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A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
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AN ACT
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relating to the state virtual school network, including funding and |
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the provision of courses. |
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BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
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SECTION 1. Section 26.0031(c-1), Education Code, is amended |
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to read as follows: |
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(c-1) A school district or open-enrollment charter school |
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may decline to pay the cost for a student of more than three |
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yearlong electronic courses, or the equivalent, during any school |
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year. This subsection does not[:
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[(1)] limit the ability of the student to enroll in |
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additional electronic courses at the student's cost[; or
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[(2)
apply to a student enrolled in a full-time online
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program that was operating on January 1, 2013]. |
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SECTION 2. Section 30A.101(c), Education Code, is amended |
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to read as follows: |
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(c) A nonprofit entity, private entity, or corporation is |
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eligible to act as a course provider under this chapter only if the |
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nonprofit entity, private entity, or corporation: |
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(1) complies with all applicable federal and state |
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laws prohibiting discrimination; |
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(2) demonstrates financial solvency; and |
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(3) either: |
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(A) provides evidence of prior successful |
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experience offering online courses to kindergarten or elementary, |
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middle, or high school students, with demonstrated student success |
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in course completion and performance, as determined by the |
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commissioner; or |
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(B) provides evidence that it is capable of |
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carrying out the responsibilities of a course provider and is |
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likely to provide high quality courses, as determined by the |
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commissioner. |
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SECTION 3. Section 30A.104(a), Education Code, is amended |
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to read as follows: |
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(a) A course offered through the state virtual school |
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network must: |
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(1) be in a specific subject that is part of the |
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required curriculum under Section 28.002(a); |
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(2) be aligned with the essential knowledge and skills |
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identified under Section 28.002(c) for a grade level at or above |
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kindergarten [grade level three]; and |
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(3) be the equivalent in instructional rigor and scope |
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to a course that is provided in a traditional classroom setting |
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during: |
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(A) a semester of 90 instructional days; and |
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(B) a school day that meets the minimum length of |
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a school day required under Section 25.082. |
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SECTION 4. Section 30A.151(f), Education Code, is amended |
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to read as follows: |
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(f) For a full-time electronic course program offered |
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through the state virtual school network for a grade level at or |
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above kindergarten [grade level three] but not above grade level |
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eight, a school district or open-enrollment charter school is |
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entitled to receive federal, state, and local funding for a student |
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enrolled in the program in an amount equal to the funding the |
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district or school would otherwise receive for a student enrolled |
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in the district or school. The district or school may calculate the |
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average daily attendance of a student enrolled in the program based |
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on: |
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(1) hours of contact with the student; |
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(2) the student's successful completion of a course; |
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or |
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(3) a method approved by the commissioner. |
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SECTION 5. Section 30A.153(a), Education Code, is amended |
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to read as follows: |
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(a) A [Subject to the limitation imposed under Subsection
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(a-1), a] school district or open-enrollment charter school in |
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which a student is enrolled is entitled to funding under Chapter 42 |
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or in accordance with the terms of a charter granted under Section |
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12.101 for the student's enrollment in an electronic course offered |
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through the state virtual school network in the same manner that the |
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district or school is entitled to funding for the student's |
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enrollment in courses provided in a traditional classroom setting, |
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provided that the student successfully completes the electronic |
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course. |
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SECTION 6. Section 30A.153(a-1), Education Code, is |
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repealed. |
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SECTION 7. This Act applies beginning with the 2015-2016 |
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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, 2015. |