79R7563 SLO-D
By: Lucio S.B. No. 1278
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
AN ACT
relating to a college entrance examination preparation pilot
program.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
SECTION 1. Chapter 29, Education Code, is amended by adding
Subchapter K to read as follows:
SUBCHAPTER K. COLLEGE ENTRANCE EXAMINATION
PREPARATION PILOT PROGRAM
Sec. 29.401. DEFINITIONS. In this subchapter:
(1) "College entrance examination" means an
assessment instrument, such as the Scholastic Assessment Test (SAT)
and the American College Test (ACT), used by colleges and
universities in determining student admissions.
(2) "Preparation course" means a college entrance
examination preparation course.
(3) "Program" means the college entrance examination
preparation pilot program.
Sec. 29.402. ESTABLISHMENT OF PROGRAM; GUIDELINES. (a)
From funds appropriated for the purpose, the agency shall establish
a college entrance examination preparation pilot program for the
purpose of enabling a participating campus to offer a college
entrance examination preparation course to participating students.
(b) The agency shall adopt clear guidelines for
participating campuses to follow in implementing the program.
Sec. 29.403. APPROVED VENDORS. (a) The agency shall
compile a list of vendors approved by the agency to provide
preparation course instruction for participating campuses.
(b) The agency may approve a vendor for inclusion on the
list only if the vendor:
(1) has a proven record of successfully increasing
students' scores on college entrance examinations;
(2) is financially sound; and
(3) uses for a participating campus's preparation
course a set of comprehensive materials and instructors with the
experience and skills necessary for successfully teaching a
preparation course.
Sec. 29.404. CAMPUS ELIGIBILITY. A campus is eligible to
participate in the program only if:
(1) at least 40 percent of the students enrolled at the
campus are educationally disadvantaged; or
(2) the campus meets the criteria specified by Section
1114(a)(1), No Child Left Behind Act of 2001 (20 U.S.C. Section
6314).
Sec. 29.405. APPLICATION PROCESS. (a) A campus, or a
school district on behalf of one or more district campuses, may
apply to the agency to participate in the program. The application
submitted by the campus or district must include a detailed
proposal that:
(1) describes the manner in which the campus proposes
to:
(A) recruit students to and achieve and maintain
strong student attendance and participation in the program; and
(B) assist participating students in completing
the preparation course and taking a college entrance examination;
(2) describes how the campus proposes to schedule a
preparation course so that the course does not interfere with
participating students' regular curriculum requirements or
extracurricular activities; and
(3) identifies a campus administrator or faculty
member who will serve as the campus program coordinator and who will
be:
(A) responsible for the logistical and support
requirements of the program; and
(B) accountable for the success of the program.
(b) On the basis of applications submitted under this
section, the agency shall select to participate in the program
campuses that are eligible to participate under Section 29.404.
Sec. 29.406. STUDENT PARTICIPATION IN PROGRAM. (a) A
participating campus shall establish a process for selecting
students to participate in the program.
(b) A student is eligible to participate in the program if
the student:
(1) is enrolled in the 11th grade at a participating
campus;
(2) is educationally disadvantaged or is from a family
considered to be low-income for purposes of Section 1114(a)(1), No
Child Left Behind Act of 2001 (20 U.S.C. Section 6314); and
(3) performed satisfactorily on the 10th grade
mathematics and English language arts assessment instruments
administered under Section 39.023(a).
Sec. 29.407. FUNDING; CAMPUS IMPLEMENTATION OF PROGRAM.
(a) A participating campus is entitled to receive a grant from the
agency in an amount, determined by the agency, sufficient to
implement the program.
(b) A participating campus shall select a vendor from the
agency's list of approved vendors under Section 29.403 to offer a
college entrance examination preparation course at the campus.
(c) A participating campus must provide for the logistical
necessities of the preparation course, such as the course's
location and transportation to the course, and supplies, such as
pencils and calculators.
(d) A participating campus's preparation course must
provide for:
(1) at least 25 hours of instruction per week;
(2) detailed student materials aligned with the
instruction;
(3) mathematics and verbal content and skill
remediation;
(4) at least three full-length practice examinations,
with prompt scoring, individualized review of results, and, if
appropriate, graded essay responses;
(5) incentives for attendance;
(6) access to online instruction for students who are
unable to attend a preparation course in person;
(7) Spanish language course guides;
(8) information sessions for family members; and
(9) additional resources for participating students,
such as study guides and additional practice items.
Sec. 29.408. EVALUATION; REPORT. (a) Each participating
campus shall, with the assistance of the vendor serving the campus,
report preparation course performance data to the agency. The
performance data must include aggregated student scores and
progress reports, including the college entrance examination
scores of participating students.
(b) The agency shall conduct an evaluation of the program
that is based on strong methodological practices. Each
participating campus shall cooperate with the agency to ensure an
effective evaluation.
(c) The agency shall report the results of the evaluation to
the legislature not later than the first day of each regular
legislative session.
Sec. 29.409. RULES. The commissioner shall adopt rules
necessary to administer this section.
SECTION 2. As soon as practicable after the effective date
of this Act, the commissioner of education shall adopt rules for
implementing the college entrance examination preparation pilot
program as required by Subchapter K, Chapter 29, Education Code, as
added by this Act. The commissioner of education shall make the
college entrance examination preparation pilot program available
for school campus participation beginning with the 2005-2006 school
year.
SECTION 3. 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.