By: Aycock, et al. H.B. No. 1842
        (Senate Sponsor - Taylor of Galveston)
         (In the Senate - Received from the House May 14, 2015;
  May 15, 2015, read first time and referred to Committee on
  Education; May 22, 2015, reported adversely, with favorable
  Committee Substitute by the following vote:  Yeas 11, Nays 0;
  May 22, 2015, sent to printer.)
Click here to see the committee vote
 
  COMMITTEE SUBSTITUTE FOR H.B. No. 1842 By:  Taylor of Galveston
 
 
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
 
AN ACT
 
  relating to public school accountability, including the expansion
  of or renewal of the charter of an open-enrollment charter school
  and the intervention in and sanction of a public school that has
  received an academically unsuccessful performance rating for at
  least two consecutive school years.
         BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
         SECTION 1.  Subchapter C, Chapter 11, Education Code, is
  amended by adding Section 11.0511 to read as follows:
         Sec. 11.0511.  STUDENT TRUSTEE FOR CERTAIN DISTRICTS. (a)
  This section applies only to a school district described by Section
  11.065(a) in which a school in the district is operating under a
  campus turnaround plan.
         (b)  Notwithstanding Section 11.051(b), the board of
  trustees of a school district may adopt a resolution establishing
  as a nonvoting member a student trustee position as provided by this
  section.
         (c)  For a student trustee position under this section, the
  board shall adopt a policy that establishes:
               (1)  the term of the student trustee position;
               (2)  the procedures for selecting a student trustee,
  including the method for filling a vacancy; and
               (3)  the procedures for removal of a student trustee.
         (d)  A student is eligible to serve as a student trustee if
  the student is enrolled in the student's junior or senior year of
  high school and is considered in good standing academically and
  under the district code of conduct.
         (e)  The board shall adopt a policy regarding student
  trustee:
               (1)  participation, other than voting, in board
  deliberations, subject to Subsection (f); and
               (2)  access to information, documents, and records,
  consistent with the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act of
  1974 (20 U.S.C. Section 1232g).
         (f)  A student trustee may not participate in a closed
  session of a board meeting in which any issue related to a personnel
  matter is considered.
         (g)  A student trustee is not entitled to receive
  compensation or reimbursement of the student trustee's expenses for
  services on the board.
         (h)  A school district may grant to a student who fulfills
  the requirements of service of a student trustee not more than one
  academic course credit in a subject area determined appropriate by
  the district.
         SECTION 2.  Section 12.101(b-4), Education Code, is amended
  to read as follows:
         (b-4)  Notwithstanding Section 12.114, approval of the
  commissioner under that section is not required for establishment
  of a new open-enrollment charter school campus if the requirements
  of this subsection[, including the absence of commissioner
  disapproval under Subdivision (3),] are satisfied. A charter
  holder having an accreditation status of accredited and at least 50
  percent of its student population in grades assessed under
  Subchapter B, Chapter 39, or at least 50 percent of the students in
  the grades assessed having been enrolled in the school for at least
  three school years may establish one or more new campuses under an
  existing charter held by the charter holder if:
               (1)  the charter holder is currently evaluated under
  the standard accountability procedures for evaluation under
  Chapter 39 and received a district rating in the highest or second
  highest performance rating category under Subchapter C, Chapter 39,
  for three of the last five years with at least 75 percent of the
  campuses rated under the charter also receiving a rating in the
  highest or second highest performance rating category and with no
  campus with a rating in the lowest performance rating category in
  the most recent ratings;
               (2)  the charter holder provides written notice to the
  commissioner of the establishment of any campus under this
  subsection in the time, manner, and form provided by rule of the
  commissioner; and
               (3)  not later than the 60th day after the date the
  charter holder provides written notice under Subdivision (2), the
  commissioner does not provide written notice to the charter holder
  that the commissioner has determined that the charter holder does
  not satisfy the requirements of this section [of disapproval of a
  new campus under this section].
         SECTION 3.  The heading to Section 12.116, Education Code,
  is amended to read as follows:
         Sec. 12.116.  PROCEDURE FOR REVOCATION, [OR] MODIFICATION OF
  GOVERNANCE, OR DENIAL OF RENEWAL.
         SECTION 4.  Section 12.116, Education Code, is amended by
  amending Subsection (a) and adding Subsection (a-1) to read as
  follows:
         (a)  The commissioner shall adopt an informal procedure to be
  used for:
               (1)  revoking the charter of an open-enrollment charter
  school or for reconstituting the governing body of the charter
  holder as authorized by Section 12.115; and
               (2)  denying the renewal of a charter of an
  open-enrollment charter school as authorized by Section
  12.1141(c).
