1-1 By: Bivins S.B. No. 936
1-2 (In the Senate - Filed March 4, 1997; March 6, 1997, read
1-3 first time and referred to Committee on Education; April 3, 1997,
1-4 reported adversely, with favorable Committee Substitute by the
1-5 following vote: Yeas 10, Nays 0; April 3, 1997, sent to printer.)
1-6 COMMITTEE SUBSTITUTE FOR S.B. No. 936 By: Bivins
1-7 A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
1-8 AN ACT
1-9 relating to public education.
1-10 BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
1-11 SECTION 1. Subsection (b), Section 7.022, Education Code, is
1-12 amended to read as follows:
1-13 (b) The state auditor shall review the quality and
1-14 effectiveness of the agency's process for auditing internal
1-15 operations and shall report the state auditor's findings to the
1-16 commissioner, [and] the board, the governor, and the Legislative
1-17 Budget Board.
1-18 SECTION 2. Subsection (a), Section 11.159, Education Code,
1-19 is amended to read as follows:
1-20 (a) The State Board of Education shall provide a training
1-21 course for independent school district trustees to be offered by
1-22 the regional education service centers or other providers approved
1-23 by and registered with the commissioner. Registration for a course
1-24 must be open to any interested person, including current and
1-25 prospective board members, and the state board may prescribe a
1-26 registration fee designed to offset the costs of providing that
1-27 course.
1-28 SECTION 3. Subsection (b), Section 11.253, Education Code,
1-29 is amended to read as follows:
1-30 (b) Each district's policy and procedures shall establish
1-31 campus-level planning and decision-making committees as provided
1-32 for through the procedures provided by Sections 11.251(b)-(e),
1-33 except that a campus-level committee is not required to include
1-34 district-level professional staff members.
1-35 SECTION 4. Subsection (a), Section 12.101, Education Code,
1-36 is amended to read as follows:
1-37 (a) In accordance with this subchapter, the State Board of
1-38 Education may grant a charter on the application of an eligible
1-39 entity for an open-enrollment charter school to operate in a
1-40 facility of a commercial or nonprofit entity or a governmental
1-41 entity [school district], including a home-rule school district.
1-42 In this subsection, "eligible entity" means:
1-43 (1) an institution of higher education as defined
1-44 under Section 61.003;
1-45 (2) a private or independent institution of higher
1-46 education as defined under Section 61.003;
1-47 (3) an organization that is exempt from taxation under
1-48 Section 501(c)(3), Internal Revenue Code of 1986 (26 U.S.C. Section
1-49 501(c)(3)); or
1-50 (4) a governmental entity.
1-51 SECTION 5. Subsections (b) and (c), Section 28.023,
1-52 Education Code, are amended to read as follows:
1-53 (b) A school district shall give a student in a primary
1-54 grade level credit for a grade level and advance the student one
1-55 grade level on the basis of a board-approved examination for
1-56 acceleration if:
1-57 (1) the student scores the equivalent of 90 [in the
1-58 90th percentile] or above on a scale of 100 on each section of the
1-59 examination;
1-60 (2) a district representative recommends that the
1-61 student be advanced; and
1-62 (3) the student's parent or guardian gives written
1-63 approval of the advancement.
1-64 (c) A school district shall give a student in grade level
2-1 six or above credit for a subject on the basis of a board-approved
2-2 examination for credit in the subject if the student scores the
2-3 equivalent of 90 [in the 90th percentile] or above on a scale of
2-4 100 on the examination. If a student is given credit in a subject
2-5 on the basis of an examination, the district shall enter the
2-6 examination score on the student's transcript.
2-7 SECTION 6. (a) Except as provided by Subsection (b) of this
2-8 section, this Act takes effect immediately.
2-9 (b) Section 5 of this Act takes effect September 1, 1997.
2-10 SECTION 7. (a) Subsection (b), Section 11.253, Education
2-11 Code, as amended by this Act, applies beginning with the 1997-1998
2-12 school year.
2-13 (b) Subsections (b) and (c), Section 28.023, Education Code,
2-14 as amended by this Act, apply only to an examination taken on or
2-15 after September 1, 1997.
2-16 SECTION 8. The importance of this legislation and the
2-17 crowded condition of the calendars in both houses create an
2-18 emergency and an imperative public necessity that the
2-19 constitutional rule requiring bills to be read on three several
2-20 days in each house be suspended, and this rule is hereby suspended,
2-21 and that this Act take effect and be in force according to its
2-22 terms, and it is so enacted.
2-23 * * * * *