By: Garcia  S.B. No. 1483
         (In the Senate - Filed March 12, 2015; March 19, 2015, read
  first time and referred to Committee on Education; April 28, 2015,
  reported adversely, with favorable Committee Substitute by the
  following vote:  Yeas 10, Nays 0; April 28, 2015, sent to printer.)
Click here to see the committee vote
 
  COMMITTEE SUBSTITUTE FOR S.B. No. 1483 By:  Garcia
 
 
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
 
AN ACT
 
  relating to Texas community schools.
         BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
         SECTION 1.  Chapter 29, Education Code, is amended by adding
  Subchapter N to read as follows:
  SUBCHAPTER N. TEXAS COMMUNITY SCHOOLS
         Sec. 29.551.  DEFINITION. In this subchapter,
  "community-based organization" means a nonprofit corporation or
  association located in close proximity to the population the
  organization serves.
         Sec. 29.552.  TEXAS COMMUNITY SCHOOL. (a)  A Texas
  community school is a public elementary, middle, junior high, or
  high school that partners with one or more community-based
  organizations to coordinate academic, social, and health services
  to reduce barriers to learning and improve the quality of education
  for students in the community.
         (b)  A Texas community school offers a variety of programs
  and services, which may include:
               (1)  early childhood education;
               (2)  after-school and summer school academic and
  enrichment programs;
               (3)  college and career preparation;
               (4)  service learning opportunities, such as
  internships and community service programs;
               (5)  leadership and mentoring programs;
               (6)  activities to encourage community and parent
  engagement in students' education;
               (7)  health and social services for students and their
  families; and
               (8)  parenting classes.
         Sec. 29.553.  TRANSITION TO TEXAS COMMUNITY SCHOOL. (a)  A
  public elementary, middle, junior high, or high school may
  transition to a Texas community school if the school:
               (1)  establishes a school community partnership team to
  function as the campus-level planning and decision-making
  committee required under Section 11.251, composed of the members
  required under Section 11.251 and additional community
  representatives;
               (2)  conducts a comprehensive on-site needs assessment
  using the guidelines and procedures described by Section 39.106(b);
               (3)  establishes a partnership with a lead
  community-based organization, such as Communities In Schools, a
  social service provider, or an education or youth services
  organization, that has experience in developing and implementing a
  community school plan;
               (4)  develops a community school plan that satisfies
  the requirements for a campus improvement plan under Section
  11.253; and
               (5)  gains approval for the community school plan from:
                     (A)  at least 75 percent of campus faculty and
  staff and 75 percent of parents of students enrolled at the school;
  and
                     (B)  the board of trustees of the school district
  in which the school is located.
         (b)  A school that transitions to a Texas community school
  under Subsection (a) shall hire a new employee or designate a school
  district employee or an employee of a community-based organization
  with experience in developing and implementing a community school
  plan as the community school coordinator for the school.  The
  coordinator's duties include:
               (1)  recruiting community partners and building
  community support for the school;
               (2)  coordinating:
                     (A)  the school community partnership team's
  planning and training activities; 
                     (B)  planning and evaluation efforts between the
  school and community partners;
                     (C)  academic and student and family support
  programs; and
                     (D)  after-school, summer, and enrichment
  programs for students;
               (3)  encouraging community and parent engagement in the
  school;
               (4)  seeking available resources for implementing
  community school programs and services;
               (5)  conducting an annual needs assessment of the
  school in coordination with the school community partnership team;
               (6)  acting as a liaison between the school, other
  community schools, the school district, and community partners; and
               (7)  developing a plan for sustaining the community
  school plan.
         (c)  In developing or implementing a community school plan,
  the school may seek assistance from other community schools,
  regional education service centers, or technical assistance
  providers.
         (d)  For purposes of Subsection (c), a technical assistance
  provider is a public or private entity that has experience in
  developing and implementing a community school plan and that
  provides:
               (1)  professional development, training, technical
  assistance, coaching, or quality assurance activities to assist
  schools in transitioning to a Texas community school, sustaining
  the community school plan, or maximizing the effectiveness of that
  plan; or
               (2)  capacity-building training to regional education
  service centers to enable the centers to support a school's
  transition to a Texas community school or assist the school in
  sustaining the school's community school plan.
         Sec. 29.554.  COMMUNITY AND DISTRICT OVERSIGHT. A school
