AN ACT
 1-1     relating to school district use of community-based dropout recovery
 1-2     education programs to provide alternative education programs for
 1-3     certain students.
 1-4           BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
 1-5           SECTION 1.  Subsection (e), Section 29.081, Education Code,
 1-6     is amended to read as follows:
 1-7           (e)  A school district may use a private or public
 1-8     community-based dropout recovery education program to provide
 1-9     alternative education programs for students at risk of dropping out
1-10     of school.  The programs must:
1-11                 (1)  provide not less than four hours of instructional
1-12     time per day;
1-13                 (2)  employ as faculty and administrators persons with
1-14     baccalaureate or advanced degrees;
1-15                 (3)  provide at least one instructor for each 28
1-16     students;
1-17                 (4)  perform satisfactorily according to performance
1-18     indicators and accountability standards adopted for alternative
1-19     education programs by the commissioner; and
1-20                 (5)  comply with this title and rules adopted under
1-21     this title except as otherwise provided by this subsection [program
1-22     must grade students' work, offer course credit, modify
1-23     instructional time requirements, and establish methods of
1-24     evaluating subject mastery].
 2-1           SECTION 2.  This Act applies beginning with the 1999-2000
 2-2     school year.
 2-3           SECTION 3.  The importance of this legislation and the
 2-4     crowded condition of the calendars in both houses create an
 2-5     emergency and an imperative public necessity that the
 2-6     constitutional rule requiring bills to be read on three several
 2-7     days in each house be suspended, and this rule is hereby suspended,
 2-8     and that this Act take effect and be in force from and after its
 2-9     passage, and it is so enacted.
         _______________________________     _______________________________
             President of the Senate              Speaker of the House
               I hereby certify that S.B. No. 1784 passed the Senate on
         May 4, 1999, by a viva-voce vote; and that the Senate concurred in
         House amendment on May 28, 1999, by a viva-voce vote.
                                             _______________________________
                                                 Secretary of the Senate
               I hereby certify that S.B. No. 1784 passed the House, with
         amendment, on May 25, 1999, by the following vote:  Yeas 145,
         Nays 0, two present not voting.
                                             _______________________________
                                                 Chief Clerk of the House
         Approved:
         _______________________________
                     Date
         _______________________________
                   Governor