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A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
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AN ACT
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relating to a kindergarten-plus pilot project for certain children. |
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BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
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Article I. Definitions. |
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(1) The "commissioner" means the Texas Education |
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Commissioner. |
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(2) The "agency" means the Texas Education Agency. |
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(3) "Economically disadvantaged" means: |
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(A) Students from a family with an annual income |
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at or below the official poverty line; or, |
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(B) Students eligible for Temporary Assistance |
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for Needy Families or other public assistance; or, |
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(C) Students who received a Pell Grant or |
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comparable state program of need-based financial assistance; or, |
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(D) Students eligible for programs assisted |
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under Title II of the Job Training Partnership Act; or, |
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(E) Students eligible for Benefits under the Food |
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Stamp Act of 1977. |
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Article II. Kindergarten-Plus Program Pilot Project. |
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Subchapter E, Chapter 29, Education Code, is amended by adding |
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Section 29.162 to read as follows: |
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SECTION 1. Duties of the Commissioner of Education. |
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(a) The commissioner shall: |
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(1) Establish a three-year study that extends approved |
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full-day kindergarten programs by 40 instructional days for certain |
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students in eligible school districts; |
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(2) Award grants to eligible school districts from |
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funds appropriated for the purpose; |
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(3) Adopt rules necessary to administer this section, |
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including campus application requirements, procedures for |
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evaluating applications for grants; |
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(4) Provide standards and a curriculum for the |
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Kindergarten-Plus program; |
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(5) Establish district reporting and evaluation |
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requirements. |
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SECTION II. Eligible Districts. |
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(a) This act applies to districts which reported to the |
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agency more than 56,000 students enrolled in 2005-2006, and, |
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(b) Who reported more than 81 percent of the student |
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population as economically disadvantaged or eligible for free or |
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reduced lunch in 2005-2006. |
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(c) A district may use funds received under this subsection |
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only for the purpose of the district's Kindergarten-Plus program. |
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(d) A school district Kindergarten-Plus program must, at a |
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minimum, consist of: |
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(1) twenty additional instruction days for an eligible |
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child during the summer before the child will begin kindergarten; |
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and, |
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(2) twenty additional instruction days for an eligible |
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child during the summer after the child completes kindergarten. |
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(3) a curriculum based on improving numeracy, literacy |
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and social skills in students. |
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(e) A school district receiving funds under this section |
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shall: |
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(1) Demonstrate that its Kindergarten-Plus program |
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will meet all state standards and employ only qualified teachers |
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and other staff. |
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(2) Compensate teachers at the same rate and under the |
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same terms for Kindergarten-Plus as teachers are paid for regular |
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full-day kindergarten programs. |
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(3) A teacher who teaches a Kindergarten-Plus program |
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is entitled to two additional professional development days each |
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school year. |
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(4) Employ a sufficient number of teachers as provided |
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by Section 25.112 of this section. |
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(5) Notify the population in the district whose |
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children are eligible for enrollment in Kindergarten-Plus of the |
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availability of the class. The system must include public notices |
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issued in English and Spanish. |
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SECTION III. Student eligibility. |
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(a) A child is eligible to participate in a school |
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district's Kindergarten-Plus program if the: |
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(1) Child's parent or guardian has applied for the |
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child to participate in the kindergarten-plus program in the time |
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and manner required by the district and the district has accepted |
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the child's application; |
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(2) Child qualified for a pre-kindergarten program |
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under Section 29.153 of this section prior to reaching school |
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eligibility under Section 25.001 of this section; or, |
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(3) Child is entitled to attend school in the district |
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under Section 25.001 of the Education Code; and the child is: |
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(A) Unable to speak and comprehend the English |
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language; or, |
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(B) Educationally disadvantaged as established |
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under 42 U.S.C.S. Section 1751 et seq.; or, |
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(C) Homeless, as defined by 42 U.S.C Section |
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11302 regardless of the residence of the child, of either parent of |
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the child, or of the child's guardian or other person having lawful |
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control of the child. |
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(b) A child enrolled in Kindergarten-Plus remains eligible |
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for the duration of the program, regardless of financial status. |
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SECTION 2. As soon as practicable after the effective date |
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of this Act, the commissioner shall adopt rules relating to the |
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kindergarten-plus program provided for by Section 29.1511, |
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Education Code, as added by this Act. |
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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. |