Floor Packet Page No. 132
Amend CSHB 2 in ARTICLE 1, PART A, by inserting the following
appropriately-numbered SECTION:
"SECTION 1A. . Section 29.086, Education Code is amended to
read as follows:
Sec. 29.086. BASIC SKILLS PROGRAMS FOR HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS.
(a) A school district shall [may] apply to the commissioner for
funding of special programs for students in grade nine who are at
risk of not earning sufficient credit or who have not earned
sufficient credit to advance to grade 10 and who fail to meet
minimum skills levels established by the commissioner. A school
district may, with the consent of a student's parent or guardian,
assign a student to a program under this section. A program under
this section may no exceed 210 instructional days.
(b) A program under this section must emphasize basic skills
in areas of the required curriculum under Section 28.002 and must
offer students the opportunity to increase credits required for
high school graduation under state or school district policy. A
program under this section may be provided by a school district or
an entity contracting with a school district to provide the
program.
(c) The commissioner shall award funds to districts in
accordance with a competitive grant process developed by the
commissioner. A grant may be made to a consortium of school
districts. The criteria by which the commissioner awards a grant
must include the quality of the proposed program and the school
district's demonstrated need for the program. An approved program
must include criteria that permit measurement of student progress,
and the district shall:
(1) annually evaluate the progress of students in the
program; and
(2) submit the results of the evaluation to the
commissioner at the end of the school year.
(d) The commissioner shall establish minimum levels of
student enrollment and standards of student progress required for
continued funding of a program under this section. The commissioner
may eliminate funding for a program in a subsequent school year if
the program fails to achieve sufficient levels of student progress.
(e) The amount of a grant under this section must take into
account funds distributed to the school district under Chapter 42.
(f) The commissioner may adopt rules for the administration
of programs under this section."