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A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
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AN ACT
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relating to public notice requirements and other provisions |
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applicable to the board of trustees of a school district proposing |
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to close a district campus. |
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BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
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SECTION 1. Subchapter D, Chapter 11, Education Code, is |
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amended by adding Section 11.163 to read as follows: |
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Sec. 11.163. CAMPUS CLOSURES. (a) If the board of trustees |
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of a school district proposes to close a campus, the board must: |
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(1) at least 10 days before the date of the first |
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public meeting required under Subdivision (4), send written notice |
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of the proposed closure, including a translation of the text of the |
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notice into Spanish, by regular mail to: |
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(A) the parent of each child who would otherwise |
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attend the campus during the first school year that the campus is |
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proposed to be closed; and |
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(B) each member of the legislature who represents |
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territory included in the boundaries of the school district; |
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(2) provide a period of at least 90 days after the date |
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notice is sent under Subdivision (1) for soliciting and considering |
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public comment regarding the proposed closure; |
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(3) promptly make district documents associated with |
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the proposed closure, other than documents that are confidential |
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under law, available to the public through the Internet and by other |
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means for persons without Internet access; and |
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(4) hold at least two public meetings during the |
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period described by Subdivision (2) at which the district |
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superintendent and board members are available to answer questions |
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and receive comments, including questions and comments relating to |
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the documents made available under Subdivision (3). |
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(b) If, after conclusion of the period described by |
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Subsection (a)(2) and consideration of public comments, the board |
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of trustees continues to conclude that the campus should be closed, |
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the district must develop a written closure plan that: |
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(1) describes the ways in which each affected child's |
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education will be altered as a result of the closure; |
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(2) identifies each educational program available at |
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the campus being closed that will not be available at each campus to |
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which students will be transferred as a result of the closure; |
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(3) describes the effect of the closure on student |
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safety, including such elements as the number of registered sex |
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offenders residing in the vicinity of each campus to which students |
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will be transferred as a result of the closure; and |
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(4) addresses questions and comments raised by the |
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public during the period described by Subsection (a)(2). |
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(c) The district must make the closure plan required by |
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Subsection (b) available to the public through the Internet and by |
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other appropriate means for persons without Internet access. |
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SECTION 2. This Act takes effect September 1, 2009. |