  that transitions to a Texas community school shall:
               (1)  hold a community meeting at least twice each year
  to:
                     (A)  inform community stakeholders about the
  school's progress in implementing the community school plan; and
                     (B)  seek community input regarding any
  improvements or changes that could be made to the plan; and
               (2)  report annually to the board of trustees of the
  school district in which the school is located regarding the
  school's progress in implementing the plan.
         Sec. 29.555.  LOW-PERFORMING SCHOOLS. (a)  A school
  community partnership team formed by a school with performance
  below any standard under Section 39.054(e) functions as the campus
  intervention team for purposes of Section 39.106.
         (b)  A low-performing school transitioning to a Texas
  community school shall receive district-level support to assist the
  school in developing and implementing the community school plan.
  The support must continue for at least two school years after the
  school successfully meets the standards under Section 39.054(e).
         Sec. 29.556.  FUNDING. A Texas community school or a school
  transitioning to a Texas community school may seek and accept
  gifts, grants, donations, and funds from federal and state agencies
  and private sources for purposes related to the school's function
  as a Texas community school.
         Sec. 29.557.  RECOGNITION AS TEXAS COMMUNITY SCHOOL. (a)  A
  school that transitions to a Texas community school shall be
  recognized by the state as a Texas community school.
         (b)  The agency shall develop methods for recognizing a
  school as a Texas community school.
         Sec. 29.558.  RULES. The commissioner may adopt rules as
  necessary to implement this subchapter.
         SECTION 2.  Sections 39.106(c) and (f), Education Code, are
  amended to read as follows:
         (c)  On completing the on-site needs assessment under this
  section, the campus intervention team shall, with the involvement
  and advice of the school community partnership team, if applicable,
  recommend actions relating to any area of insufficient performance,
  including:
               (1)  reallocation of resources;
               (2)  technical assistance;
               (3)  changes in school procedures or operations;
               (4)  staff development for instructional and
  administrative staff;
               (5)  intervention for individual administrators or
  teachers;
               (6)  waivers from state statutes or rules;
               (7)  teacher recruitment or retention strategies and
  incentives provided by the district to attract and retain teachers
  with the characteristics included in Subsection (b)(1); [or]
               (8)  transition to a Texas community school under
  Subchapter N, Chapter 29; or
               (9)  other actions the campus intervention team
  considers appropriate.
         (f)  Notwithstanding any other provision of this subchapter,
  if the commissioner determines that a campus for which an
  intervention is ordered under Subsection (a) is not fully
  implementing the campus intervention team's recommendations or
  targeted improvement plan or updated plan, the commissioner may:
               (1)  order the reconstitution of the campus as provided
  by Section 39.107; or
               (2)  approve the campus's transition to a Texas
  community school under Subchapter N, Chapter 29, on request from
  the principal of the campus.
         SECTION 3.  Section 39.107, Education Code, is amended by
  amending Subsection (a) and adding Subsections (a-2) and (s) to
  read as follows:
         (a)  Subject to Subsection (a-2), after [After] a campus has
  been identified as unacceptable for two consecutive school years,
  the commissioner shall order the reconstitution of the campus.
         (a-2)  A campus may elect to transition to a Texas community
  school under Subchapter N, Chapter 29, instead of reconstitution
  under this section if the campus:
               (1)  notifies the commissioner of the campus's election
  not later than two weeks after the date on which the commissioner
  orders reconstitution under Subsection (a); and
               (2)  satisfies the requirements of transitioning to a
  Texas community school under Subchapter N, Chapter 29, not later
  than six months after the date on which the commissioner orders
  reconstitution under Subsection (a).
         (s)  The commissioner may not order the closure of a campus
  under this section without giving the campus the opportunity to
  transition to a Texas community school under Subchapter N, Chapter
  29, and at least two years to implement the campus's community
  school plan.
         SECTION 4.  Section 29.259, Education Code, is transferred
  to Subchapter Z, Chapter 29, Education Code, and redesignated as
  Section 29.923, Education Code, to read as follows:
         Sec. 29.923 [29.259].  ADULT HIGH SCHOOL DIPLOMA AND
  INDUSTRY CERTIFICATION CHARTER SCHOOL PILOT PROGRAM. (a)  In this
  section, "adult education" means services and instruction provided
  below the college level for adults by a nonprofit entity described
  by Subsection (e).
         (b)  The commissioner shall establish an adult high school
  diploma and industry certification charter school pilot program as
  provided by this section as a strategy for meeting industry needs
  for a sufficiently trained workforce within the state.
         (c)  The agency shall adopt and administer a standardized
  secondary exit-level assessment instrument appropriate for
  assessing adult education program participants who successfully
