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A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
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AN ACT
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relating to high school success and college readiness in public |
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schools. |
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BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
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SECTION 1. Section 28.008, Education Code, is amended by |
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adding Subsection (d-1) to read as follows: |
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(d-1) Beginning with the 2007-2008 school year, the State |
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Board of Education shall incorporate college readiness standards |
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and expectations into the essential knowledge and skills of the |
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foundation curriculum under Section 28.002(a)(1) for courses in |
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which 12th grade students generally enroll, as determined by board |
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rule. This subsection expires December 1, 2012. |
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SECTION 2. Subchapter F, Chapter 39, Education Code, is |
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amended by adding Section 39.115 to read as follows: |
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Sec. 39.115. HIGH SCHOOL COMPLETION AND SUCCESS INITIATIVE. |
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(a) Using funds from private sources and state and federal funds |
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available for that purpose in an amount not more than the amount |
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provided by private sources, the commissioner may provide: |
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(1) grants to school districts to support the |
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establishment and implementation of sustainable and comprehensive |
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high school completion and success initiatives; and |
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(2) support, directly or through contract with a |
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private entity, for the restructuring and reform of high school |
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campuses considered academically unacceptable under Section 39.132 |
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that are participating in an innovative redesign of the campus to |
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improve campus performance under Subchapter G. |
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(b) To receive a grant under this section, a school district |
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must develop an individualized graduation plan for each student |
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enrolled in a district high school. A student's individualized |
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graduation plan must: |
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(1) include information concerning the student's |
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performance on assessment instruments administered under |
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Subchapter B; and |
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(2) ensure that a student at risk of dropping out of |
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school, as defined by Section 29.081: |
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(A) is afforded instruction from highly |
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qualified teachers; |
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(B) has access to online diagnostic and |
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assessment instruments; and |
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(C) is provided accelerated instruction in areas |
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of academic weakness identified in the individualized graduation |
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plan. |
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(c) A school district that receives a grant under this |
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section must use the grant funds to implement or administer |
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programs that demonstrate the greatest potential for improving high |
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school completion and success and successfully encouraging |
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students to pursue postsecondary education and training |
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opportunities, including: |
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(1) programs for high school students who have not |
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earned sufficient course credit to advance to the next grade level; |
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(2) after-school programs designed to promote high |
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school completion; |
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(3) literacy programs for high school students who |
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struggle with reading; |
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(4) ninth grade acceleration and enrichment programs; |
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(5) programs to improve the academic achievement of |
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high school students of limited English proficiency; and |
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(6) early college and middle college programs that |
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encourage a student who wishes to accelerate the student's |
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education or a student at risk of dropping out of school, as defined |
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by Section 29.081, to undertake courses of study that allow the |
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student to receive college credit in high school. |
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(d) A school district that receives a grant under this |
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section may use the grant funds to implement or administer: |
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(1) programs that allow a high school student to |
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attend school on a flexible schedule, such as a flexible year |
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program under Section 29.0821 or a flexible school day program |
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under Section 29.0822; |
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(2) programs that encourage personalized learning |
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environments; |
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(3) programs that encourage multiple methods for |
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pursuing postsecondary education and training opportunities, |
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including partnerships with institutions of higher education, |
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businesses, and community organizations; and |
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(4) sustainable innovative models for the |
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restructuring and reform of a district high school campus |
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considered academically unacceptable under Section 39.132 that is |
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participating in an innovative redesign of the campus to improve |
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campus performance under Subchapter G. |
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(e) A school district that receives a grant under this |
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section may contract with a private organization to assist the |
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district in implementing a program described by Subsection (c) or |
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(d). |
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(f) Using not more than five percent of the funding |
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available to the agency for purposes of this section, the |
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commissioner shall research and evaluate programs implemented by |
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school districts under Subsections (c) and (d). Not later than |
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December 1, 2008, the commissioner shall prepare and deliver a |
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report to the legislature describing: |
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(1) expenditures made by school districts using grant |
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funds provided under this section; and |
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(2) the results of the commissioner's research and |
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evaluation of programs implemented by school districts under |
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Subsections (c) and (d). |
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SECTION 3. This Act applies beginning with the 2007-2008 |
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school year. |
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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. |