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A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
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AN ACT
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relating to a dropout prevention and opportunity program for public |
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school students who have dropped out of school or are at risk of |
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dropping out of school. |
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BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
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SECTION 1. Chapter 29, Education Code, is amended by adding |
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Subchapter K to read as follows: |
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SUBCHAPTER K. DROPOUT PREVENTION AND OPPORTUNITY PROGRAM |
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Sec. 29.401. DEFINITIONS. In this subchapter: |
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(1) "Internet degree program" means an educational |
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institution that furnishes or offers to furnish courses of |
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instruction by electronic media. |
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(2) "Program" means the dropout prevention and |
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opportunity program described by this subchapter. |
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Sec. 29.402. ELIGIBLE STUDENT. A student is eligible to |
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participate in the program if the student has dropped out of school |
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or is a student at risk of dropping out of school, as defined by |
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Section 29.081. |
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Sec. 29.403. EDUCATION SERVICE PROVIDER. (a) An eligible |
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student may receive education services from an education service |
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provider approved by the commissioner. Entities that may apply to |
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the commissioner for approval as an education service provider |
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include: |
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(1) a public school; |
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(2) an open-enrollment charter school; |
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(3) a community college; |
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(4) an institution of higher education; |
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(5) an Internet degree program; or |
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(6) an accredited private school. |
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(b) The commissioner shall adopt rules allowing an |
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education service provider to develop an education program for |
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eligible students under which an eligible student may receive a |
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high school diploma on completion of the program. |
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Sec. 29.404. FUNDING. The commissioner shall allocate to |
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an education service provider funding in an amount equal to the |
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amount of state and local funding per student in weighted average |
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daily attendance to which the school district the eligible student |
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last attended is entitled under Chapter 42. |
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Sec. 29.405. PERFORMANCE BONUS. The commissioner may |
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award a performance bonus for an eligible student who receives a |
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high school diploma under this subchapter in an amount not to exceed |
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$1,000. The commissioner may provide for the performance bonus to |
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be allocated between the education service provider and the |
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eligible student. |
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Sec. 29.406. RULES. The commissioner shall adopt rules to |
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implement this subchapter. |
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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. |