposes of this subsection, "parent" has the |
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meaning assigned by Section 12.051. If the commissioner is |
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presented, in the time and manner specified by commissioner rule, a |
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written petition signed by the parents of a majority of the students |
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enrolled at a campus to which Subsection (e) applies, specifying |
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the action described by Subsection (e)(1) or [,] (2)[, or (3)] that |
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the parents request the commissioner to order, the commissioner |
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shall, except as otherwise authorized by this subsection, order the |
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specific action requested. If the board of trustees of the school |
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district in which the campus is located presents to the |
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commissioner, in the time and manner specified by commissioner |
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rule, a written request that the commissioner order specific action |
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authorized under Subsection (e) other than the specific action |
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requested in the parents' petition and a written explanation of the |
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basis for the board's request, the commissioner may order the |
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action requested by the board of trustees. |
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(e-4) A board of managers appointed by the commissioner |
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under this section is required to take appropriate actions to |
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resolve the conditions that caused a campus to be subject to an |
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order under Subsection (a), including amending the district's |
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budget, reassigning staff, or relocating academic programs. |
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(e-5) The commissioner may authorize payment of a board of |
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managers appointed under this section from agency funds. |
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(e-6) The commissioner may at any time replace a member of a |
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board of managers appointed under this section. |
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(f) Notwithstanding Section 39.112(e), the commissioner may |
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remove a board of managers appointed to govern a district under this |
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section only if the campus that was the basis for the appointment of |
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the board of managers receives an academically acceptable |
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performance rating for two consecutive school years. [If the
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commissioner orders repurposing of a campus, the school district
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shall develop a comprehensive plan for repurposing the campus and
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submit the plan to the board of trustees for approval, using the
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procedures described by Section 39.106(e-1), and to the
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commissioner for approval. The plan must include a description of a
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rigorous and relevant academic program for the campus. The plan may
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include various instructional models. The commissioner may not
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approve the repurposing of a campus unless:
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[(1)
all students in the assigned attendance zone of
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the campus in the school year immediately preceding the repurposing
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of the campus are provided with the opportunity to enroll in and are
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provided transportation on request to another campus, unless the
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commissioner grants an exception because there is no other campus
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in the district in which the students may enroll;
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[(2)
the principal is not retained at the campus,
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unless the commissioner determines that students enrolled at the
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campus have demonstrated significant academic improvement; and
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[(3)
teachers employed at the campus in the school
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year immediately preceding the repurposing of the campus are not
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retained at the campus, unless the commissioner or the
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commissioner's designee grants an exception, at the request of a
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school district, for:
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[(A)
a teacher who provides instruction in a
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subject other than a subject for which an assessment instrument is
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administered under Section 39.023(a) or (c) who demonstrates to the
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commissioner satisfactory performance; or
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[(B)
a teacher who provides instruction in a
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subject for which an assessment instrument is administered under
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Section 39.023(a) or (c) if the district demonstrates that the
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students of the teacher demonstrated satisfactory performance or
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improved academic growth on that assessment instrument.] |
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(g) Following the removal of a board of managers under |
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Subsection (f), or at the request of a managing entity appointed |
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under Subsection (d) to oversee the implementation of alternative |
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management, the commissioner may appoint a conservator for the |
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district to ensure district-level support for low-performing |
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campuses and to oversee the implementation of the updated targeted |
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improvement plan [If an educator is not retained under Subsection
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(f), the educator may be assigned to another position in the
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district]. |
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(g-1) If the commissioner orders alternative management of |
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a campus under Subsection (d)(2), the school district shall execute |
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a contract with a managing entity for a term not to exceed five |
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years. The terms of the contract must be approved by the |
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commissioner. If a campus receives an academically unacceptable |
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performance rating for two consecutive school years after the |
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managing entity assumes management of the campus, the commissioner |
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shall cancel the contract with the managing entity. |
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(g-2) Subject to Subsection (e), at the end of the contract |
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term with a managing entity or the cancellation of a contract with a |
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managing entity under Subsection (g-1), the board of trustees of |
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the school district shall resume management of the campus. |
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SECTION 3. Section 39.114, Education Code, is amended to |
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read as follows: |
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Sec. 39.114. IMMUNITY FROM CIVIL LIABILITY. An employee, |
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volunteer, or contractor acting on behalf of the commissioner under |
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this subchapter, or a member of a board of managers appointed by the |
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commissioner under this subchapter is immune from civil liability |
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to the same extent as a professional employee of a school district |
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under Section 22.051. |
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SECTION 4. Section 39.106(f), Education Code, is repealed. |
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SECTION 5. Not later than December 1, 2018, the Legislative |
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Budget Board shall publish a report evaluating the implementation |
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of Section 39.107, Education Code, as amended by this Act, |
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including an analysis of whether the changes in law made by this Act |
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result in improvements to school performance and student |
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performance. The Legislative Budget Board may contract with another |
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entity for the purpose of producing the evaluation required by this |
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section. |
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SECTION 6. The commissioner of education shall adopt a |
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transition plan that allows a public school campus that received an |
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academically unacceptable performance rating for three or more |
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consecutive school years before the effective date of this Act: |
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(1) to continue with the interventions and sanctions |
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that have already been applied to the campus; and |
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(2) to be closed or for a board of managers to be |
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appointed for the school district if the campus receives an |
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academically unacceptable performance rating for the two school |
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years following the effective date of this Act. |
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SECTION 7. (a) Except as provided by Subsection (b) of this |
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section, this Act applies beginning with the 2016-2017 school year. |
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(b) For a public school campus that receives an academically |
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unacceptable performance rating for a second consecutive year |
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following the 2015-2016 school year, this Act applies beginning |
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with the 2016-2017 school year. |
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SECTION 8. 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. |