82R8751 CAS-F
 
  By: Patrick H.B. No. 3466
 
 
 
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
 
AN ACT
  relating to authorization for granting, in response to petitions by
  parents, campus charters for certain public school campuses
  identified as unacceptable.
         BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
         SECTION 1.  Subchapter C, Chapter 12, Education Code, is
  amended by adding Section 12.0522 to read as follows:
         Sec. 12.0522.  AUTHORIZATION FOR CAMPUS IDENTIFIED AS
  UNACCEPTABLE. (a) This section applies only to a campus that for
  two consecutive school years has been identified as unacceptable
  under Section 39.054.
         (b)  Notwithstanding Section 12.052, in accordance with this
  subchapter, the board of trustees of a school district may grant a
  charter for a campus to an eligible charter holder of a charter for
  an open-enrollment charter school if the board is presented with a
  petition signed by the parents of a majority of the students at the
  campus.  For purposes of this subsection, the signature of only one
  parent of a student is required.
         (c)  A charter holder is eligible under this section to be
  granted a charter for a campus if the charter holder would meet the
  eligibility requirements under 19 T.A.C. Section 100.1033(c)(6) to
  establish an additional charter school.
         SECTION 2.  Section 12.057(c), Education Code, is amended to
  read as follows:
         (c)  A campus or program granted a charter under Section
  12.052, 12.0521(a)(1), 12.0522, or 12.053 is immune from liability
  to the same extent as a school district, and its employees and
  volunteers are immune from liability to the same extent as school
  district employees and volunteers.
         SECTION 3.  Section 39.107, Education Code, is amended by
  amending Subsections (a), (c), and (e) and adding Subsections (a-2)
  and (b-3) to read as follows:
         (a)  After a campus has been identified as unacceptable for
  two consecutive school years, the commissioner shall order the
  reconstitution of the campus unless the board of trustees of the
  school district in which the campus is located grants a charter for
  the campus under Section 12.0522.
         (a-2)  If a charter is granted for a campus under Section
  12.0522, the board of trustees of the school district and
  appropriate district administrators shall assist the campus in:
               (1)  developing an updated targeted improvement plan;
               (2)  presenting the plan in a public hearing, in the
  manner provided by Section 39.106(e-1);
               (3)  obtaining approval of the updated plan from the
  commissioner; and
               (4)  executing the plan on approval by the
  commissioner.
         (b-3)  Subsections (b), (b-1), and (b-2) do not apply to a
  campus granted a charter under Section 12.0522.
         (c)  A campus that is reconstituted under this section or to
  which the board of trustees of a school district grants a charter
  under Section 12.0522 [subject to Subsection (a)] shall implement
  the updated targeted improvement plan as approved by the
  commissioner. The commissioner may appoint a monitor, conservator,
  management team, or board of managers to the district to ensure and
  oversee district-level support to low-performing campuses and the
  implementation of the updated targeted improvement plan. In making
  appointments under this subsection, the commissioner shall
  consider individuals who have demonstrated success in managing
  campuses with student populations similar to the campus at which
  the individual appointed will serve.
         (e)  If a campus is considered to have an unacceptable
  performance rating for three consecutive school years after the
  campus is reconstituted under Subsection (a) or granted a charter
  under Section 12.0522, the commissioner shall order:
               (1)  repurposing of the campus under this section;
               (2)  alternative management of the campus under this
  section; or
               (3)  closure of the campus.
         SECTION 4.  This Act applies beginning with the 2011-2012
  school year.
         SECTION 5.  This Act takes effect immediately if it receives
  a vote of two-thirds of all the members elected to each house, as
  provided by Section 39, Article III, Texas Constitution.  If this
  Act does not receive the vote necessary for immediate effect, this
  Act takes effect September 1, 2011.