         (a-1)  The procedure adopted under Subsection (a) for the
  denial of renewal of a charter under Section 12.1141(c) or the
  revocation of a charter or reconstitution of a governing body of a
  charter holder under Section 12.115(a) must allow representatives
  of the charter holder to meet with the commissioner to discuss the
  commissioner's decision and must allow the charter holder to submit
  additional information to the commissioner relating to the
  commissioner's decision. In a final decision issued by the
  commissioner, the commissioner shall provide a written response to
  any information the charter holder submits under this subsection.
         SECTION 5.  Section 39.106, Education Code, is amended by
  amending Subsection (a) and adding Subsection (a-1) to read as
  follows:
         (a)  If a campus performance is below any standard under
  Section 39.054(e), the commissioner shall assign a campus
  intervention team. A campus intervention team shall:
               (1)  conduct, with the involvement and advice of the
  school community partnership team, if applicable:
                     (A)  a targeted on-site needs assessment relevant
  to an area of insufficient performance of the campus as provided by
  Subsection (b); or
                     (B)  if the commissioner determines necessary, a
  comprehensive on-site needs assessment, using the procedures
  provided by Subsection (b);
               (2)  recommend appropriate actions as provided by
  Subsection (c);
               (3)  assist in the development of a targeted
  improvement plan;
               (4)  conduct a public meeting at the campus with the
  campus principal, the members of the campus-level planning and
  decision-making committee established under Section 11.251,
  parents of students attending the campus, and community members
  residing in the district to review the campus performance rating
  and solicit input for the development of the targeted improvement
  plan;
               (5)  assist the campus in submitting the targeted
  improvement plan to the board of trustees for approval and
  presenting the plan in a public hearing as provided by Subsection
  (e-1); and
               (6) [(5)]  assist the commissioner in monitoring the
  progress of the campus in implementing the targeted improvement
  plan.
         (a-1)  The campus intervention team must provide written
  notice of the public meeting required by Subsection (a)(4) to the
  parents of students attending the campus and post notice of the
  meeting on the Internet website of the campus. The notice must
  include the date, time, and place of the meeting.
         SECTION 6.  The heading to Section 39.107, Education Code,
  is amended to read as follows:
         Sec. 39.107.  CAMPUS TURNAROUND PLAN, BOARD OF MANAGERS
  [RECONSTITUTION, REPURPOSING], ALTERNATIVE MANAGEMENT, AND
  CLOSURE.
         SECTION 7.  Section 39.107, Education Code, is amended by
  amending Subsections (a), (a-1), (b), (b-2), (d), (e), (e-1),
  (e-2), (f), and (g) and adding Subsections (a-2), (b-3), (b-4),
  (b-5), (b-6), (b-7), (b-8), (b-9), (b-10), (e-4), (e-5), (e-6),
  (g-1), and (g-2) to read as follows:
         (a)  After a campus has been identified as unacceptable for
  two consecutive school years, the commissioner shall order the
  campus to prepare and submit a campus turnaround plan [the
  reconstitution of the campus]. The commissioner shall by rule
  establish procedures governing the time and manner in which the
  campus must submit the campus turnaround plan.
         (a-1)  A [In reconstituting a campus, a] campus intervention
  team shall assist the campus in:
               (1)  developing an updated targeted improvement plan,
  including a campus turnaround plan to be implemented by the campus;
               (2)  submitting the updated targeted improvement plan
  to the board of trustees of the school district for approval and
  presenting the plan in a public hearing as provided by Section
  39.106(e-1);
               (3)  obtaining approval of the updated plan from the
  commissioner; and
               (4)  executing the plan on approval by the
  commissioner.
         (a-2)  Before a campus turnaround plan is prepared and
  submitted for approval to the board of trustees of the school
  district, the district, in consultation with the campus
  intervention team, shall:
               (1)  provide notice to parents, the community, and
  stakeholders that the campus has received an academically
  unacceptable performance rating for two consecutive years and will
  be required to submit a campus turnaround plan; and
               (2)  request assistance from parents, the community,
  and stakeholders in developing the campus turnaround plan.
         (b)  The school district, in consultation with the campus
  intervention team, shall prepare the campus turnaround plan and
  allow parents, the community, and stakeholders an opportunity to
  review the plan before it is submitted for approval to the board of
  trustees of the school district. The plan must include details on
  the method for restructuring, reforming, or reconstituting the
  campus. If the district determines that granting a district
  charter under Section 12.0522 is appropriate for the campus, the
  campus turnaround plan must provide information on the
  implementation of the district charter. The plan must assist the
  campus in implementing procedures to satisfy all performance
  standards required under Section 39.054(e) [decide which educators
  may be retained at that campus.   A principal who has been employed
  by the campus in that capacity during the full period described by
  Subsection (a) may not be retained at that campus unless the campus
  intervention team determines that retention of the principal would
  be more beneficial to the student achievement and campus stability
  than removal].
