84R4151 MK-F
 
  By: Hancock S.B. No. 1011
 
 
 
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
 
AN ACT
  relating to public school choice, including school campus
  information, student transfers, the public education grant
  program, and the transportation allotment.
         BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
         SECTION 1.  Section 8.051, Education Code, is amended by
  adding Subsection (e) to read as follows:
         (e)  Each regional education service center shall
  consolidate and submit to the agency or the entity contracting with
  the agency under Section 25.0012(c) the school availability
  information required under Section 25.0012 for any school located
  in the area served by the center. Each school district and
  open-enrollment charter school shall provide the necessary
  information to the regional education service center once each
  year.  The information shall be submitted by the center in the
  manner and format specified by the agency or contracting entity.  
  Each regional education service center shall provide additional
  campus information and enrollment services as required by the
  commissioner.
         SECTION 2.  Subchapter A, Chapter 25, Education Code, is
  amended by adding Section 25.0012 to read as follows:
         Sec. 25.0012.  SCHOOL AVAILABILITY INFORMATION. (a)  The
  agency shall maintain an Internet website, separate from the
  agency's main Internet website, that includes the following
  information:
               (1)  each campus located within each school district
  and the area served by each campus, including any open-enrollment
  charter school located in the district;
               (2)  the number of students that may attend each
  campus;
               (3)  the number of students attending each campus;
               (4)  the number of available student positions at each
  campus, as determined by the district or school;
               (5)  intensive programs offered at each campus,
  including optional flexible school day and credit recovery
  programs;
               (6)  college and career readiness programs offered at
  each campus, including dual credit programs, international
  baccalaureate programs, advanced placement programs, magnet
  programs, and Advancement Via Individual Determination (AVID)
  programs;
               (7)  expanded learning programs, including extended
  day programs, extended year programs, and 21st Century Community
  Learning Center programs; and
               (8)  the accountability ratings under Subchapter C,
  Chapter 39, for the preceding school year of each campus and
  district.
         (b)  The Internet website required by Subsection (a) must
  enable the public to identify by zip code the school district
  campuses and open-enrollment charter schools located in a student's
  district of residence and contiguous districts and search by
  identified performance and program offerings, including the
  program offerings in Subsections (a)(5)-(7). For each campus
  identified, the Internet website shall display the information
  specified in Subsections (a)(2) and (3) and the process by which a
  student may enroll in a campus that is not the campus to which the
  student is assigned.
         (c)  The agency may contract for the services of one or more
  contractors to develop, implement, maintain, and publicize the
  Internet website required by Subsection (a).  In awarding a
  contract under this subsection, the agency must consider an
  applicant's demonstrated competence and qualifications in
  maximizing Internet website accessibility and ease of use.
         (d)  The agency and each school district, open-enrollment
  charter school, and regional education service center shall
  prominently display and maintain on the main page of the entity's
  Internet website a link to the Internet website required by
  Subsection (a).
         (e)  Each school district, open-enrollment charter school,
  and regional education service center shall maintain on the
  entity's Internet website a description of the procedure for a
  student to transfer to another campus within the entity's
  jurisdiction. Each school district, open-enrollment charter
  school, and regional education service center shall display on the
  main page of the entity's Internet website a link to the information
  required by this subsection.
         (f)  In addition to any amount appropriated by the
  legislature, the agency may accept funds from any other public or
  private entity to carry out the requirements of this section. Funds
  accepted under this subsection may not be accepted on terms
  inconsistent with the requirements of this section.
         SECTION 3.  Section 25.033, Education Code, is amended to
  read as follows:
         Sec. 25.033.  ASSIGNMENT OR TRANSFER ON PETITION OF PARENT.
  (a) The parent or person standing in parental relation to any
  student that resides in the school district may by petition in
  writing [either:
               [(1)] request the assignment or transfer of the student
  to a designated school or to a school to be designated by the board.
  Except as provided by this section and Sections 25.0341, 25.0342,
  and 25.0343, the board shall grant the request[; or
               [(2)     file objections to the assignment of the student
  to the school to which the student has been assigned].
         (b)  A school district may not be required to accept a
  transfer to a school facility if the projected student enrollment
  growth of the attendance zone of the facility will cause the
  facility to exceed available capacity within three years.
         (c)  Except as otherwise provided by this section, a school
  district that has more applicants for a transfer to a school
  facility than available positions must give priority to students at
  risk of dropping out of school as defined by Section 29.081 and must
  fill the available positions by lottery.
         (d)  The board of trustees of a school district may adopt a
  policy that establishes admissions criteria, including audition or
  performance criteria, for admission to a campus or program,
  including a magnet campus or program, that:
               (1)  offers specialized areas of study and focus for
  students; or
               (2)  limits admission to students of a single gender.
