84R9085 KJE-F
	By: Rodriguez of Travis	H.B. No. 1892

	A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
	AN ACT
	relating to the establishment of a community school grant program.
	BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
	SECTION 1.  Chapter 29, Education Code, is amended by adding
	Subchapter M to read as follows:
	SUBCHAPTER M. COMMUNITY SCHOOL GRANT PROGRAM
	Sec. 29.501.  DEFINITIONS. In this subchapter:
	(1)  "Community-based organization" means a nonprofit
	corporation or association located in close proximity to the
	population the organization serves.
	(2)  "Community school" means a public elementary,
	middle, junior high, or high school that partners with one or more
	community-based organizations to coordinate academic, social, and
	health services to reduce barriers to learning and improve the
	quality of education for students in the community.
	Sec. 29.502.  COMMUNITY SCHOOL GRANT PROGRAM. (a) The
	agency shall establish a competitive grant program to assist public
	elementary, middle, junior high, and high schools in developing
	community school plans and transitioning into community schools.
	(b)  From funds appropriated for the purpose, the agency
	shall award two-year grants to eligible schools. Each grant may not
	exceed:
	(1)  $60,000 each academic year to pay a stipend to a
	community school coordinator; and
	(2)  $25,000 each academic year to develop and
	implement a community school plan.
	(c)  On application from a school, a grant awarded under this
	section may be extended by the agency for an additional year.
	Sec. 29.503.  ELIGIBILITY. A public elementary, middle,
	junior high, or high school is eligible to apply for a grant under
	this subchapter if the school demonstrates a commitment to
	transitioning into a community school by establishing:
	(1)  a school community partnership team to function as
	the campus-level planning and decision-making committee required
	under Section 11.251, composed of the members required under
	Section 11.251 and additional community representatives; and
	(2)  a partnership with a lead community-based
	organization that has experience in developing and implementing a
	community school plan.
	Sec. 29.504.  USE OF FUNDS. (a) Funds granted under this
	subchapter may not be used for direct programs for students or
	families or for other activities not related to developing or
	implementing a community school plan.
	(b)  A community school coordinator employed using grant
	funds must have relevant experience as a school district employee
	or an employee of a community-based organization with experience in
	developing and implementing a community school plan. The
	coordinator's duties include:
	(1)  recruiting community partners and building
	community support for the school;
	(2)  coordinating:
	(A)  the school community partnership team's
	planning and training activities;
	(B)  planning and evaluation efforts between the
	school and community partners;
	(C)  academic and student and family support
	programs; and
	(D)  after-school, summer, and enrichment
	programs for students;
	(3)  encouraging community and parent engagement in the
	school;
	(4)  seeking available resources for implementing
	community school programs and services;
	(5)  conducting an annual needs assessment of the
	school in coordination with the school community partnership team;
	and
	(6)  acting as a liaison between the school, other
	community schools, the school district, and community partners.
	(c)  Before a community school plan may be implemented, the
	plan must:
	(1)  satisfy the requirements for a campus improvement
	plan under Section 11.253; and
	(2)  be approved by:
	(A)  at least 75 percent of campus faculty and
	staff and 75 percent of parents of students enrolled at the school;
	and
	(B)  the board of trustees of the school district
	in which the school is located.
	Sec. 29.505.  LOW-PERFORMING SCHOOLS. If a school with
	performance below any standard under Section 39.054(e) receives a
	grant under this subchapter, the school's school community
	partnership team functions as the campus intervention team for
	purposes of Section 39.106.
	Sec. 29.506.  PROGRAM OVERSIGHT. (a) At least once each
	year, the agency shall:
	(1)  monitor the transition into a community school of
	each school awarded a grant under this subchapter; and
	(2)  evaluate whether the school has made satisfactory
	progress toward carrying out the school's objectives as set out in
	the community school plan.
	(b)  A school that the agency determines has not made
	satisfactory progress under Subsection (a) may continue to receive
	grant funds under this subchapter only if the school:
	(1)  amends the school's community school plan to
	address any deficiencies the agency identified during the
	evaluation; and
	(2)  demonstrates strong community support for the
	school's transition to a community school.
	Sec. 29.507.  RULES. The commissioner shall adopt rules as
	necessary to implement this subchapter.
	SECTION 2.  Section 29.259, Education Code, is transferred
	to Subchapter Z, Chapter 29, Education Code, and redesignated as
	Section 29.923, Education Code, to read as follows:
	Sec. 29.923  [29.259].  ADULT HIGH SCHOOL DIPLOMA AND
	INDUSTRY CERTIFICATION CHARTER SCHOOL PILOT PROGRAM. (a)  In this
	section, "adult education" means services and instruction provided
	below the college level for adults by a nonprofit entity described
	by Subsection (e).
