84R9085 KJE-F

By: Garcia S.B. No. 1484

A BILL TO BE ENTITLED

AN ACT

relating to the establishment of a community school grant program.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:

SECTION 1. Chapter 29, Education Code, is amended by adding Subchapter M to read as follows:

SUBCHAPTER M. COMMUNITY SCHOOL GRANT PROGRAM

Sec. 29.501. DEFINITIONS. In this subchapter:

(1) "Community-based organization" means a nonprofit corporation or association located in close proximity to the population the organization serves.

(2) "Community school" means 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.

Sec. 29.502. COMMUNITY SCHOOL GRANT PROGRAM. (a) The agency shall establish a competitive grant program to assist public elementary, middle, junior high, and high schools in developing community school plans and transitioning into community schools.

(b) From funds appropriated for the purpose, the agency shall award two-year grants to eligible schools. Each grant may not exceed:

(1) $60,000 each academic year to pay a stipend to a community school coordinator; and

(2) $25,000 each academic year to develop and implement a community school plan.

(c) On application from a school, a grant awarded under this section may be extended by the agency for an additional year.

Sec. 29.503. ELIGIBILITY. A public elementary, middle, junior high, or high school is eligible to apply for a grant under this subchapter if the school demonstrates a commitment to transitioning into a community school by establishing:

(1) 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; and

(2) a partnership with a lead community-based organization that has experience in developing and implementing a community school plan.

Sec. 29.504. USE OF FUNDS. (a) Funds granted under this subchapter may not be used for direct programs for students or families or for other activities not related to developing or implementing a community school plan.

(b) A community school coordinator employed using grant funds must have relevant experience as a school district employee or an employee of a community-based organization with experience in developing and implementing a community school plan. 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; and

(6) acting as a liaison between the school, other community schools, the school district, and community partners.

(c) Before a community school plan may be implemented, the plan must:

(1) satisfy the requirements for a campus improvement plan under Section 11.253; and

(2) be approved by:

(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.

Sec. 29.505. LOW-PERFORMING SCHOOLS. If a school with performance below any standard under Section 39.054(e) receives a grant under this subchapter, the school's school community partnership team functions as the campus intervention team for purposes of Section 39.106.

Sec. 29.506. PROGRAM OVERSIGHT. (a) At least once each year, the agency shall:

(1) monitor the transition into a community school of each school awarded a grant under this subchapter; and

(2) evaluate whether the school has made satisfactory progress toward carrying out the school's objectives as set out in the community school plan.

(b) A school that the agency determines has not made satisfactory progress under Subsection (a) may continue to receive grant funds under this subchapter only if the school:

(1) amends the school's community school plan to address any deficiencies the agency identified during the evaluation; and

(2) demonstrates strong community support for the school's transition to a community school.

Sec. 29.507. RULES. The commissioner shall adopt rules as necessary to implement this subchapter.

SECTION 2. 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 3. 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 4. (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 5. The Texas Education Agency shall establish the grant program under Subchapter M, Chapter 29, Education Code, as added by this Act, not later than November 1, 2015.

SECTION 6. 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.