         (b-2)  A campus turnaround plan must include:
               (1)  a detailed description of the academic programs to
  be offered at the campus, including instructional methods, length
  of school day and school year, academic credit and promotion
  criteria, and programs to serve special student populations;
               (2)  the term of the charter, if a district charter is
  to be granted for the campus under Section 12.0522;
               (3)  written comments from the campus-level committee
  established under Section 11.251, if applicable, parents, and
  teachers at the campus; and
               (4)  a detailed description of the budget, staffing,
  and financial resources required to implement the plan, including
  any supplemental resources to be provided by the district or other
  identified sources [For each year that a campus is considered to
  have an unacceptable performance rating, a campus intervention team
  shall:
               [(1)     assist in updating the targeted improvement plan
  to identify and analyze areas of growth and areas that require
  improvement;
               [(2)  submit the updated plan to:
                     [(A)     the board of trustees of the school
  district; and
                     [(B)  the parents of campus students; and
               [(3)     assist in submitting the updated plan to the
  commissioner for approval].
         (b-3)  A school district may:
               (1)  request that a regional education service center
  provide assistance in the development and implementation of a
  campus turnaround plan; or
               (2)  partner with an institution of higher education to
  develop and implement a campus turnaround plan.
         (b-4)  The updated targeted improvement plan submitted to
  the board of trustees of a school district under Subsection (a-1)
  must include all plans and details that are required to execute the
  campus turnaround plan without any additional action or approval by
  the board of trustees.
         (b-5)  A campus turnaround plan developed under this section
  must take effect during the school year following the second
  consecutive school year that the campus has received an
  academically unacceptable performance rating.
         (b-6)  Following approval of a campus turnaround plan by the
  commissioner, the school district, in consultation with the campus
  intervention team, may take any actions needed to prepare for the
  implementation of the plan.
         (b-7)  If a campus for which a campus turnaround plan has
  been ordered under Subsection (a) receives an academically
  acceptable performance rating for the school year following the
  order, the board of trustees may:
               (1)  implement the campus turnaround plan;
               (2)  implement a modified version of the campus
  turnaround plan; or
               (3)  withdraw the campus turnaround plan.
         (b-8)  A school district required to implement a campus
  turnaround plan may modify the plan if the campus receives an
  academically acceptable performance rating for two consecutive
  school years following the implementation of the plan.
         (b-9)  Section 12.0522(b) does not apply to a district
  charter approved by the commissioner under this section. A
  district charter approved under this section may be renewed or
  continue in effect after the campus is no longer subject to an order
  under Subsection (a).
         (b-10)  The commissioner shall adopt rules governing the
  procedures for an open-enrollment charter school campus that is
  subject to an order issued under Subsection (a). An
  open-enrollment charter school must revise the school's charter in
  accordance with Section 12.114 in the campus turnaround plan.
  Nothing in this section may be construed to modify any provision of
  Subchapter D, Chapter 12, relating to the expiration, nonrenewal,
  revocation, or modification of the governance of an open-enrollment
  charter school.  The governing board of the open-enrollment charter
  school shall perform the duties of a board of trustees of a school
  district under this section.
         (d)  The commissioner may approve a campus turnaround plan
  only if the commissioner determines that the campus will satisfy
  all student performance standards required under Section 39.054(e)
  not later than the second year the campus receives a performance
  rating following the implementation of the campus turnaround plan.
  If the commissioner does not make this determination [determines
  that the campus is not fully implementing the updated targeted
  improvement plan or if the students enrolled at the campus fail to
  demonstrate substantial improvement in the areas targeted by the
  updated plan], the commissioner shall [may] order:
               (1)  appointment of a board of managers to govern the
  district as provided by Section 39.112(b) [repurposing of the
  campus under this section];
               (2)  alternative management of the campus under this
  section; or
               (3)  closure of the campus.
         (e)  If a campus is considered to have an unacceptable
  performance rating for three consecutive school years after the
  campus is ordered to submit a campus turnaround plan
  [reconstituted] under Subsection (a), the commissioner, subject to
  Subsection [(e-1) or] (e-2), shall order:
               (1)  appointment of a board of managers to govern the
  district as provided by Section 39.112(b) [repurposing of the
  campus under this section]; or
               (2)  [alternative management of the campus under this
  section; or
               [(3)]  closure of the campus.
