80R10205 KKA-D

By: Chisum H.B. No. 2864

A BILL TO BE ENTITLED

AN ACT

relating to a pilot program to provide supplemental technology-based instruction to students in rural school districts.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:

SECTION 1. Subchapter Z, Chapter 29, Education Code, is amended by adding Section 29.919 to read as follows:

Sec. 29.919. TECHNOLOGY-BASED SUPPLEMENTAL INSTRUCTION PILOT PROGRAM. (a) The commissioner shall establish a pilot program under which state grant funds are provided to finance technology-based supplemental instruction to students at the sixth through 12th grade levels at participating campuses.

(b) A campus is eligible to participate in the program and receive state grant funds if the campus is located in a school district that:

(1) has an enrollment of fewer than 5,000 students; and

(2) is not located in an area defined by the United States Office of Management and Budget as a standard metropolitan statistical area as of January 1, 2007.

(c) The commissioner shall develop an application and selection process for selecting campuses to participate in the program. The commissioner shall give priority to a campus that offers a relatively limited course selection to students, in comparison to the course selections generally offered to students in metropolitan areas.

(d) A campus selected to participate in the program is entitled to receive state grant funds in an amount not to exceed $200 each school year for each student in an eligible grade level served through the program. The state grant funds must be used to provide technology-based supplemental instruction for students at the eligible grade levels. Permissible expenditures under the program include costs incurred to provide:

(1) research-based instructional support;

(2) teacher training;

(3) academic tutoring or counseling;

(4) distance learning opportunities that use the Internet and are aligned with the essential knowledge and skills adopted under Section 28.002 for the subject areas of English language arts, social studies, mathematics, science, and languages other than English, as applicable; and

(5) distance learning opportunities that enable students to earn college credit in the subject areas of English language arts, social studies, mathematics, science, or languages other than English.

(e) As a condition of receiving a state grant, a campus must contribute additional funding for activities provided at the campus through the program, in an amount equal to at least $100 each school year for each student in an eligible grade level served through the program. The additional funding required by this subsection may consist of local funds, private funds, or state funds other than grant funds provided under this section. For program activities provided at the high school level, the high school allotment provided under Section 42.2516(b)(3) may be used to meet the additional funding requirement prescribed by this subsection.

(f) A campus participating in the program must make instructional support services available to students outside of regular school hours for at least 10 hours each week.

(g) The commissioner shall pay the costs of the program using funds available for that purpose, not to exceed $4 million each fiscal year or a greater amount specified by the General Appropriations Act.

(h) Using funds available for the program in an amount not to exceed $150,000 each fiscal year, the commissioner shall contract for an evaluation of the program's effectiveness in improving student performance. Not later than December 1, 2008, the commissioner shall deliver an interim report containing the results of the evaluation. Not later than December 1, 2010, the commissioner shall deliver a final report regarding the program to the legislature.

(i) The commissioner shall adopt rules necessary to implement this section.

(j) This section expires September 1, 2011.

SECTION 2. 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, 2007.