73R6361 JSA-D
          By A. Smith of Harris                                  H.B. No. 183
          Substitute the following for H.B. No. 183:
          By Linebarger                                      C.S.H.B. No. 183
                                 A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
    1-1                                AN ACT
    1-2  relating to developing and promoting educational technology through
    1-3  pilot, model, or demonstration projects.
    1-4        BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
    1-5        SECTION 1.  Subchapter C, Chapter 14, Education Code, is
    1-6  amended by adding Section 14.0451 to read as follows:
    1-7        Sec. 14.0451.  PROJECTS FOR EDUCATIONAL TECHNOLOGY.  (a)  The
    1-8  Central Education Agency shall establish one or more pilot, model,
    1-9  or demonstration projects as the agency determines is appropriate
   1-10  to test the effectiveness and feasibility of educational
   1-11  technologies not currently in general use in the school districts
   1-12  of this state, including  computer-assisted instruction and
   1-13  instructional management and telecommunications instruction.  A
   1-14  project may be conducted in one or more entire school districts or
   1-15  in one or more individual schools as the agency determines is
   1-16  appropriate.
   1-17        (b)  In designing projects under this section, the agency may
   1-18  attempt to address any special educational needs or concerns that
   1-19  the agency determines may be served by educational technologies,
   1-20  such as:
   1-21              (1)  basic skills improvement;
   1-22              (2)  curriculum enhancement and diversity;
   1-23              (3)  dropout prevention;
   1-24              (4)  adult education and literacy and enhancement of
    2-1  adult work force skills and competency;
    2-2              (5)  mathematics and science, foreign language, English
    2-3  as a second language, and bilingual education;
    2-4              (6)  school districts with high concentrations of
    2-5  students from low-income families;
    2-6              (7)  rural school districts and others with restricted
    2-7  educational opportunities;
    2-8              (8)  students with special needs, including migratory
    2-9  students, gifted students, and students with disabilities;
   2-10              (9)  early childhood education;
   2-11              (10)  teacher training and assistance;
   2-12              (11)  school system management; and
   2-13              (12)  coordination among schools, junior colleges, and
   2-14  other off-campus centers.
   2-15        (c)  The agency shall design the projects to encourage the
   2-16  participation and support of the private sector, state and federal
   2-17  agencies, and junior colleges and other institutions of higher
   2-18  education.  The agency may design a project to qualify for specific
   2-19  local, state, federal, or private grants or other support, and may
   2-20  accept gifts, grants, or other financial or in kind support for
   2-21  purposes of this section.
   2-22        (d)  The agency may temporarily suspend for the duration of a
   2-23  project at a particular site a requirement or prohibition imposed
   2-24  by state law other than class-size limitations that hinders the
   2-25  application of the technology or is made unnecessary by the use of
   2-26  the technology.
   2-27        (e)  The agency shall ensure to the extent practicable that
    3-1  projects established under this section do not result in the use of
    3-2  advertising or commercialization in the classroom.
    3-3        (f)  To participate in a project, a school district must
    3-4  apply to the agency.  The agency shall notify each school district
    3-5  of each project in a manner that gives each school district a
    3-6  reasonable opportunity to apply for participation.  The agency may
    3-7  impose any conditions on the participation of a school district in
    3-8  a project that the agency determines to be appropriate.
    3-9        (g)  The agency shall study the effectiveness and feasibility
   3-10  of educational technologies included in a project, and shall report
   3-11  to the legislature annually the results of its studies.  Its
   3-12  reports shall include any recommendations for the development,
   3-13  implementation, or coordination of educational technologies for use
   3-14  in the school districts of this state.
   3-15        SECTION 2.  The importance of this legislation and the
   3-16  crowded condition of the calendars in both houses create an
   3-17  emergency and an imperative public necessity that the
   3-18  constitutional rule requiring bills to be read on three several
   3-19  days in each house be suspended, and this rule is hereby suspended,
   3-20  and that this Act take effect and be in force from and after its
   3-21  passage, and it is so enacted.