By: Branch (Senate Sponsor - Shapiro) H.B. No. 3259
         (In the Senate - Received from the House May 8, 2007;
  May 10, 2007, read first time and referred to Committee on
  Education; May 15, 2007, reported favorably by the following vote:  
  Yeas 6, Nays 0; May 15, 2007, sent to printer.)
 
 
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
 
AN ACT
 
  relating to the administration of international assessment
  instruments to certain public school students.
         BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
         SECTION 1.  Subchapter B, Chapter 39, Education Code, is
  amended by adding Section 39.037 to read as follows:
         Sec. 39.037.  INTERNATIONAL ASSESSMENT INSTRUMENT PROGRAM.
  (a) In this section, "program" means the international assessment
  instrument program.
         (b)  The commissioner shall establish a program under which
  a participating school district administers international
  assessment instruments to students in the district.
         (c)  A school district may apply to the commissioner to
  participate in the program. The commissioner shall select for
  participation school districts from both rural and urban areas of
  the state. If necessary, the commissioner may require a school
  district to participate in the program.
         (d)  A participating school district shall administer
  international assessment instruments as required by the
  commissioner.
         (e)  In administering the program, the commissioner shall:
               (1)  compare the performance on the international
  assessment instruments of students in this state with students of
  the same grade level in other countries;
               (2)  compare the international assessment instruments
  with state assessment instruments and state educational goals; and
               (3)  provide professional development for educators in
  the interpretation and use of results of the international
  assessment instruments.
         (f)  Each biennium the commissioner may use funds
  appropriated for the Foundation School Program to provide funding
  for the program in an amount not to exceed $2 million.
         (g)  Not later than January 1 of each odd-numbered year, the
  commissioner shall prepare and deliver a report describing the
  results of student performance on the international assessment
  instruments to the governor, the lieutenant governor, the speaker
  of the house of representatives, each member of the legislature,
  and each school district.
         (h)  The commissioner may adopt rules necessary to
  administer this section.
         SECTION 2.  This Act applies beginning with the 2007-2008
  school year.
         SECTION 3.  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.
 
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