	(b)  The commissioner shall establish an adult high school
	diploma and industry certification charter school pilot program as
	provided by this section as a strategy for meeting industry needs
	for a sufficiently trained workforce within the state.
	(c)  The agency shall adopt and administer a standardized
	secondary exit-level assessment instrument appropriate for
	assessing adult education program participants who successfully
	complete high school curriculum requirements under a program
	provided under this section.  The commissioner shall determine the
	level of performance considered to be satisfactory on the secondary
	exit-level assessment instrument for receipt of a high school
	diploma by an adult education program participant in a program
	provided under this section.
	(d)  Notwithstanding any other law and in addition to the
	number of charters allowed under Subchapter D, Chapter 12, a
	charter under the pilot program may, on the basis of an application
	submitted, be granted to a single nonprofit entity described by
	Subsection (e) to provide an adult education program for not more
	than 150 individuals described by Subsection (g) to successfully
	complete:
	(1)  a high school program that can lead to a diploma;
	and
	(2)  career and technology education courses that can
	lead to industry certification.
	(e)  A nonprofit entity may be granted a charter under this
	section only if the entity:
	(1)  has a successful history of providing education
	services, including industry certifications and job placement
	services, to adults 18 years of age and older whose educational and
	training opportunities have been limited by educational
	disadvantages, disabilities, homelessness, criminal history, or
	similar circumstances; and
	(2)  agrees to commit at least $1 million to the adult
	education program offered.
	(f)  A nonprofit entity granted a charter under this section
	may partner with a public junior college to provide career and
	technology courses that lead to industry certification.
	(g)  A person who is at least 19 years of age and not more
	than 50 years of age is eligible to enroll in the adult education
	program under this section if the person has not earned a high
	school equivalency certificate and:
	(1)  has failed to complete the curriculum requirements
	for high school graduation; or
	(2)  has failed to perform satisfactorily on an
	assessment instrument required for high school graduation.
	(h)  The nonprofit entity must include in its charter
	application the information required by Subsection (i).
	(i)  A charter granted under this section must:
	(1)  include a description of the adult education
	program to be offered under this section; and
	(2)  establish specific, objective standards for
	receiving a high school diploma, including satisfactory
	performance on the standardized secondary exit-level assessment
	instrument described by Subsection (c).
	(j)  Funding for an adult education program under this
	section is provided based on the following:
	(1)  for participants who are 26 years of age and older,
	an amount per participant from available general revenue funds
	appropriated for the pilot program equal to the statewide average
	amount of state funding per student in weighted average daily
	attendance that would be allocated under the Foundation School
	Program to an open-enrollment charter school under Section 12.106
	were the student under 26 years of age; and
	(2)  for participants who are at least 19 years of age
	and under 26 years of age, an amount per participant through the
	Foundation School Program equal to the amount of state funding per
	student in weighted average daily attendance that would be
	allocated under the Foundation School Program for the student's
	attendance at an open-enrollment charter school in accordance with
	Section 12.106.
	(k)  Sections 12.107 and 12.128 apply as though funds under
	this section were funds under Subchapter D, Chapter 12.
	(l)  Not later than December 1 of each even-numbered year,
	beginning December 1, 2016, the agency shall prepare and deliver to
	the governor, lieutenant governor, speaker of the house of
	representatives, and presiding officer of each standing
	legislative committee with primary jurisdiction over public
	education or economic development a report that:
	(1)  evaluates any adult education program operated
	under a charter granted under this section; and
	(2)  makes recommendations regarding the abolition,
	continuation, or expansion of the pilot program.
	(m)  The commissioner shall adopt rules necessary to
	administer the pilot program under this section.  In adopting
	rules, the commissioner may modify charter school requirements only
	to the extent necessary for the administration of a charter school
	under this section that provides for adult education.
	SECTION 3.  Section 42.003(a), Education Code, is amended to
	read as follows:
	(a)  A student is entitled to the benefits of the Foundation
	School Program if, on September 1 of the school year, the student:
	(1)  is 5 years of age or older and under 21 years of age
	and has not graduated from high school, or is at least 21 years of
	age and under 26 years of age and has been admitted by a school
	district to complete the requirements for a high school diploma; or
	(2)  is at least 19 years of age and under 26 years of
	age and is enrolled in an adult high school diploma and industry
	certification charter school pilot program under Section 29.923
	[29.259].
	SECTION 4.  (a) The heading to Subchapter H, Chapter 29,
	Education Code, is repealed.
	(b)  Sections 7.021(b)(8), 7.102(c)(17), 29.251, 29.252,
	29.255, 29.256, and 29.257, Education Code, are repealed.
	SECTION 5.  The Texas Education Agency shall establish the
	grant program under Subchapter M, Chapter 29, Education Code, as
	added by this Act, not later than November 1, 2015.
	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, 2015.