         (e-1)  If the commissioner orders the closure of a campus
  under this section, that campus may be repurposed to serve students
  at that campus location only if the commissioner finds that the
  repurposed campus offers a distinctly different academic program
  and serves a majority of grade levels at the repurposed campus not
  served at the original campus and approves a new campus
  identification number for the campus. The majority of students
  assigned to a campus that has been closed and repurposed may not
  have attended that campus in the previous school year. Any student
  assigned to a campus that has been closed must be allowed to
  transfer to any other campus in the district that serves that
  student's grade level and on request must be provided
  transportation to the other campus.  The commissioner may grant an
  exemption allowing students assigned to a closed campus to attend
  the repurposed campus if there is no other campus in the district at
  which the students may enroll [The commissioner may waive the
  requirement to enter an order under Subsection (e) for not more than
  one school year if the commissioner determines that, on the basis of
  significant improvement in student performance over the preceding
  two school years, the campus is likely to be assigned an acceptable
  performance rating for the following school year].
         (e-2)  For purposes of this subsection, "parent" has the
  meaning assigned by Section 12.051. If the commissioner is
  presented, in the time and manner specified by commissioner rule, a
  written petition signed by the parents of a majority of the students
  enrolled at a campus to which Subsection (e) applies, specifying
  the action described by Subsection (e)(1) or [,] (2)[, or (3)] that
  the parents request the commissioner to order, the commissioner
  shall, except as otherwise authorized by this subsection, order the
  specific action requested. If the board of trustees of the school
  district in which the campus is located presents to the
  commissioner, in the time and manner specified by commissioner
  rule, a written request that the commissioner order specific action
  authorized under Subsection (e) other than the specific action
  requested in the parents' petition and a written explanation of the
  basis for the board's request, the commissioner may order the
  action requested by the board of trustees.
         (e-4)  A board of managers appointed by the commissioner
  under this section is required to take appropriate actions to
  resolve the conditions that caused a campus to be subject to an
  order under Subsection (a), including amending the district's
  budget, reassigning staff, or relocating academic programs.
         (e-5)  The commissioner may authorize payment of a board of
  managers appointed under this section from agency funds.
         (e-6)  The commissioner may at any time replace a member of a
  board of managers appointed under this section.
         (f)  Notwithstanding Section 39.112(e), the commissioner may
  remove a board of managers appointed to govern a district under this
  section only if the campus that was the basis for the appointment of
  the board of managers receives an academically acceptable
  performance rating for two consecutive school years. [If the
  commissioner orders repurposing of a campus, the school district
  shall develop a comprehensive plan for repurposing the campus and
  submit the plan to the board of trustees for approval, using the
  procedures described by Section 39.106(e-1), and to the
  commissioner for approval. The plan must include a description of a
  rigorous and relevant academic program for the campus. The plan may
  include various instructional models. The commissioner may not
  approve the repurposing of a campus unless:
               [(1)     all students in the assigned attendance zone of
  the campus in the school year immediately preceding the repurposing
  of the campus are provided with the opportunity to enroll in and are
  provided transportation on request to another campus, unless the
  commissioner grants an exception because there is no other campus
  in the district in which the students may enroll;
               [(2)     the principal is not retained at the campus,
  unless the commissioner determines that students enrolled at the
  campus have demonstrated significant academic improvement; and
               [(3)     teachers employed at the campus in the school
  year immediately preceding the repurposing of the campus are not
  retained at the campus, unless the commissioner or the
  commissioner's designee grants an exception, at the request of a
  school district, for:
                     [(A)     a teacher who provides instruction in a
  subject other than a subject for which an assessment instrument is
  administered under Section 39.023(a) or (c) who demonstrates to the
  commissioner satisfactory performance; or
                     [(B)     a teacher who provides instruction in a
  subject for which an assessment instrument is administered under
  Section 39.023(a) or (c) if the district demonstrates that the
  students of the teacher demonstrated satisfactory performance or
  improved academic growth on that assessment instrument.]
         (g)  Following the removal of a board of managers under
  Subsection (f), or at the request of a managing entity appointed
  under Subsection (d) to oversee the implementation of alternative
  management, the commissioner may appoint a conservator for the
  district to ensure district-level support for low-performing
  campuses and to oversee the implementation of the updated targeted
  improvement plan [If an educator is not retained under Subsection
  (f), the educator may be assigned to another position in the
  district].
         (g-1)  If the commissioner orders alternative management of
  a campus under Subsection (d)(2), the school district shall execute
  a contract with a managing entity.  The terms of the contract must
  be approved by the commissioner.
