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A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
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AN ACT
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relating to allowing parents to petition for repurposing, |
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alternative management, or closure of certain public school |
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campuses. |
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BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
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SECTION 1. Section 39.107, Education Code, is amended by |
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amending Subsections (e-2) and (e-3) and adding Subsections (e-4) |
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and (e-5) to read as follows: |
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(e-2) For purposes of this subsection, "parent" has the |
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meaning assigned by Section 12.051. Notwithstanding any other |
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provision of this chapter, if [If] the commissioner is presented, |
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in the time and manner specified by commissioner rule, a written |
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petition signed by the parents of a majority of the students |
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enrolled at a campus that is assigned an unacceptable performance |
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rating under Section 39.054 for three consecutive school years [to
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which Subsection (e) applies], specifying the action described by |
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Subsection (e)(1), (2), or (3) that the parents request the |
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commissioner to order, the commissioner shall, except as otherwise |
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authorized by this subsection, order the specific action requested. |
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The commissioner shall verify that a petition received under this |
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subsection contains the required number of signatures. If the |
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board of trustees of the school district in which the campus is |
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located presents to the commissioner, in the time and manner |
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specified by commissioner rule, a written request that the |
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commissioner order specific action authorized under Subsection (e) |
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other than the specific action requested in the parents' petition |
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and a written explanation of the basis for the board's request, the |
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commissioner may order the action requested by the board of |
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trustees. |
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(e-3) For purposes of Subsection (e-2), the petition shall: |
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(1) be developed by the commissioner; |
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(2) be made available to all parents or guardians of |
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students enrolled at the campus; |
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(3) include unbiased information on the status of the |
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campus, including why the campus has been assigned an unacceptable |
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performance rating in each year; |
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(4) include detailed information on the options |
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available for the campus, including a copy of the proposed options |
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listed under Subsection (e); and |
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(5) require the signature of only one parent of a |
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student [is required]. |
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(e-4) The governing body of an open-enrollment charter |
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school may not coerce, bribe, or induce a parent to sign a petition |
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under Subsection (e-2). |
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(e-5) If the commissioner orders repurposing of a campus or |
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alternative management of a campus under Subsection (e-2), the |
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campus shall remain a part of the school district in which the |
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campus was included before the commissioner ordered repurposing or |
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alternative management. |
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SECTION 2. This Act applies beginning with the 2015-2016 |
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school year. |
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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, 2013. |