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A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
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AN ACT
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relating to the powers and duties of the commissioner of education |
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regarding granting additional charters for open-enrollment charter |
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schools. |
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BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
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SECTION 1. Subchapter D, Chapter 12, Education Code, is |
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amended by adding Section 12.1015 to read as follows: |
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Sec. 12.1015. ADDITIONAL CHARTER FOR OPEN-ENROLLMENT |
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CHARTER SCHOOLS ALLOWED. (a) Notwithstanding Section |
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12.101(b-3), the commissioner may grant more than one charter for |
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an open-enrollment charter school to a charter holder if the |
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additional charter is for an open-enrollment charter school that |
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has a distinct purpose or student population. |
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(b) The commissioner by rule shall identify various types of |
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open-enrollment charter schools to be used to determine if an |
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open-enrollment charter school has a distinct purpose or will serve |
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a different student population for purposes of this section. The |
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commissioner may award a charter under Subsection (a) if the |
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commissioner determines the charter will serve a distinct purpose |
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or student population regardless of whether the type of school for |
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which the charter is sought has been identified by the |
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commissioner. |
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(c) The rules adopted under Subsection (b) must account for |
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the following types of open-enrollment charter schools: |
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(1) an open-enrollment charter school that serves a |
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general student population through a distinctly different |
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educational model; |
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(2) an alternative education open-enrollment charter |
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school that serves students who: |
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(A) have dropped out of school; or |
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(B) are students at risk of dropping out of |
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school, as defined by Section 29.081; |
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(3) an open-enrollment charter school operating under |
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a charter granted under Section 12.1014; |
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(4) a virtual open-enrollment charter school; and |
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(5) any other open-enrollment charter school that |
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serves a distinct student population, as determined by commissioner |
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rule. |
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SECTION 2. This Act applies beginning with the 2017-2018 |
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school year. |
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SECTION 3. This Act takes effect only if a specific |
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appropriation for the implementation of the Act is provided in a |
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general appropriations act of the 85th Legislature. |
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SECTION 4. 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, 2017. |
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* * * * * |