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A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
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AN ACT
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relating to the establishment of a pilot program for the electronic |
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administration of assessment instruments in public schools. |
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BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
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SECTION 1. Subchapter B, Chapter 39, Education Code, is |
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amended by adding Section 39.0235 to read as follows: |
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Sec. 39.0235. PILOT PROGRAM: ELECTRONIC ADMINISTRATION OF |
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ASSESSMENT INSTRUMENTS. (a) The commissioner shall establish a |
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pilot program to evaluate the feasibility of administering |
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assessment instruments required under Section 39.023 |
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electronically through the use of personal digital assistant |
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devices. |
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(b) The commissioner shall adopt rules necessary for the |
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implementation of the pilot program. The rules must: |
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(1) define the scope of the program; |
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(2) establish a procedure and criteria for the |
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selection of school districts and schools for participation in the |
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program; |
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(3) establish a procedure and criteria for the |
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selection of one or more vendors to provide equipment and services |
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necessary for the program, which procedure and criteria must |
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involve the selection of vendors on the basis of competitive |
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proposals submitted by prospective vendors; |
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(4) define the conditions applicable to distribution |
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and use of the personal digital assistant devices and associated |
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software necessary to provide for electronic administration of the |
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assessment instruments; |
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(5) establish procedures for contracting for, |
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purchasing, and distributing the personal digital assistant |
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devices and associated software to participating school districts |
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and schools; and |
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(6) provide for ensuring the security of the |
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electronic administration of the assessment instruments. |
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(c) Not later than December 1, 2010, the commissioner shall |
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submit a report evaluating the pilot program to the governor, the |
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lieutenant governor, the speaker of the house of representatives, |
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each member of the legislature, the Legislative Budget Board, and |
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the clerks of the standing committees of the senate and house of |
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representatives with primary jurisdiction over the public school |
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system. |
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(d) This section expires September 1, 2011. |
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SECTION 2. Section 39.031(a), Education Code, is amended to |
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read as follows: |
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(a) The cost of preparing, administering, including |
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administering through electronic means, or grading the assessment |
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instruments shall be paid from the funds allotted under Section |
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42.152, and each district shall bear the cost in the same manner |
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described for a reduction in allotments under Section 42.253. If a |
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district does not receive an allotment under Section 42.152, the |
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commissioner shall subtract the cost from the district's other |
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foundation school fund allotments. |
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SECTION 3. In implementing the pilot program required by |
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Section 39.0235, Education Code, as added by this Act, the |
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commissioner of education shall, not later than the 90th day after |
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the effective date of this Act: |
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(1) define the scope of the project and the procedures |
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and criteria for selection of participating school districts and |
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schools; and |
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(2) complete the selection of vendors to be used in |
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administering the program. |
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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. |