         (e)  Subject to Subsection (d)(2), in permitting transfers
  under this section, a school district may not discriminate on the
  basis of a student's national origin, ancestral language,
  ethnicity, gender, or socioeconomic status.
         (f)  Except as otherwise provided by this section, a student
  permitted to transfer to a campus under this section may continue to
  attend that campus and the campuses to which students from that
  campus are regularly assigned for higher grade levels until the
  student graduates from high school.
         (g)  The board of trustees of a school district may adopt a
  policy that provides for the exclusion of a student requesting or
  receiving a transfer under this section who has a documented
  history of a criminal offense, juvenile court adjudication, failure
  to attend school, or discipline problem under Subchapter A, Chapter
  37.
         (h)  The commissioner may adopt rules necessary to implement
  this section.
         SECTION 4.  Section 25.035, Education Code, is amended to
  read as follows:
         Sec. 25.035.  TRANSFERS BETWEEN DISTRICTS OR COUNTIES. (a)
  The boards of trustees of two or more [adjoining] school districts
  or the boards of county school trustees of two or more [adjoining]
  counties may, by agreement [and in accordance with Sections 25.032,
  25.033, and 25.034], arrange for the transfer and assignment of any
  student from the jurisdiction of one board to that of another. In
  the case of the transfer and assignment of a student under this
  section, the participating governing boards shall also agree to the
  transfer of school funds or other payments proportionate to the
  transfer of attendance.
         (b)  The parent or person standing in parental relation to a
  student may by written petition request the assignment or transfer
  of the student to:
               (1)  a designated school in a district other than the
  student's district of residence; or
               (2)  a school designated by the board of trustees of a
  district other than the student's district of residence.
         (c)  The board of trustees of a school district may adopt a
  policy that provides for the exclusion or removal of a student
  requesting or receiving a transfer under this section who has a
  documented history of a criminal offense, juvenile court
  adjudication, failure to attend school, or discipline problem under
  Subchapter A, Chapter 37.
         SECTION 5.  Section 25.036, Education Code, is amended by
  amending Subsection (a) and adding Subsection (c) to read as
  follows:
         (a)  Any child, other than a high school graduate, who is
  younger than 21 years of age and eligible for enrollment on
  September 1 of any school year may transfer [annually] from the
  child's school district of residence to another district in this
  state if both the receiving district and the applicant parent or
  [guardian or] person standing in parental relation to [having
  lawful control of] the child jointly approve and timely agree in
  writing to the transfer.
         (c)  A transfer made under this section is effective until
  the parent or person standing in parental relation to the child
  decides to transfer the child to a school in a different district or
  the child graduates from high school.
         SECTION 6.  Section 26.003, Education Code, is amended to
  read as follows:
         Sec. 26.003.  RIGHTS CONCERNING ACADEMIC PROGRAMS. (a) A
  parent is entitled to:
               (1)  [petition the board of trustees designating the
  school in the district that the parent's child will attend, as
  provided by Section 25.033;
               [(2)]  reasonable access to the school principal, or to
  a designated administrator with the authority to reassign a
  student, to request a change in the class or teacher to which the
  parent's child has been assigned, if the reassignment or change
  would not affect the assignment or reassignment of another student;
               (2) [(3)]  request, with the expectation that the
  request will not be unreasonably denied:
                     (A)  the addition of a specific academic class in
  the course of study of the parent's child in keeping with the
  required curriculum if sufficient interest is shown in the addition
  of the class to make it economically practical to offer the class;
                     (B)  that the parent's child be permitted to
  attend a class for credit above the child's grade level, whether in
  the child's school or another school, unless the board or its
  designated representative expects that the child cannot perform
  satisfactorily in the class; or
                     (C)  that the parent's child be permitted to
  graduate from high school earlier than the child would normally
  graduate, if the child completes each course required for
  graduation; and
               (3) [(4)]  have a child who graduates early as provided
  by Subdivision (2)(C) [(3)(C)] participate in graduation
  ceremonies at the time the child graduates.
         (b)  The decision of the board of trustees concerning a
  request described by Subsection (a)(1) or (2) [(a)(2) or (3)] is
  final and may not be appealed.
         SECTION 7.  Section 29.201, Education Code, is amended to
  read as follows:
         Sec. 29.201.  PARENTAL CHOICE. Notwithstanding any other
  provision of this code, as provided by this subchapter an eligible
  student may attend a public school in the district in which the
  student resides or may use a public education grant to attend any
  public school in any other district chosen by the student's parent
  or any person standing in parental relation to the student until the
  student decides to attend a school in a different district or
  graduates from high school.
