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A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
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AN ACT
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relating to assessment of the academic growth of students attending |
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a disciplinary alternative education program and evaluation of |
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disciplinary alternative education programs. |
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BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
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SECTION 1. Subchapter A, Chapter 37, Education Code, is |
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amended by adding Section 37.0082 to read as follows: |
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Sec. 37.0082. ASSESSMENT OF ACADEMIC GROWTH OF STUDENTS IN |
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DISCIPLINARY ALTERNATIVE EDUCATION PROGRAMS. (a) To assess a |
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student's academic growth during placement in a disciplinary |
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alternative education program, a school district shall administer |
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to a student placed in a program for a period of 90 school days or |
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longer an assessment instrument approved by the commissioner for |
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that purpose. The instrument shall be administered: |
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(1) initially on placement of the student in the |
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program; and |
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(2) subsequently on the date of the student's |
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departure from the program, or as near that date as possible. |
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(b) The assessment instrument required by this section: |
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(1) must be designed to assess at least a student's |
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basic skills in reading and mathematics; |
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(2) may be: |
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(A) comparable to any assessment instrument |
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generally administered to students placed in juvenile justice |
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alternative education programs for a similar purpose; or |
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(B) based on an appropriate alternative |
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assessment instrument developed by the agency to measure student |
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academic growth; and |
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(3) is in addition to the assessment instruments |
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required to be administered under Chapter 39. |
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(c) The commissioner shall adopt rules necessary to |
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implement this section. |
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SECTION 2. (a) The Texas Education Agency shall explore |
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alternative methods of evaluating the effectiveness of |
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disciplinary alternative education programs. The alternative |
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methods to be explored must include a method that includes, in |
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addition to the indicator required under current law that is based |
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on student performance on assessment instruments required under |
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Sections 39.023(a) and (c), Education Code, indicators relating to |
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student academic growth, course completion, and behavior |
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improvement. |
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(b) Not later than November 1, 2008, the Texas Education |
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Agency shall submit a report of its conclusions and recommendations |
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resulting from the action required by Subsection (a) of this |
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section to the presiding officers of the standing committees of the |
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senate and house of representatives with primary jurisdiction over |
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the public school system or the commitment and rehabilitation of |
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youths. |
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SECTION 3. Section 37.0082, Education Code, as added by |
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this Act, applies beginning with the 2007-2008 school year. |
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SECTION 4. This Act takes effect immediately if it receives |
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a vote of two-thirds of all the members elected to each house, as |
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provided by Section 39, Article III, Texas Constitution. If this |
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Act does not receive the vote necessary for immediate effect, this |
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Act takes effect September 1, 2007. |