         (g-2)  Subject to Subsection (e), at the end of the contract
  term with a managing entity or the cancellation of a contract with a
  managing entity, the board of trustees of the school district shall
  resume management of the campus.
         SECTION 8.  Subchapter E, Chapter 39, Education Code, is
  amended by adding Section 39.1071 to read as follows:
         Sec. 39.1071.  TRANSITIONAL INTERVENTIONS AND SANCTIONS.
  (a) For a campus that received an academically unacceptable
  performance rating for the 2013-2014, 2014-2015, and 2015-2016
  school years, the commissioner may apply the interventions and
  sanctions authorized by this chapter as this chapter existed on
  January 1, 2015, to the campus.
         (b)  If a campus described under Subsection (a) receives an
  academically unacceptable performance rating for the 2016-2017 and
  2017-2018 school years, the commissioner shall apply the
  interventions and sanctions authorized by Section 39.107(e) to the
  campus.
         (c)  For a campus that received an academically acceptable
  performance rating for the 2013-2014 school year and an
  academically unacceptable performance rating for the 2014-2015 and
  2015-2016 school years, the commissioner shall apply the
  interventions and sanctions authorized by Section 39.107(a) to the
  campus.
         (d)  If a campus described under Subsection (c) receives an
  academically unacceptable performance rating for the 2016-2017,
  2017-2018, and 2018-2019 school years, the commissioner shall apply
  the interventions and sanctions authorized by Section 39.107(e) to
  the campus.
         (e)  The commissioner may adopt rules as necessary to
  implement this section.
         (f)  This section expires September 1, 2020.
         SECTION 9.  Section 39.112, Education Code, is amended by
  adding Subsections (d-1), (d-2), and (g) and amending Subsection
  (e) to read as follows:
         (d-1)  The board of managers appointed by the commissioner
  must, if possible, include community leaders, business
  representatives who have expertise in leadership, and individuals
  who have knowledge or expertise in the field of education.
         (d-2)  The commissioner must provide each individual
  appointed to a board of managers with training in effective
  leadership strategies.
         (e)  A board of managers shall, during the period of the
  appointment, order the election of members of the board of trustees
  of the district in accordance with applicable provisions of law.  
  Except as provided by this subsection, the members of the board of
  trustees do not assume any powers or duties after the election until
  the appointment of the board of managers expires. Not [At the
  direction of the commissioner but not] later than the second
  anniversary of the date the board of managers of a district was
  appointed, the commissioner shall notify the board of managers and
  the board of trustees of the date on which the appointment of the
  board of managers will expire [shall order an election of members
  of the district board of trustees.   The election must be held on a
  uniform election date on which an election of district trustees may
  be held under Section 41.001, Election Code, that is at least 180
  days after the date the election was ordered].  Following each of
  the last three years of the period of the appointment, one-third of
  the members of the board of managers shall be replaced by the number
  of members of the school district board of trustees who were elected
  at an election ordered under this subsection that constitutes, as
  closely as possible, one-third of the membership of the board of
  trustees. On the expiration of the appointment of the board of
  managers [qualification of members for office], the board of
  trustees assumes all of the powers and duties assigned to a board of
  trustees by law, rule, or regulation.
         (g)  Following the expiration of the period of appointment of
  a board of managers for a district, the commissioner shall provide
  training in effective leadership strategies to the board of
  trustees of the school district.
         SECTION 10.  Section 39.114, Education Code, is amended to
  read as follows:
         Sec. 39.114.  IMMUNITY FROM CIVIL LIABILITY. An employee,
  volunteer, or contractor acting on behalf of the commissioner under
  this subchapter, or a member of a board of managers appointed by the
  commissioner under this subchapter, is immune from civil liability
  to the same extent as a professional employee of a school district
  under Section 22.051.
         SECTION 11.  Section 39.106(f), Education Code, is repealed.
         SECTION 12.  Not later than December 1, 2018, the
  Legislative Budget Board shall publish a report evaluating the
  implementation of Section 39.107, Education Code, as amended by
  this Act, including an analysis of whether the changes in law made
  by this Act result in improvements to school performance and
  student performance. The Legislative Budget Board may contract with
  another entity for the purpose of producing the evaluation required
  by this section.
         SECTION 13.  This Act applies beginning with the 2015-2016
  school year.
         SECTION 14.  This Act takes effect immediately if it
  receives a vote of two-thirds of all the members elected to each
  house, as provided by Section 39, Article III, Texas Constitution.
  If this Act does not receive the vote necessary for immediate
  effect, this Act takes effect September 1, 2015.
 
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