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A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
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AN ACT
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relating to public school class size limits. |
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BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
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SECTION 1. Sections 25.112(a) and (d), Education Code, are |
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amended to read as follows: |
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(a) Except as otherwise authorized by this section, a school |
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district may not enroll at a campus in classes in the kindergarten, |
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first, second, third, or fourth grade levels more than a |
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campus-wide average in each of those grade levels of 22 students per |
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[in a kindergarten, first, second, third, or fourth grade] class. |
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That limitation does not apply during: |
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(1) any 12-week period of the school year selected by |
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the district, in the case of a district whose average daily |
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attendance is adjusted under Section 42.005(c); or |
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(2) the last 12 weeks of any school year in the case of |
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any other district. |
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(d) On application of a school district, the commissioner |
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may except the district from the limit in Subsection (a) for the |
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school year if the commissioner finds the limit works an undue |
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hardship on the district. An exception expires at the end of the |
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school year for which it is granted. |
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SECTION 2. Section 25.113(a), Education Code, is amended to |
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read as follows: |
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(a) A campus or district that is granted an exception under |
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Section 25.112(d) from class size limits shall provide written |
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notice of the exception to the parent of or person standing in |
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parental relation to each student affected by the exception. The |
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notice must be in conspicuous bold or underlined print and: |
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(1) specify the grade level [class] for which an |
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exception from the limit imposed by Section 25.112(a) was granted; |
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(2) state the number of children in each [the] class at |
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the grade level for which the exception was granted; and |
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(3) be included in a regular mailing or other |
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communication from the campus or district, such as information sent |
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home with students. |
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SECTION 3. Section 39.333, Education Code, is amended to |
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read as follows: |
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Sec. 39.333. REGIONAL AND DISTRICT LEVEL REPORT. As part of |
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the comprehensive biennial report under Section 39.332, the agency |
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shall submit a regional and district level report covering the |
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preceding two school years and containing: |
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(1) a summary of school district compliance with the |
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student/teacher ratios and class-size limitations prescribed by |
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Sections 25.111 and 25.112, including: |
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(A) the number of campuses and grade levels |
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[classes] at each campus granted an exception from Section 25.112; |
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and |
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(B) for each campus granted an exception from |
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Section 25.112, a statement of whether the campus has been awarded a |
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distinction designation under Subchapter G or has been identified |
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as an unacceptable campus under Chapter 39A; |
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(2) a summary of the exemptions and waivers granted to |
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campuses and school districts under Section 7.056 or 39.232 and a |
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review of the effectiveness of each campus or district following |
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deregulation; |
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(3) an evaluation of the performance of the system of |
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regional education service centers based on the indicators adopted |
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under Section 8.101 and client satisfaction with services provided |
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under Subchapter B, Chapter 8; |
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(4) an evaluation of accelerated instruction programs |
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offered under Section 28.006, including an assessment of the |
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quality of such programs and the performance of students enrolled |
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in such programs; and |
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(5) the number of classes at each campus that are |
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currently being taught by individuals who are not certified in the |
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content areas of their respective classes. |
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SECTION 4. This Act applies beginning with the 2019-2020 |
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school year. |
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SECTION 5. 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, 2019. |