By: Bivins S.B. No. 936
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
AN ACT
1-1 relating to public education.
1-2 BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
1-3 SECTION 1. Subsection (b), Section 7.022, Education Code, is
1-4 amended to read as follows:
1-5 (b) The state auditor shall review the quality and
1-6 effectiveness of the agency's process for auditing internal
1-7 operations and shall report the state auditor's findings to the
1-8 commissioner, [and] the board, the governor, and the Legislative
1-9 Budget Board.
1-10 SECTION 2. Subsection (a), Section 11.159, Education Code,
1-11 is amended to read as follows:
1-12 (a) The State Board of Education shall provide a training
1-13 course for independent school district trustees to be offered by
1-14 the regional education service centers or other providers approved
1-15 by and registered with the commissioner. Registration for a course
1-16 must be open to any interested person, including current and
1-17 prospective board members, and the state board may prescribe a
1-18 registration fee designed to offset the costs of providing that
1-19 course.
1-20 SECTION 3. Subsection (b), Section 11.253, Education Code,
1-21 is amended to read as follows:
1-22 (b) Each district's policy and procedures shall establish
1-23 campus-level planning and decision-making committees as provided
2-1 for through the procedures provided by Sections 11.251(b)-(e),
2-2 except that a campus-level committee is not required to include
2-3 district-level professional staff members.
2-4 SECTION 4. Subsection (a), Section 12.101, Education Code,
2-5 is amended to read as follows:
2-6 (a) In accordance with this subchapter, the State Board of
2-7 Education may grant a charter on the application of an eligible
2-8 entity for an open-enrollment charter school to operate in a
2-9 facility of a commercial or nonprofit entity or a governmental
2-10 entity [school district], including a home-rule school district.
2-11 In this subsection, "eligible entity" means:
2-12 (1) an institution of higher education as defined
2-13 under Section 61.003;
2-14 (2) a private or independent institution of higher
2-15 education as defined under Section 61.003;
2-16 (3) an organization that is exempt from taxation under
2-17 Section 501(c)(3), Internal Revenue Code of 1986 (26 U.S.C. Section
2-18 501(c)(3)); or
2-19 (4) a governmental entity.
2-20 SECTION 5. Subsections (b) and (c), Section 28.023,
2-21 Education Code, are amended to read as follows:
2-22 (b) A school district shall give a student in a primary
2-23 grade level credit for a grade level and advance the student one
2-24 grade level on the basis of a board-approved examination for
2-25 acceleration if:
3-1 (1) the student scores the equivalent of 90 [in the
3-2 90th percentile] or above on a scale of 100 on each section of the
3-3 examination;
3-4 (2) a district representative recommends that the
3-5 student be advanced; and
3-6 (3) the student's parent or guardian gives written
3-7 approval of the advancement.
3-8 (c) A school district shall give a student in grade level
3-9 six or above credit for a subject on the basis of a board-approved
3-10 examination for credit in the subject if the student scores the
3-11 equivalent of 90 [in the 90th percentile] or above on a scale of
3-12 100 on the examination. If a student is given credit in a subject
3-13 on the basis of an examination, the district shall enter the
3-14 examination score on the student's transcript.
3-15 SECTION 6. (a) Except as provided by Subsection (b) of this
3-16 section, this Act takes effect immediately.
3-17 (b) Section 5 of this Act takes effect September 1, 1997.
3-18 SECTION 7. (a) Subsection (b), Section 11.253, Education
3-19 Code, as amended by this Act, applies beginning with the 1997-1998
3-20 school year.
3-21 (b) Subsections (b) and (c), Section 28.023, Education Code,
3-22 as amended by this Act, apply only to an examination taken on or
3-23 after September 1, 1997.
3-24 SECTION 8. The importance of this legislation and the
3-25 crowded condition of the calendars in both houses create an
4-1 emergency and an imperative public necessity that the
4-2 constitutional rule requiring bills to be read on three several
4-3 days in each house be suspended, and this rule is hereby suspended,
4-4 and that this Act take effect and be in force according to its
4-5 terms, and it is so enacted.