By: Watson, Hughes S.B. No. 276
 
 
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
 
AN ACT
  relating to an adult high school diploma and industry certification
  charter school pilot program.
         BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
         SECTION 1.  Section 29.259, Education Code, is amended by
  amending Subsections (d) and (i) and adding Subsections (n), (o),
  (p), (q), and (r) to read as follows:
         (d)  Notwithstanding any other law and in addition to the
  number of charters allowed under Subchapter D, Chapter 12, the
  commissioner [a charter under the pilot program] may, on the basis
  of an application submitted, grant a charter under the pilot
  program [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.
         (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:
                     (A)  successful completion of:
                           (i)  if applicable to the program
  participant, the curriculum requirements under Section 28.025; or
                           (ii)  the appropriate curriculum
  requirements applicable to the program participant; and
                     (B)  satisfactory performance on the standardized
  secondary exit-level assessment instrument described by Subsection
  (c).
         (n)  An adult education program operated under a charter
  granted under this section is subject to:
               (1)  a provision of this title establishing a criminal
  offense; and
               (2)  a prohibition, restriction, or requirement, as
  applicable, imposed by this title or a rule adopted under this
  title, relating to:
                     (A)  the Public Education Information Management
  System (PEIMS) to the extent necessary as determined by the
  commissioner to monitor compliance with this section and, as
  applicable, Subchapter D, Chapter 12;
                     (B)  criminal history records under Subchapter C,
  Chapter 22;
                     (C)  high school graduation requirements under
  Section 28.025, to the extent applicable to a program participant;
                     (D)  special education programs under Subchapter
  A, Chapter 29;
                     (E)  bilingual education under Subchapter B,
  Chapter 29;
                     (F)  health and safety under Chapter 38;
                     (G)  the requirement under Section 21.006 to
  report an educator's misconduct; and
                     (H)  the right of an employee to report a crime, as
  provided by Section 37.148.
         (o)  The commissioner shall develop and adopt performance
  frameworks that establish standards by which to measure the
  performance of an adult high school program operated under a
  charter granted under this section in a manner consistent with the
  requirements provided for an open-enrollment charter school under
  Sections 12.1181(a) and (b).  The commissioner shall include in the
  performance frameworks adopted under this subsection the following
  performance indicators:
               (1)  the percentage of program participants who
  performed satisfactorily on the standardized secondary exit-level
  assessment instrument described by Subsection (c);
               (2)  the percentage of program participants who
  successfully completed the high school program and earned a high
  school diploma;
               (3)  the percentage of program participants who
  successfully completed career and technology education courses and
  obtained industry certification;
               (4)  the percentage of program participants who have
  enrolled in an institution of higher education or private or
  independent institution of higher education, as those terms are
  defined under Section 61.003; and
               (5)  the percentage of program participants who earned
  a wage, salary, or other income increase that was significant as
  determined and reported by the Texas Workforce Commission.
         (p)  Each year, the commissioner shall evaluate the
  performance of an adult high school program operated under a
  charter granted under this section based on the applicable
  performance frameworks adopted under Subsection (o).
         (q)  The commissioner shall adopt rules as necessary to
  implement and administer the reporting requirements under
  Subsection (n)(2)(A) and the evaluation provisions of Subsections
  (o) and (p).
         (r)  The commissioner or an adult education program operated
  under a charter granted under this section may accept gifts,
  grants, or donations from any public or private source to be used
  for purposes of this section.
         SECTION 2.  Section 29.259(l), Education Code, is repealed.
         SECTION 3.  Section 29.259(p), Education Code, as added by
  this Act, applies beginning with the 2017-2018 school year.
         SECTION 4.  Section 29.259(d), Education Code, as amended by
  this Act, takes effect only if a specific appropriation is provided
  for additional funding for the increase in the number of program
  participants above 150 in a general appropriations act of the 85th
  Legislature.
         SECTION 5.  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, 2017.