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A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
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AN ACT
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relating to a temporary suspension of accountability sanctions for |
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public schools and to studies on accountability assessment |
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instruments. |
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BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
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SECTION 1. Subchapter K, Chapter 39, Education Code, is |
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amended by adding Section 39.335 to read as follows: |
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Sec. 39.335. ALTERNATIVE ACCOUNTABILITY INSTRUMENT STUDY. |
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(a) The agency shall conduct a study on potential alternative |
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assessment instruments that may be used for purposes of the state |
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accountability system instead of the assessment instruments |
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adopted under Section 39.023. |
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(b) Not later than December 1, 2020, the agency shall submit |
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a report to the legislature that includes the results of the study |
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and any recommendations for legislative or other action. |
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(c) This section expires September 1, 2021. |
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SECTION 2. Subchapter Z, Chapter 39A, Education Code, is |
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amended by adding Section 39A.907 to read as follows: |
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Sec. 39A.907. TEMPORARY SUSPENSION OF SANCTIONS; |
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ASSESSMENT INSTRUMENT STUDY. (a) Notwithstanding any other law, |
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interventions and sanctions under this chapter may not be applied |
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to a school district or campus for an unacceptable performance |
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rating under Section 39.054 received for the 2019-2020 or 2020-2021 |
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school year. |
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(b) The performance rating assigned to a school district or |
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campus for the 2019-2020 or 2020-2021 school year may not be used as |
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the basis for the imposition of any intervention or sanction |
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authorized by this chapter after the 2020-2021 school year, |
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including an intervention or sanction authorized by Section 39A.101 |
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or 39A.111. |
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(c) The commissioner shall conduct a study to determine |
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whether, for each applicable grade level, each assessment |
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instrument administered under Section 39.023(a) is written at the |
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appropriate reading level for students in that grade level. |
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(d) As part of the study required by Subsection (c), the |
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commissioner shall provide notice of and hold at least one public |
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hearing to receive public comment. |
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(e) Not later than August 1, 2020, the commissioner shall |
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submit a report to the legislature that includes the results of the |
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study, a summary of the comments from the public hearing or |
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hearings, and any recommendations for legislative or other action. |
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(f) If the report submitted by the commissioner under |
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Subsection (e) indicates that any assessment instrument adopted |
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under Section 39.023(a) was written at a reading level above the |
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grade level of the students to which the assessment instrument was |
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administered, the commissioner shall revise the performance |
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standard for that assessment instrument under Section 39.0241 as |
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necessary to more accurately reflect student performance. |
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(g) This section expires September 1, 2023. |
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SECTION 3. Section 39A.907, Education Code, as added by |
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this Act, applies beginning with the 2019-2020 school year. |
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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, 2019. |