  complete high school curriculum requirements under a program
  provided under this section.  The commissioner shall determine the
  level of performance considered to be satisfactory on the secondary
  exit-level assessment instrument for receipt of a high school
  diploma by an adult education program participant in a program
  provided under this section.
         (d)  Notwithstanding any other law and in addition to the
  number of charters allowed under Subchapter D, Chapter 12, a
  charter under the pilot program may, on the basis of an application
  submitted, be granted to a single nonprofit entity described by
  Subsection (e) to provide an adult education program for not more
  than 150 individuals described by Subsection (g) to successfully
  complete:
               (1)  a high school program that can lead to a diploma;
  and
               (2)  career and technology education courses that can
  lead to industry certification.
         (e)  A nonprofit entity may be granted a charter under this
  section only if the entity:
               (1)  has a successful history of providing education
  services, including industry certifications and job placement
  services, to adults 18 years of age and older whose educational and
  training opportunities have been limited by educational
  disadvantages, disabilities, homelessness, criminal history, or
  similar circumstances; and
               (2)  agrees to commit at least $1 million to the adult
  education program offered.
         (f)  A nonprofit entity granted a charter under this section
  may partner with a public junior college to provide career and
  technology courses that lead to industry certification.
         (g)  A person who is at least 19 years of age and not more
  than 50 years of age is eligible to enroll in the adult education
  program under this section if the person has not earned a high
  school equivalency certificate and:
               (1)  has failed to complete the curriculum requirements
  for high school graduation; or
               (2)  has failed to perform satisfactorily on an
  assessment instrument required for high school graduation.
         (h)  The nonprofit entity must include in its charter
  application the information required by Subsection (i).
         (i)  A charter granted under this section must:
               (1)  include a description of the adult education
  program to be offered under this section; and
               (2)  establish specific, objective standards for
  receiving a high school diploma, including satisfactory
  performance on the standardized secondary exit-level assessment
  instrument described by Subsection (c).
         (j)  Funding for an adult education program under this
  section is provided based on the following:
               (1)  for participants who are 26 years of age and older,
  an amount per participant from available general revenue funds
  appropriated for the pilot program equal to the statewide average
  amount of state funding per student in weighted average daily
  attendance that would be allocated under the Foundation School
  Program to an open-enrollment charter school under Section 12.106
  were the student under 26 years of age; and
               (2)  for participants who are at least 19 years of age
  and under 26 years of age, an amount per participant through the
  Foundation School Program equal to the amount of state funding per
  student in weighted average daily attendance that would be
  allocated under the Foundation School Program for the student's
  attendance at an open-enrollment charter school in accordance with
  Section 12.106.
         (k)  Sections 12.107 and 12.128 apply as though funds under
  this section were funds under Subchapter D, Chapter 12.
         (l)  Not later than December 1 of each even-numbered year,
  beginning December 1, 2016, the agency shall prepare and deliver to
  the governor, lieutenant governor, speaker of the house of
  representatives, and presiding officer of each standing
  legislative committee with primary jurisdiction over public
  education or economic development a report that:
               (1)  evaluates any adult education program operated
  under a charter granted under this section; and
               (2)  makes recommendations regarding the abolition,
  continuation, or expansion of the pilot program.
         (m)  The commissioner shall adopt rules necessary to
  administer the pilot program under this section.  In adopting
  rules, the commissioner may modify charter school requirements only
  to the extent necessary for the administration of a charter school
  under this section that provides for adult education.
         SECTION 5.  Section 42.003(a), Education Code, is amended to
  read as follows:
         (a)  A student is entitled to the benefits of the Foundation
  School Program if, on September 1 of the school year, the student:
               (1)  is 5 years of age or older and under 21 years of age
  and has not graduated from high school, or is at least 21 years of
  age and under 26 years of age and has been admitted by a school
  district to complete the requirements for a high school diploma; or
               (2)  is at least 19 years of age and under 26 years of
  age and is enrolled in an adult high school diploma and industry
  certification charter school pilot program under Section 29.923
  [29.259].
         SECTION 6.  (a)  The heading to Subchapter H, Chapter 29,
  Education Code, is repealed.
         (b)  Sections 7.021(b)(8), 7.102(c)(17), 29.251, 29.252,
  29.255, 29.256, and 29.257, Education Code, are repealed.
         SECTION 7.  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.
 
  * * * * *