         SECTION 8.  Section 29.202(b), Education Code, is amended to
  read as follows:
         (b)  After a student has used a public education grant to
  attend a school in a district other than the district in which the
  student resides,[:
               [(1)]  the student does not become ineligible for the
  grant if the school on which the student's initial eligibility is
  based no longer meets the criteria under Subsection (a)[; and
               [(2)     the student becomes ineligible for the grant if
  the student is assigned to attend a school that does not meet the
  criteria under Subsection (a)].
         SECTION 9.  Sections 29.203(c) and (d), Education Code, are
  amended to read as follows:
         (c)  A school district is entitled to additional facilities
  assistance under Section 42.4101 if the district enrolls [agrees
  to:
               [(1)  accept] a number of students using public
  education grants that is at least one percent of the district's
  average daily attendance for the preceding school year[; and
               [(2)     provide services to each student until the
  student either voluntarily decides to attend a school in a
  different district or graduates from high school].
         (d)  [A school district chosen by a student's parent under
  Section 29.201 is entitled to accept or reject the application for
  the student to attend school in that district but may not use
  criteria that discriminate on the basis of a student's race,
  ethnicity, academic achievement, athletic abilities, language
  proficiency, sex, or socioeconomic status.] A school district that
  has more [acceptable] applicants for attendance under this
  subchapter than available positions must [give priority to students
  at risk of dropping out of school as defined by Section 29.081 and
  must] fill the available positions by lottery. However, to achieve
  continuity in education, a school district may give priority 
  [preference over at-risk students to enrolled students and] to the
  siblings of enrolled students residing in the same household or
  other children residing in the same household as enrolled students
  for the convenience of parents, guardians, or custodians of those
  children.
         SECTION 10.  Section 42.155(b), Education Code, is amended
  by amending Subdivision (3) and adding Subdivision (4) to read as
  follows:
               (3)  "Linear density" means:
                     (A)  for purposes of Subsection (c), the average
  number of regular eligible students transported daily, divided by
  the approved daily route miles traveled by the [respective]
  transportation system; and
                     (B)  for purposes of Subsection (c-1), the average
  number of school choice eligible students transported daily,
  divided by the approved daily route miles traveled by the
  transportation system.
               (4)  "School choice eligible student" means a student
  who resides two or more miles from the student's campus of choice as
  provided by Subchapter B, Chapter 25, measured along the shortest
  route that may be traveled on public roads, and who is not
  classified as a student eligible for special education services.
         SECTION 11.  Section 42.155, Education Code, is amended by
  adding Subsection (c-1) and amending Subsection (d) to read as
  follows:
         (c-1)  This subsection applies only to a district that the
  commissioner determines offers students residing in the district a
  variety of choices in selecting a campus for attendance and
  provides transportation to an eligible student to the selected
  campus at no cost to the student. In determining under this
  subsection whether a district offers a variety of campus choices,
  the commissioner must consider the diversity of enrollment and
  curriculum criteria among campuses in the district, including
  criteria such as the gender of students enrolled at the campus, the
  subject matter or learning methods emphasized at the campus, and
  the degree to which athletic and other extracurricular activities
  are available at the campus. In addition to the regular
  transportation allotment under Subsection (c), a district is
  entitled to an allotment based on the daily cost per school choice
  eligible student of operating and maintaining the transportation
  system for school choice eligible students and the linear density
  of that system. In determining the cost, the commissioner shall
  give consideration to factors affecting the actual cost of
  providing those transportation services in the district. The
  average actual cost is to be computed by the commissioner and
  included for consideration by the legislature in the General
  Appropriations Act. The allotment per mile of approved route may
  not exceed the amount set by appropriation.
         (d)  A district or county may apply for and on approval of the
  commissioner receive an additional amount of up to 10 percent of its
  regular transportation allotment under Subsection (c) to be used
  for the transportation of children living within two miles of the
  school they attend who would be subject to hazardous traffic
  conditions if they walked to school. Each board of trustees shall
  provide to the commissioner the definition of hazardous conditions
  applicable to that district and shall identify the specific
  hazardous areas for which the allocation is requested. A hazardous
  condition exists where no walkway is provided and children must
  walk along or cross a freeway or expressway, an underpass, an
  overpass or a bridge, an uncontrolled major traffic artery, an
  industrial or commercial area, or another comparable condition.
         SECTION 12.  Sections 25.032, 25.034, 25.0341(f),
  25.0342(g), and 25.0343(c), Education Code, are repealed.
         SECTION 13.  (a)  Except as provided by Subsection (b) of
  this section, this Act applies beginning with the 2016-2017 school
  year.
         (b)  Sections 8.051(e) and 25.0012, Education Code, as added
  by this Act, apply 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.