SRC-TAG S.B. 933 78(R)   BILL ANALYSIS


Senate Research Center   S.B. 933
By: Shapiro
Education
3/14/2003
As Filed


DIGEST AND PURPOSE 

Currently, some parents have left the public school system for private
schools or home schools,  but might return if they were offered the
support of a content-rich curriculum, adaptive lessons,  and certified
teachers without losing the flexibility of home-based learning.   As
proposed, S.B. 933 establishes virtual charter schools that utilize
technology to deliver instruction through the internet or in virtual or
remote setting; permits public colleges and universities to operate
virtual schools that meet state standards and assess students' academic
performance at least once a week; allows students to work at an
individualized pace that does not prohibit any student from working at a
different grade level in any subject; evaluates virtual charter schools
annually on student achievement through the Texas Assessment of Knowledge
and Skills (TAKS) and evaluates the fiscal and operation performance of
schools.  
            
RULEMAKING AUTHORITY

Rulemaking authority is expressly granted to the commissioner of education
in SECTION 5 (Section 12.153(d), Education Code) of this bill. 

Rulemaking authority previously granted to the commissioner of education
is modified in SECTION 5 (Section 12.153(e), Education Code) of this bill. 

SECTION BY SECTION ANALYSIS

SECTION 1.  Authorizes this Act to be cited as the Virtual Charter Schools
Act. 

SECTION 2.  Amends Section 12.002, Education Code, to include Subchapter E
as part of the chapters that covers the classes of charter, under this
chapter of the Education Code. 

SECTION 3.  Amends Section 12.151, Education Code, to read as follows:

Sec.  12.151.  New heading:  DEFINITIONS.  Defines " educational
activities," "public senior college or university charter school," and
"virtual charter school." Makes a nonsubstantive change. 

SECTION 4.  Amends Section 12.152, Education Code, by adding Subsection
(b), to authorize the State Board of Education (SBOE) to grant a charter
on the application of a public senior college or university for a virtual
charter school, in accordance with this subchapter and Subchapter D. 

SECTION 5.  Amends Sections 12.153 and 12.154, Education Code, as follows: 

Sec.  12.153.  RULES.  (a)   Requires each virtual charter school to meet
certain requirements. 

(b)  Requires an administrative office maintained by a virtual charter
school according to Subsection (a)(8) to be considered the principal place
of business of the virtual charter school. 
 
  (c)  Prohibits a virtual charter school from taking certain actions.

(d)  Requires the commissioner of education (commissioner)  to adopt rules
to implement the requirements for virtual charter school under Subsections
(a), (b), and (c). 
 
(e)  Authorizes the commissioner to adopt rules to implement any other
provision of this chapter. 

Sec.  12.154.  CONTENT.  Authorizes (SBOE) to grant a charter under this
subchapter only if the public senior college's or university's application
meets certain criteria, as determined by the (SBOE), notwithstanding
Section 12.110(d).  Makes conforming changes. 

SECTION 6.  Amends Section 12.156(a), Education Code, to make a conforming
change.  

SECTION 7.  Amends Chapter 12E, Education Code, by adding Section 12.157,
as follows: 

Sec.  12.157.  ANNUAL EVALUATION OF VIRTUAL CHARTER SCHOOLS.  (a) Requires
each public senior college or university sponsoring a virtual charter
school under this subchapter to perform an annual evaluation of the
virtual charter school, notwithstanding the provisions of Section 12.118 

(b)  Requires an evaluation under Subsection (a) to include an analysis of
certain performance and achievement measures.  

SECTION 8.  Effective date: September 1, 2003.