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A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
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AN ACT
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relating to school campus information, student transfers, and the |
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public education grant program. |
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BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
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SECTION 1. Section 8.051, Education Code, is amended by |
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adding Subsection (e) to read as follows: |
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(e) Each regional education service center shall |
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consolidate and submit to the agency or the entity contracting with |
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the agency under Section 25.0012(b) the school availability |
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information required under Section 25.0012 for any school located |
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in the area served by the center. Each school district and |
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open-enrollment charter school shall provide the necessary |
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information to the regional education service center once each |
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year. The information shall be submitted by the center in the |
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manner and format specified by the agency or contracting entity. |
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Each regional education service center shall provide additional |
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campus information and enrollment services as required by the |
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commissioner. |
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SECTION 2. Subchapter A, Chapter 25, Education Code, is |
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amended by adding Section 25.0012 to read as follows: |
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Sec. 25.0012. SCHOOL AVAILABILITY INFORMATION. (a) A |
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school district, open-enrollment charter school, or regional |
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education service center shall prominently display and maintain on |
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the entity's Internet website a list that includes: |
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(1) each campus located within the district, area |
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served by the school, or region; |
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(2) the number of students that may attend each |
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campus; |
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(3) the number of students attending each campus; |
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(4) the number of available student positions at each |
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campus, as determined by the district; |
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(5) intensive programs offered at each campus, |
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including optional flexible school day and credit recovery |
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programs; |
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(6) college and career readiness programs offered at |
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each campus, including dual credit programs, international |
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baccalaureate programs, advanced placement programs, magnet |
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programs, and Advancement Via Individual Determination (AVID) |
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programs; and |
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(7) expanded learning programs, including extended |
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day programs, extended year programs, and 21st Century Community |
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Learning Center programs. |
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(b) The agency may contract for the services of one or more |
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contractors to develop, implement, maintain, and publicize an |
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Internet website that enables the public to identify by zip code the |
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school district campuses and open-enrollment charter schools |
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located in a student's district of residence and contiguous |
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districts that match identified performance and program offerings, |
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including the program offerings in Subsections (a)(5)-(7). For |
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each campus identified, the Internet website shall display the |
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information specified in Subsections (a)(2) and (3) and the process |
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by which a student may enroll in a campus that is not the campus to |
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which the student is assigned. In awarding a contract under this |
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subsection, the agency must consider an applicant's demonstrated |
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competence and qualifications in maximizing Internet website |
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accessibility and ease of use. |
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(c) In addition to any amount appropriated by the |
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legislature, the agency may accept funds from any other public or |
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private entity to carry out the requirements of this section. Funds |
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accepted under this subsection may not be accepted on terms |
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inconsistent with the requirements of this section. |
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SECTION 3. Section 25.031, Education Code, is amended to |
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read as follows: |
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Sec. 25.031. ASSIGNMENTS AND TRANSFERS; OPEN ENROLLMENT [IN
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DISCRETION OF GOVERNING BOARD]. (a) In conformity with this |
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subchapter and rules adopted by the commissioner, the board of |
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trustees of a school district or the board of county school trustees |
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or a school employee designated by the board shall [may] assign and |
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transfer any student from one school facility or classroom to |
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another within its jurisdiction. |
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(b) Except as otherwise provided by this section, a school |
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district that has more applicants for a transfer to a school |
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facility than available positions must give priority to students at |
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risk of dropping out of school as defined by Section 29.081 and must |
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fill the available positions by lottery. |
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(c) The board of trustees of a school district may adopt a |
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policy that establishes admissions criteria, including audition or |
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performance criteria, for admission to a campus or program, |
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including a magnet campus or program, that offers specialized areas |
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of study and focus for students. |
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(d) Except as otherwise provided by Subsection (b) or (c), |
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by this subchapter, or by commissioner rule, a school district |
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shall permit open enrollment in any campus in the district. |
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(e) In permitting transfers under this section, a school |
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district may not discriminate on the basis of a student's race, |
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ethnicity, sex, or socioeconomic status. |
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(f) A student permitted to transfer to a campus under this |
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section may continue to attend that campus and the campuses to which |
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students from that campus are regularly assigned for higher grade |
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levels until the student graduates from high school. |
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SECTION 4. Section 29.201, Education Code, is amended to |
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read as follows: |
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Sec. 29.201. PARENTAL CHOICE. Notwithstanding any other |
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provision of this code, as provided by this subchapter an eligible |
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student may attend a public school in the district in which the |
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student resides or may use a public education grant to attend any |
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other district chosen by the student's parent until the student |
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decides to attend a school in a different district or graduates from |
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high school. |
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SECTION 5. Subsection (b), Section 29.202, Education Code, |
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is amended to read as follows: |
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(b) After a student has used a public education grant to |
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attend a school in a district other than the district in which the |
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student resides,[:
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[(1)] the student does not become ineligible for the |
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grant if the school on which the student's initial eligibility is |
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based no longer meets the criteria under Subsection (a)[; and
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[(2)
the student becomes ineligible for the grant if
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the student is assigned to attend a school that does not meet the
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criteria under Subsection (a)]. |
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SECTION 6. Subsections (c) and (d), Section 29.203, |
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Education Code, are amended to read as follows: |
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(c) A school district is entitled to additional facilities |
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assistance under Section 42.4101 if the district enrolls [agrees
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to:
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[(1) accept] a number of students using public |
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education grants that is at least one percent of the district's |
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average daily attendance for the preceding school year[; and
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[(2)
provide services to each student until the
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student either voluntarily decides to attend a school in a
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different district or graduates from high school]. |
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(d) [A school district chosen by a student's parent under
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Section 29.201 is entitled to accept or reject the application for
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the student to attend school in that district but may not use
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criteria that discriminate on the basis of a student's race,
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ethnicity, academic achievement, athletic abilities, language
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proficiency, sex, or socioeconomic status.] A school district that |
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has more [acceptable] applicants for attendance under this |
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subchapter than available positions must [give priority to students
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at risk of dropping out of school as defined by Section 29.081 and
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must] fill the available positions by lottery. However, to achieve |
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continuity in education, a school district may give priority |
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[preference over at-risk students to enrolled students and] to the |
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siblings of enrolled students residing in the same household or |
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other children residing in the same household as enrolled students |
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for the convenience of parents, guardians, or custodians of those |
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children. |
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SECTION 7. This Act applies beginning with the 2013-2014 |
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school year. |
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SECTION 8. 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. |
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