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AN ACT
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relating to a pilot program to provide supplemental |
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technology-based instruction to students in rural school |
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districts. |
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BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
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SECTION 1. Subchapter Z, Chapter 29, Education Code, is |
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amended by adding Section 29.919 to read as follows: |
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Sec. 29.919. TECHNOLOGY-BASED SUPPLEMENTAL INSTRUCTION |
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PILOT PROGRAM. (a) The commissioner shall establish a pilot |
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program under which state grant funds are provided to finance |
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technology-based supplemental instruction to students at the sixth |
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through 12th grade levels at participating campuses. |
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(b) A campus is eligible to participate in the program and |
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receive state grant funds if the campus is located in a school |
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district that: |
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(1) has an enrollment of fewer than 5,000 students; |
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and |
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(2) is not located in an area defined by the United |
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States Office of Management and Budget as a standard metropolitan |
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statistical area as of January 1, 2007. |
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(c) The commissioner shall develop an application and |
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selection process for selecting campuses to participate in the |
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program. The commissioner shall give priority to a campus that |
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offers a relatively limited course selection to students, in |
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comparison to the course selections generally offered to students |
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in metropolitan areas. |
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(d) A campus selected to participate in the program is |
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entitled to receive state grant funds in an amount not to exceed |
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$200 each school year for each student in an eligible grade level |
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served through the program. The state grant funds must be used to |
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provide technology-based supplemental instruction for students at |
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the eligible grade levels. Permissible expenditures under the |
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program include costs incurred to provide: |
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(1) research-based instructional support; |
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(2) teacher training; |
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(3) academic tutoring or counseling; |
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(4) distance learning opportunities that use the |
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Internet and are aligned with the essential knowledge and skills |
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adopted under Section 28.002 for the subject areas of English |
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language arts, social studies, mathematics, science, and languages |
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other than English, as applicable; and |
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(5) distance learning opportunities that enable |
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students to earn college credit in the subject areas of English |
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language arts, social studies, mathematics, science, or languages |
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other than English. |
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(e) As a condition of receiving a state grant, a campus must |
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contribute additional funding for activities provided at the campus |
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through the program, in an amount equal to at least $100 each school |
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year for each student in an eligible grade level served through the |
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program. The additional funding required by this subsection may |
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consist of local funds, private funds, or state funds other than |
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grant funds provided under this section. For program activities |
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provided at the high school level, the high school allotment |
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provided under Section 42.2516(b)(3) may be used to meet the |
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additional funding requirement prescribed by this subsection. |
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(f) A campus participating in the program must provide |
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students with individual access to technology-based supplemental |
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instruction for at least 10 hours each week. |
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(g) The commissioner shall pay the costs of the program |
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using funds available for that purpose, not to exceed $4 million |
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each fiscal year or a greater amount specified by the General |
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Appropriations Act. |
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(h) Using funds available for the program in an amount not |
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to exceed $150,000 each fiscal year, the commissioner shall |
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contract for an evaluation of the program's effectiveness in |
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improving student performance. Not later than December 1, 2008, |
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the commissioner shall deliver an interim report containing the |
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results of the evaluation. Not later than December 1, 2010, the |
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commissioner shall deliver a final report regarding the program to |
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the legislature. |
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(i) The commissioner shall adopt rules necessary to |
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implement this section. |
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(j) This section expires September 1, 2011. |
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SECTION 2. 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. |
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______________________________ |
______________________________ |
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President of the Senate |
Speaker of the House |
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I certify that H.B. No. 2864 was passed by the House on May |
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10, 2007, by the following vote: Yeas 142, Nays 0, 2 present, not |
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voting; and that the House concurred in Senate amendments to H.B. |
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No. 2864 on May 25, 2007, by the following vote: Yeas 129, Nays 0, |
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3 present, not voting. |
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______________________________ |
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Chief Clerk of the House |
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I certify that H.B. No. 2864 was passed by the Senate, with |
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amendments, on May 22, 2007, by the following vote: Yeas 30, Nays |
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0. |
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______________________________ |
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Secretary of the Senate |
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APPROVED: __________________ |
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Date |
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__________________ |
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Governor |