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A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
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AN ACT
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relating to the administration of international assessment |
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instruments to certain public school students. |
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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 39.037 to read as follows: |
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Sec. 39.037. INTERNATIONAL ASSESSMENT INSTRUMENT PROGRAM. |
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(a) In this section, "program" means the international assessment |
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instrument program. |
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(b) The commissioner shall establish a program under which |
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a participating school district administers international |
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assessment instruments to students in the district. |
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(c) A school district may apply to the commissioner to |
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participate in the program. The commissioner shall select for |
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participation school districts from both rural and urban areas of |
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the state. If necessary, the commissioner may require a school |
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district to participate in the program. |
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(d) A participating school district shall administer |
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international assessment instruments as required by the |
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commissioner. |
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(e) In administering the program, the commissioner shall: |
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(1) compare the performance on the international |
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assessment instruments of students in this state with students of |
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the same grade level in other countries; |
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(2) compare the international assessment instruments |
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with state assessment instruments and state educational goals; and |
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(3) provide professional development for educators in |
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the interpretation and use of results of the international |
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assessment instruments. |
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(f) Each biennium the commissioner may use funds |
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appropriated for the Foundation School Program to provide funding |
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for the program in an amount not to exceed $2 million. |
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(g) Not later than January 1 of each odd-numbered year, the |
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commissioner shall prepare and deliver a report describing the |
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results of student performance on the international assessment |
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instruments to the governor, the lieutenant governor, the speaker |
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of the house of representatives, each member of the legislature, |
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and each school district. |
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(h) The commissioner may adopt rules necessary to |
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administer this section. |
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SECTION 2. This Act applies beginning with the 2007-2008 |
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school year. |
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SECTION 3. 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. |