| |
|
|
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
|
|
|
AN ACT
|
|
|
relating to the commissioner of education accepting contributions |
|
|
for the public school system, adopting rules regarding grant |
|
|
compliance, and establishing grants for high-quality educational |
|
|
programs. |
|
|
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
|
|
SECTION 1. Section 7.055(b), Education Code, is amended by |
|
|
adding Subdivision (42) to read as follows: |
|
|
(42) The commissioner may accept a gift, grant, |
|
|
donation, or other contribution on behalf of the public school |
|
|
system or agency and, unless otherwise specified by the donor, may |
|
|
use the contribution in the manner the commissioner determines. |
|
|
SECTION 2. Subchapter C, Chapter 7, Education Code, is |
|
|
amended by adding Section 7.067 to read as follows: |
|
|
Sec. 7.067. GRANT COMPLIANCE. (a) The commissioner may: |
|
|
(1) adopt rules to ensure that recipients of |
|
|
state-funded grants administered by the commissioner or the agency |
|
|
are in compliance with grant requirements; and |
|
|
(2) require a grant recipient to provide information |
|
|
to the agency detailing grant compliance. |
|
|
(b) The commissioner may direct the agency to make a site |
|
|
visit to a grant recipient to review the recipient's compliance |
|
|
with grant requirements. A review conducted under this subsection |
|
|
is not subject to Section 7.028 or 39.056. |
|
|
(c) If the commissioner finds that a grant recipient is not |
|
|
in compliance with grant requirements, the commissioner may: |
|
|
(1) seek the remittance of the grant funds; and |
|
|
(2) withhold funding authorized under Section 12.106 |
|
|
or Chapter 42 or any other state funding in an amount sufficient to |
|
|
recover the grant funds provided to the recipient. |
|
|
(d) A decision of the commissioner regarding grant |
|
|
compliance, including a decision to withhold funding under |
|
|
Subsection (c), is final and may not be appealed. |
|
|
SECTION 3. Subchapter Z, Chapter 29, Education Code, is |
|
|
amended by adding Section 29.924 to read as follows: |
|
|
Sec. 29.924. HIGH-QUALITY EDUCATIONAL PROGRAM GRANTS. |
|
|
(a) The commissioner shall establish a competitive grant program |
|
|
to assist school districts and open-enrollment charter schools in |
|
|
implementing high-quality educational programs. |
|
|
(b) The commissioner may adopt rules on the use of grant |
|
|
funds under this section, including rules determining eligibility, |
|
|
award amount, and any restrictions. The commissioner may authorize |
|
|
a grant recipient or a tax-exempt organization contracting with the |
|
|
grant recipient to use grant funds for the remodeling of current |
|
|
facilities and performance-based incentives. |
|
|
(c) Grant funds awarded under this section may be used by a |
|
|
grant recipient only to implement a high-quality educational |
|
|
program or to enhance a current educational program in order for the |
|
|
program to operate as a high-quality educational program. |
|
|
(d) In selecting grant recipients under this section, the |
|
|
commissioner must consider the availability of existing resources, |
|
|
including funds and equipment, to students in the school district |
|
|
or open-enrollment charter school. |
|
|
(e) The commissioner may make grants under this section |
|
|
using funds allocated for that purpose under Section 12.141(c)(1) |
|
|
and gifts, grants, and donations accepted by the commissioner. A |
|
|
decision of the commissioner concerning the amount of funds |
|
|
available for a grant is final and may not be appealed. |
|
|
SECTION 4. The commissioner of education is required to |
|
|
implement this Act only if the legislature appropriates money |
|
|
specifically for that purpose. If the legislature does not |
|
|
appropriate money specifically for that purpose, the commissioner |
|
|
of education may, but is not required to, implement this Act using |
|
|
other appropriations available for the purpose. |
|
|
SECTION 5. (a) Except as provided by Subsection (b) of |
|
|
this section, this Act takes effect September 1, 2017. |
|
|
(b) This Act takes effect only if S.B. 1658, Acts of the 85th |
|
|
Legislature, Regular Session, 2017, is enacted and becomes law. If |
|
|
S.B. 1658 is not enacted or does not become law, this Act has no |
|
|
effect. |