| |
| |
|
|
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
|
|
|
AN ACT
|
|
|
relating to the closure of a school campus by the board of trustees |
|
|
of certain school districts. |
|
|
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
|
|
SECTION 1. Subchapter D, Chapter 11, Education Code, is |
|
|
amended by adding Section 11.174 to read as follows: |
|
|
Sec. 11.174. CAMPUS CLOSURE. (a) This section applies only |
|
|
to a school district with an enrollment of more than 155,000. |
|
|
(b) Before ordering the closure of a school campus, the |
|
|
board of trustees of a school district shall hold a public hearing |
|
|
at which residents of the district may comment on the proposed |
|
|
closure. |
|
|
(c) Not later than the 14th day before the date of the |
|
|
hearing, the board must: |
|
|
(1) provide written notice of the hearing to the |
|
|
parent of or person standing in parental relation to each student |
|
|
affected by the closure; and |
|
|
(2) publish notice of the hearing in a newspaper of |
|
|
general circulation in the district. |
|
|
(d) The notice of the hearing required by Subsection (c) |
|
|
must include: |
|
|
(1) the subject matter of the hearing, including the |
|
|
reason for the proposed closure; and |
|
|
(2) the location, date, and time of the hearing. |
|
|
(e) Following a hearing under Subsection (b), the board |
|
|
shall vote on the proposed closure. If the board votes to close a |
|
|
school campus, the board shall send the results of the vote to the |
|
|
commissioner for approval. |
|
|
(f) The board may not order the closure of a school campus |
|
|
without first obtaining the approval of the commissioner for the |
|
|
closure. The commissioner shall approve or deny the board's |
|
|
request for approval under this subsection not later than the 30th |
|
|
day after the date the commissioner receives the request. If the |
|
|
commissioner fails to act within the time prescribed by this |
|
|
subsection, the request is considered approved. |
|
|
(g) The board may not order the closure of a school campus |
|
|
for which a campus intervention team has been appointed under |
|
|
Section 39.1322(b) until: |
|
|
(1) the campus intervention team has: |
|
|
(A) completed the comprehensive on-site |
|
|
evaluation required under Section 39.1323(a)(1) and the |
|
|
comprehensive on-site needs assessment under Section 39.1323(b); |
|
|
(B) made recommendations as provided by Sections |
|
|
39.1323(a)(2) and (c); and |
|
|
(C) assisted in the development of a school |
|
|
improvement plan for student achievement as required under Section |
|
|
39.1323(a)(3); |
|
|
(2) the campus has received any financial or other |
|
|
assistance determined necessary under the evaluation process to |
|
|
implement the school improvement plan; and |
|
|
(3) the campus has two complete school years during |
|
|
which to implement the school improvement plan. |
|
|
(h) The commissioner may adopt rules as necessary to |
|
|
implement this section. |
|
|
SECTION 2. This Act takes effect September 1, 2009. |