By Tillery                                            H.B. No. 2062
         77R5055 KKA-D                           
                                A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
 1-1                                   AN ACT
 1-2     relating to a self-paced program for certain students at risk of
 1-3     dropping out of school.
 1-4           BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
 1-5           SECTION 1. Section 29.081, Education Code, is amended by
 1-6     amending Subsection (f) and adding Subsection (g) to read as
 1-7     follows:
 1-8           (f)  A school district may implement a self-paced program for
 1-9     students at risk of dropping out of school or contract with a
1-10     private or public community-based dropout recovery education
1-11     program provider to operate a self-paced program on behalf of the
1-12     district.  The program must:
1-13                 (1)  be available only to a student who is identified
1-14     as an appropriate program participant by district teachers,
1-15     counselors, and the superintendent and whose parents consent to the
1-16     student's participation in the program;
1-17                 (2)  require a student to receive not less than 10
1-18     hours of instructional time per week;
1-19                 (3)  allow a student to complete required curriculum at
1-20     home at the student's pace;
1-21                 (4)  provide for periodic monitoring of a student's
1-22     progress; and
1-23                 (5)  comply with any rules adopted by the commissioner.
1-24           (g)  The commissioner shall include students in attendance in
 2-1     a program under Subsection (e) or (f) in the computation of the
 2-2     district's average daily attendance for funding purposes.
 2-3           SECTION 2. This Act applies beginning with the 2001-2002
 2-4     school year.
 2-5           SECTION 3.  This Act takes effect immediately if it receives
 2-6     a vote of two-thirds of all the members elected to each house, as
 2-7     provided by Section 39, Article III, Texas Constitution.  If this
 2-8     Act does not receive the vote necessary for immediate effect, this
 2-9     Act takes effect September 1, 2001.