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A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
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AN ACT
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relating to the use of technology by public schools. |
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BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
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SECTION 1. Section 32.005, Education Code, is amended by |
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amending Subsections (a) and (c) and adding Subsections (a-1), |
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(a-2), (b-1), and (b-2) to read as follows: |
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(a) Each school district or open-enrollment charter school |
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is entitled to an allotment of $200 [$30] for each student in |
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average daily attendance or a greater [different] amount for any |
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year provided by appropriation. |
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(a-1) Subsection (a) applies beginning with the 2011-2012 |
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school year. For the 2007-2008 through 2010-2011 school years, a |
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school district is entitled to an allotment in the following |
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amount, or a greater amount for any year provided by appropriation: |
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(1) for the 2007-2008 school year, $75; |
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(2) for the 2008-2009 school year, $100; |
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(3) for the 2009-2010 school year, $140; and |
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(4) for the 2010-2011 school year, $175. |
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(a-2) Subsection (a-1) and this subsection expire September |
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1, 2011. |
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(b-1) A school district's allotment under this section must |
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be used in accordance with the district's long-range technology |
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plan filed with the agency. The plan must demonstrate how money from |
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the allotment will be used to address specific outcomes at the |
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school, classroom, and teacher or student levels, including: |
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(1) any effect on the academic progress of students, |
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as measured by performance on assessment instruments, including |
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assessment instruments administered under Section 39.023; |
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(2) any elements that contribute to improved student |
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performance on assessment instruments administered under Section |
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39.023 or other assessment instruments required by the |
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commissioner; |
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(3) any cost savings or improved efficiency relating |
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to school personnel or the maintenance of school facilities; |
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(4) any effect on student attendance or dropout rates; |
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(5) any effect on student enrollment in higher |
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education; |
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(6) any effect on teacher performance or retention; |
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(7) any improvement in communications among students, |
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parents, teachers, and administrators; |
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(8) any improvement in parental involvement in the |
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education of the parent's child; |
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(9) any effect on community involvement and support |
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for the district or school; and |
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(10) any increase in student proficiency in technology |
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that will help prepare students for becoming members of the |
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workforce. |
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(b-2) The agency shall evaluate available technological |
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solutions to determine whether any of the technological solutions |
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evaluated may be used in compliance with Subsections (b) and (b-1). |
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The agency shall: |
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(1) publish a list of technological solutions |
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evaluated that may be used in compliance with Subsections (b) and |
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(b-1); and |
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(2) update the list each calendar quarter. |
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(c) The allotment under this section may be paid from: |
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(1) the telecommunications infrastructure fund under |
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Subchapter C, Chapter 57, Utilities Code; |
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(2) the available school fund, to the extent that the |
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amount appropriated from the telecommunications infrastructure |
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fund is not sufficient to fully fund the allotment; or |
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(3) any other fund that may be used for that purpose |
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and that is identified in the General Appropriations Act as the |
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source of payment of the allotment, to the extent that the amounts |
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appropriated from the funds described by Subdivisions (1) and (2) |
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are not sufficient to fully fund the allotment. |
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SECTION 2. Subchapter A, Chapter 32, Education Code, is |
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amended by adding Section 32.007 to read as follows: |
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Sec. 32.007. AGREEMENT WITH PUBLIC BROADCASTING STATION. |
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(a) The commissioner may enter into an agreement with a public |
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broadcasting station, or a consortium of public broadcasting |
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stations, under which the station or consortium will provide online |
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instructional content and educational materials. |
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(b) From funds appropriated to the agency, the commissioner |
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may, under an agreement entered into under Subsection (a), make |
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instructional materials available through public broadcasting |
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stations for purposes of instruction and professional development |
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and for use in providing adult education. |
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(c) An agreement entered into under Subsection (a) must, to |
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the extent practicable, provide access to instructional materials |
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and online content to persons located in all parts of this state. |
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(d) For purposes of providing high-quality online |
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instructional materials under this section, the commissioner may: |
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(1) use federal funds that may be used for those |
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purposes; or |
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(2) use unexpended balances of funds appropriated to |
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the agency for educational purposes, including adult education. |
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SECTION 3. Section 32.153(a), Education Code, as added by |
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Chapter 834, Acts of the 78th Legislature, Regular Session, 2003, |
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is amended to read as follows: |
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(a) To implement the pilot project, the agency may use any |
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gift, grant, or donation given for the pilot project. The agency |
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may solicit and accept a gift, grant, or donation of any kind from |
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any source, including from a foundation, private entity, |
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governmental entity, and institution of higher education, for the |
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implementation of the pilot project. The agency may use [only
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undedicated and unobligated] money from the general revenue fund |
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for purposes of the pilot project. |
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SECTION 4. The heading to Section 32.154, Education Code, |
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as added by Chapter 834, Acts of the 78th Legislature, Regular |
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Session, 2003, is amended to read as follows: |
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Sec. 32.154. [DISTRICT OR] SCHOOL SELECTION. |
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SECTION 5. Section 32.154, Education Code, as added by |
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Chapter 834, Acts of the 78th Legislature, Regular Session, 2003, |
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is amended by amending Subsection (b) and adding Subsection (a-1) |
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to read as follows: |
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(a-1) In addition to school districts and schools selected |
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before September 1, 2007, for participation in the technology |
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immersion pilot project, the agency shall select for participation |
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in the pilot project for the 2007-2008 and subsequent school years: |
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(1) each high school to which a district regularly |
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assigns students who were enrolled in grade eight during the |
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2006-2007 school year at a district school participating in the |
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pilot project; and |
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(2) one middle or junior high school and one high |
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school in each state senatorial district. |
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(b) Except as provided by Subsection (a-1)(1), the [The] |
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agency shall select the participating [districts and] schools for |
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the pilot project based on each [district's or] school's need for |
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the pilot project. In selecting participants, the agency shall |
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consider the following criteria: |
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(1) whether the [district or] school has limited |
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access to educational resources that could be improved through the |
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use of electronic textbooks or technological equipment that |
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contributes to student learning [wireless mobile computing devices
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and other technologies]; |
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(2) whether the [district or] school has the following |
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problems and whether those problems can be mitigated through the |
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use of electronic textbooks or technological equipment that |
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contributes to student learning [wireless mobile computing devices
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and other technologies]: |
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(A) documented teacher shortages in critical |
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areas; |
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(B) limited access to advanced placement |
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courses; |
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(C) low rates of satisfactory performance on |
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assessment instruments under Subchapter B, Chapter 39; and |
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(D) high dropout rates; |
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(3) the [district's or] school's readiness to |
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incorporate technology into its classrooms; |
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(4) the possibility of obtaining a trained technology |
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support staff and high-speed Internet services for the [district
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or] school; and |
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(5) the methods the [district or] school will use to |
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measure the progress of the pilot project in the district or school |
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in accordance with Section 32.155(e). |
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SECTION 6. Sections 32.154(a) and (c), Education Code, as |
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added by Chapter 834, Acts of the 78th Legislature, Regular |
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Session, 2003, are repealed. |
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SECTION 7. 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. |