AUTHOR'S / SPONSOR'S STATEMENT OF INTENT

 

Currently, Texas public schools are assigned a performance label that reflects the performance of that school and/or district in meeting standards of student achievement, financial accountability, and the effectiveness of programs for certain student populations, among others. In recent years, these labels have consisted of exemplary, recognized, acceptable, and unacceptable.

 

Unfortunately, these labels are broad and lack specific meaning to parents and communities. C.S.S.B. 1408 seeks to change the labels to a performance rating of A, B, C, D, or F. These grade levels reflect a more universally accepted measure of campus and/or district performance.

 

C.S.S.B. 1408 amends current law relating to public school performance ratings that reflect acceptable and unacceptable performance.

 

RULEMAKING AUTHORITY

 

Rulemaking authority previously granted to the commissioner of education is modified in SECTION 1 (Section 39.054, Education Code) of this bill.

 

Rulemaking authority is expressly granted to the commissioner of education in SECTION 1 (Section 39.054, Education Code) of this bill.

 

SECTION BY SECTION ANALYSIS

 

SECTION 1. Amends Section 39.054, Education Code, by amending Subsection (a) and adding Subsection (a-1), as follows:

 

(a)  Requires the commissioner of education (commissioner) to adopt rules to evaluate school district and campus performance and, not later than August 8 of each year, assign each district and campus a performance rating of A, B, C, D, or F.  Requires the commissioner, in adopting rules under this subsection, to determine the criteria for each designated letter performance rating and designate whether the letter performance rating reflects acceptable performance or unacceptable performance.  Requires the commissioner, if a district or campus earned a performance rating of D or F for the preceding school year, rather than if a district or campus received a performance rating of unacceptable performance for the preceding school year, to notify the district of a subsequent such designation on or before June 15.

 

(a-1)  Requires the commissioner, in adopting rules for a district or campus performance rating under Subsection (a), to assign a letter performance rating:

 

(1)  in a manner that gives greater weight to the performance of a district or campus regarding the required improvement rate determined by the commissioner under Section 39.053(e) (relating to requiring that performance on certain student achievement indicators be compared to state standards established by the commissioner and required improvement) for the student achievement indicators adopted under Section 39.053(c) (relating to required information to be included in indicators of student achievement); and

 

(2) based on the measure of annual improvement in student achievement determined by the commissioner under Section 39.034 (Measure of Annual Improvement in Student Achievement), and other factors, as determined by the commissioner, for determining sufficient student attainment of postsecondary readiness.   

 

SECTION 2.  Provides that this Act applies beginning with the 2013-2014 school year.

 

SECTION 3.  Effective date: upon passage or September 1, 2013.