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A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
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AN ACT
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relating to the administration of accelerated instruction |
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programs. |
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BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
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SECTION 1. Section 28.0211, Education Code, is amended by |
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amending Subsections (c) and (m) and adding Subsections (m-1) and |
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(q) to read as follows: |
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(c) Each time a student fails to perform satisfactorily on |
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an assessment instrument specified under Subsection (a), the school |
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district in which the student attends school shall provide to the |
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student accelerated instruction in the applicable subject area, |
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including reading instruction for a student who fails to perform |
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satisfactorily on a reading assessment instrument. After a student |
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fails to perform satisfactorily on an assessment instrument a |
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second time, a grade placement committee shall be established to |
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prescribe the accelerated instruction the district shall provide to |
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the student before the student is administered the assessment |
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instrument the third time. The grade placement committee shall be |
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composed of the principal or the principal's designee, the |
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student's parent or guardian, and the teacher of the subject of an |
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assessment instrument on which the student failed to perform |
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satisfactorily. The district shall notify the parent or guardian |
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of the time and place for convening the grade placement committee |
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and the purpose of the committee. [An accelerated instruction
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group administered by a school district under this section may not
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have a ratio of more than 10 students for each teacher.] |
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(m) The commissioner shall certify, not later than July 1 of |
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each school year or as soon as practicable thereafter, whether |
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sufficient funds have been appropriated statewide for the purposes |
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of this section. A determination by the commissioner is final and |
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may not be appealed. For purposes of certification, the |
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commissioner may consider the availability of: |
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(1) peer-reviewed and research-based instructional |
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tools; |
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(2) individualized instruction for students; |
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(3) diagnostic instruments to assess gaps in student |
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learning; |
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(4) current student performance information for |
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parents and teachers; |
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(5) information that allows administrators and |
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teachers to customize individual student remediation plans; and |
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(6) differentiated instruction for students. |
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(m-1) For purposes of certification under Subsection (m), |
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the commissioner may not consider Foundation School Program |
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funds. This section may be implemented only if the commissioner |
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certifies that sufficient funds have been appropriated during a |
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school year for administering the accelerated instruction programs |
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specified under this section, including teacher training for that |
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purpose. |
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(q) In fulfilling the requirements of this section, a school |
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district may provide Internet access to students beyond the school |
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day. |
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SECTION 2. 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. |