79R1043 PAM-F

By:  Zaffirini                                                    S.B. No. 189



A BILL TO BE ENTITLED

AN ACT

relating to the operation of the Texas School for the Blind and 
Visually Impaired.
	BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:                        
	SECTION 1.  Section 30.021, Education Code, is amended by 
adding Subsection (g) to read as follows:
	(g)  If a school district or another educational entity 
requests an assessment of a student's educational or related needs 
related to visual impairment, the school may conduct an assessment 
and charge a reasonable fee for the assessment.
	SECTION 2.  Section 30.023(d), Education Code, is amended to 
read as follows:
	(d)  The board shall annually establish the superintendent's 
salary.  The annual salary [must be based on not more than 230 days 
of service and] may not exceed 120 percent of the annual salary of 
the highest paid instructional administrator at the school.
	SECTION 3.  Section 30.024, Education Code, is amended by 
amending Subsection (b) and adding Subsection (g) to read as 
follows:
	(b)  The governing board of the school may enter into an 
employment contract with any employee who provides, or supervises 
any employee who provides, direct and regular educational services 
to students or who provides other professional educational 
services.  A teacher employed under this subsection is not subject 
to Section 2252.901, Government Code.  Each teacher shall be 
employed under a term contract as provided by Subchapter E, Chapter 
21, or under a probationary contract as provided by Subchapter C, 
Chapter 21.  An employee employed under a contract under this 
subsection:
		(1)  shall be paid in accordance with a salary 
structure adopted by the superintendent with the concurrence of the 
board that provides salaries equal, on a daily-rate basis, to 
salaries paid to employees employed in comparable positions by the 
Austin Independent School District;
		(2)  is not eligible for longevity pay under Subchapter 
D, Chapter 659, Government Code, and is not entitled to a paid day 
off from work on any national or state holiday;
		(3)  is eligible for sick leave accrual under the 
General Appropriations Act in each month in which at least one day 
of the month is included in the term of the employment contract and 
in any other month in which work is performed or paid leave is 
taken;
		(4)  may be permitted by the board to take paid time off 
from work during the term of the employment contract for personal 
reasons as designated by the board, but the paid time off may not 
exceed three days per contract term and may not be carried forward 
from one contract term to a subsequent contract term;
		(5)  may be permitted by the board to be paid the salary 
designated in the employment contract in 12 [equal] monthly 
installments; and
		(6)  shall work the hours established by the 
superintendent [board].
	(g)  The school may pay to a teacher or employee who provides 
services or supervises an employee who provides services as 
described by Subsection (b) and who is employed in a supplemental 
program under Section 30.021(c) a salary that, on a daily-rate 
basis, does not exceed the salary paid by the Austin Independent 
School District to an employee employed in a comparable position 
during the regular school year.
	SECTION 4.  This Act takes effect immediately if it receives 
a vote of two-thirds of all the members elected to each house, as 
provided by Section 39, Article III, Texas Constitution.  If this 
Act does not receive the vote necessary for immediate effect, this 
Act takes effect September 1, 2005.