73R10206 ESH-D
By Hernandez H.B. No. 2371
Substitute the following for H.B. No. 2371:
By Rangel C.S.H.B. No. 2371
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
1-1 AN ACT
1-2 relating to cooperation between school districts and institutions
1-3 of higher education.
1-4 BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
1-5 SECTION 1. Chapter 21, Education Code, is amended by adding
1-6 Subchapter W to read as follows:
1-7 SUBCHAPTER W. RELATIONSHIPS BETWEEN SCHOOL DISTRICTS
1-8 AND INSTITUTIONS OF HIGHER EDUCATION
1-9 Sec. 21.811. DEFINITIONS. In this subchapter:
1-10 (1) "Coordinating board" means the Texas Higher
1-11 Education Coordinating Board.
1-12 (2) "Faculty member" has the meaning assigned by
1-13 Section 51.101 of this code.
1-14 (3) "Institution of higher education" means:
1-15 (A) an institution of higher education as
1-16 defined by Section 61.003 of this code; or
1-17 (B) a private institution of higher education
1-18 that is accredited by the Commission on Colleges of the Southern
1-19 Association of Colleges and Schools.
1-20 (4) "Teacher" has the meaning assigned by Section 2.07
1-21 of this code.
1-22 Sec. 21.812. ENCOURAGEMENT AND MEASUREMENT OF RELATIONSHIPS
1-23 BETWEEN SCHOOL DISTRICTS AND INSTITUTIONS OF HIGHER EDUCATION AND
2-1 FACULTY MEMBERS. (a) The coordinating board, after consulting
2-2 with the Central Education Agency, shall develop policies to:
2-3 (1) encourage institutions of higher education and
2-4 faculty members of those institutions to create substantive
2-5 relationships with each school district near or within which a
2-6 campus of the institution of higher education is located; and
2-7 (2) reward those institutions of higher education and
2-8 faculty members who establish substantive relationships with school
2-9 districts.
2-10 (b) The strategic plan required by Article 6252-31, Revised
2-11 Statutes, as added by Chapter 384, Acts of the 72nd Legislature,
2-12 Regular Session, 1991, for an institution of higher education may
2-13 include a measure of whether the institution is creating a
2-14 substantive relationship with each school district near or within
2-15 which a campus of the institution is located.
2-16 (c) The minimum standards for faculty member tenure that the
2-17 coordinating board is authorized to develop and recommend under
2-18 Section 61.057 of this code may include the amount and quality of
2-19 interaction faculty members have with school districts under this
2-20 subchapter.
2-21 Sec. 21.813. INTERACTION BETWEEN SCHOOL DISTRICTS AND
2-22 INSTITUTIONS OF HIGHER EDUCATION AND FACULTY MEMBERS. (a) A
2-23 school district and an institution of higher education that has a
2-24 campus located near or within the school district may assist each
2-25 other on research projects and on distance learning.
3-1 (b) The institution of higher education may provide a
3-2 faculty member to the school district to teach high school students
3-3 a college course at a high school in the school district. If a
3-4 student at the high school successfully completes the college
3-5 course:
3-6 (1) the high school shall award the student credit for
3-7 the course; and
3-8 (2) if the student attends an institution of higher
3-9 education, the institution may award the student credit for the
3-10 course.
3-11 (c) Teachers at a school district and faculty members of a
3-12 campus of an institution of higher education located near or within
3-13 the school district may create advisory groups to improve
3-14 communication between the teachers and faculty members concerning
3-15 the subject matter of their courses and teaching fields.
3-16 (d) The director of a library of an institution of higher
3-17 education may allow a senior student of a high school in a school
3-18 district near or within which a campus of the institution of higher
3-19 education is located to use the library as if the senior student
3-20 were enrolled at the institution of higher education.
3-21 (e) An institution of higher education may establish a
3-22 student internship program or expand an existing program to
3-23 encourage high school students with above-average grades to pursue
3-24 careers in science, mathematics, and health care.
3-25 Sec. 21.814. OPERATION OF SCHOOL DISTRICT BY INSTITUTION OF
4-1 HIGHER EDUCATION. (a) The commissioner of education by order may
4-2 suspend the powers of the board of trustees of a school district if
4-3 the school district has been rated as academically unaccredited for
4-4 a period of more than one year. The commissioner shall immediately
4-5 inform the Legislative Education Board of the commissioner's
4-6 decision to order the suspension.
4-7 (b) At the time the commissioner enters an order under
4-8 Subsection (a) of this section, the commissioner shall appoint:
4-9 (1) a board of managers to execute the powers of the
4-10 board of trustees during the period of suspension; and
4-11 (2) a district superintendent.
4-12 (c) The board of managers may be composed of faculty members
4-13 of a campus of an institution of higher education located near or
4-14 within the school district. The appointed superintendent may be a
4-15 faculty member of that campus. The appointed superintendent shall
4-16 perform all acts and duties necessary for the proper conduct,
4-17 maintenance, and supervision of the schools in the district.
4-18 (d) Except as provided by Subsection (g) of this section,
4-19 the board of managers and the appointed superintendent serve for
4-20 terms not to exceed two years after the date that the order of
4-21 suspension is entered.
4-22 (e) The appointed superintendent shall report annually to
4-23 the commissioner on the progress of the school district toward
4-24 meeting the requirements necessary to be rated for accreditation as
4-25 exemplary, recognized, or accredited as provided by Section 21.753
5-1 of this code.
5-2 (f) Based on the annual assessment of progress of the school
5-3 district, but not later than the second anniversary after the date
5-4 that the order of suspension is entered, the commissioner by order
5-5 shall annex the district under Section 19.027 of this code or
5-6 terminate the suspension.
5-7 (g) If the commissioner terminates the suspension, the
5-8 appointed superintendent and the members of the superintendent's
5-9 staff shall continue to serve for a one-year transition period.
5-10 (h) An appointed superintendent may apply to the
5-11 commissioner for an exemption for the school district from a
5-12 requirement or prohibition imposed under this code, including a
5-13 rule adopted under this code, other than a requirement or
5-14 prohibition included under Section 11.272(b) of this code.
5-15 Sec. 21.815. ASSISTANCE TO SCHOOL DISTRICTS BY STUDENT
5-16 TEACHERS. (a) If an institution of higher education has a college
5-17 of education or other division that has a primary responsibility to
5-18 train students to teach in schools, the college or division is
5-19 encouraged to identify a school district or school to assist as
5-20 provided by this subchapter.
5-21 (b) The college or division is encouraged to develop and
5-22 test new and innovative methods to teach at the identified school
5-23 district or school.
5-24 SECTION 2. This Act takes effect September 1, 1993.
5-25 SECTION 3. The importance of this legislation and the
6-1 crowded condition of the calendars in both houses create an
6-2 emergency and an imperative public necessity that the
6-3 constitutional rule requiring bills to be read on three several
6-4 days in each house be suspended, and this rule is hereby suspended.