By:  Shapleigh                                        S.B. No. 1661
         Line and page numbers may not match official copy.
         Bill not drafted by TLC or Senate E&E.
                                A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
                                       AN ACT
 1-1     relating to assistance to certain students in obtaining admission
 1-2     to another public school district using a public education grant.
 1-3           BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
 1-4           SECTION 1.  Subchapter G, Chapter 29, Education Code, is
 1-5     amended by adding Section 29.206 to read as follows:
 1-6           Sec. 29.206.  ASSISTANCE FOR CERTAIN STUDENTS.  (a)   This
 1-7     section applies only to a student who:
 1-8                 (1)  during the preceding school year, failed to
 1-9     achieve a score of 70 or higher on a scale of 100 on an assessment
1-10     instrument in reading or mathematics under Section 39.023(a), (b),
1-11     or (c); and
1-12                 (2)  is assigned to attend a public school campus
1-13     described by:
1-14                       (A)  Section 29.202(a)(1); or
1-15                       (B)  Section 29.202(a)(2) that was identified as
1-16     low-performing on a basis other than the dropout rate.
1-17           (b)  A parent of a student may provide to the district in
1-18     which the student is assigned to attend school a list of not more
1-19     than five other schools located in districts other than the
1-20     district the student is currently assigned to attend, in order of
1-21     preference, that the parent of the student wants the student to
1-22     attend.  The parent must:
 2-1                 (1)  use the form provided by the commissioner of
 2-2     education for that purpose; and
 2-3                 (2)  provide the form to the district in the manner and
 2-4     within the period required by the commissioner of education.
 2-5           (c)  The district shall assign or transfer the student to the
 2-6     highest ranked school on the list at which space is available.
 2-7           (d)  The district to which the student is assigned or
 2-8     transferred shall accept or enroll the student supported by a
 2-9     public education grant.
2-10           (e)  The superintendent of the district in which the child is
2-11     assigned to attend school or the superintendent's designee shall:
2-12                 (1)  assist the parent in contacting the districts of
2-13     the listed schools; and
2-14                 (2)  serve as an advocate for the student's admission
2-15     to a listed school.
2-16           SECTION 2.  The commissioner of education shall develop a
2-17     form as required under Section 29.206, Education Code, as added by
2-18     this Act, not later than January 1, 2000.
2-19           SECTION 3.  The importance of this legislation and the
2-20     crowded condition of the calendars in both houses create an
2-21     emergency and an imperative public necessity that the
2-22     constitutional rule requiring bills to be read on three several
2-23     days in each house be suspended, and this rule is hereby suspended,
2-24     and that this Act take effect and be in force from and after its
2-25     passage, and it is so enacted.