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A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
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AN ACT
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relating to the optional flexible school day program provided by |
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school districts. |
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BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
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SECTION 1. Sections 29.0822(a), (b), and (d), Education |
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Code, are amended to read as follows: |
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(a) Notwithstanding Section 25.081 or 25.082, a school |
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district may [apply to the commissioner to] provide a flexible |
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school day program for [students who]: |
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(1) students who have dropped out of school or are at |
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risk of dropping out of school as defined by Section 29.081; |
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(2) students who attend a campus that is implementing |
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an innovative redesign of the campus or an early college high school |
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under a plan approved by the commissioner; [or] |
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(3) students who, as a result of attendance |
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requirements under Section 25.092, will be denied credit for one or |
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more classes in which the students have been enrolled; or |
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(4) a campus or campuses that would benefit from the |
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program. |
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(b) To enable a school district to provide a program under |
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this section that meets the needs of students described by |
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Subsection (a), a school district [that meets application
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requirements] may: |
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(1) provide flexibility in the number of hours each |
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day a student attends; |
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(2) provide flexibility in the number of days each |
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week a student attends; or |
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(3) allow a student to enroll in less than or more than |
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a full course load. |
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(d) The commissioner may adopt rules for the administration |
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of this section[, including rules establishing application
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requirements]. The commissioner shall calculate average daily |
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attendance for students served under this section. The |
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commissioner shall allow accumulations of hours of instruction for |
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students whose schedule would not otherwise allow full state |
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funding. Funding under this subsection shall be determined based |
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on the number of instructional days in the school district calendar |
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and a seven-hour school day, but attendance may be cumulated over a |
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school year, including any summer or vacation session. The |
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attendance of students who accumulate less than the number of |
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attendance hours required under this subsection shall be |
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proportionately reduced for funding purposes. The commissioner |
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may: |
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(1) set maximum funding amounts for an individual |
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course under this section; and |
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(2) limit funding for the attendance of a student |
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described by Subsection (a)(3) in a course under this section to |
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funding only for the attendance necessary for the student to earn |
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class credit that, as a result of attendance requirements under |
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Section 25.092, the student would not otherwise be able to receive |
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without retaking the class. |
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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, 2015. |