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A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
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AN ACT
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relating to accountability intervention provisions applicable to |
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school district campuses, including the conditions under which a |
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closed campus may be repurposed to serve students at that campus |
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location and the creation of accelerated campus excellence |
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turnaround plans. |
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BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
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SECTION 1. Section 39A.105, Education Code, is amended to |
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read as follows: |
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Sec. 39A.105. CONTENTS OF CAMPUS TURNAROUND PLAN. (a) A |
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campus turnaround plan must include: |
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(1) details on the method for restructuring, |
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reforming, or reconstituting the campus; |
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(2) a detailed description of the academic programs to |
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be offered at the campus, including: |
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(A) instructional methods; |
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(B) length of school day and school year; |
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(C) academic credit and promotion criteria; and |
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(D) programs to serve special student |
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populations; |
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(3) if a district charter is to be granted for the |
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campus under Section 12.0522: |
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(A) the term of the charter; and |
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(B) information on the implementation of the |
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charter; |
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(4) written comments from: |
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(A) the campus-level committee established under |
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Section 11.251, if applicable; |
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(B) parents; and |
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(C) teachers at the campus; and |
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(5) a detailed description of the budget, staffing, |
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and financial resources required to implement the plan, including |
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any supplemental resources to be provided by the school district or |
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other identified sources. |
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(b) A campus may submit an accelerated campus excellence |
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turnaround plan as provided by this subsection. The plan must |
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provide: |
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(1) the assignment of a principal to the campus who has |
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demonstrated a history of improvement in student academic growth at |
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campuses in which the principal has previously worked; |
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(2) that the principal has final authority over |
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personnel decisions at the campus; |
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(3) that at least 80 percent of the classroom teachers |
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assigned to the campus be teachers who performed in the top quartile |
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of teachers in the district that employed the teacher during the |
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previous school year, with performance determined by: |
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(A) for a teacher who taught in the district |
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during the previous school year: |
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(i) the teacher's impact on student growth; |
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and |
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(ii) an evaluation of the teacher based on |
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classroom observation; and |
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(B) for a teacher who did not teach in the |
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district during the previous school year, data and other evidence |
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indicating that if the teacher had taught in the district during the |
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previous school year, the teacher would have performed in the top |
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quartile of teachers in the district; |
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(4) a detailed description of the employment and |
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compensation structures for the principal and classroom teachers, |
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which must include: |
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(A) significant incentives for a high-performing |
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principal or teacher to remain at the campus; and |
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(B) a three-year commitment by the district to |
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continue incentives for the principal and teachers; |
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(5) policies and procedures for the implementation of |
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best practices at the campus, including: |
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(A) data-driven instructional practices; |
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(B) a system of observation of and feedback for |
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classroom teachers; |
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(C) positive student culture on the campus; |
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(D) family and community engagement, including |
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partnerships with parent and community groups; and |
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(E) extended learning opportunities for |
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students, which may include service or workforce learning |
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opportunities; and |
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(6) assistance by a third-party provider that is |
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approved by the commissioner in the development and implementation |
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of the district's plan. |
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(c) The commissioner may provide guidance to districts as |
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necessary to implement an accelerated campus excellence turnaround |
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plan under Subsection (b). |
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SECTION 2. Section 39A.107, Education Code, is amended by |
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adding Subsection (a-3) to read as follows: |
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(a-3) Notwithstanding Subsection (a), the commissioner |
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shall approve a campus turnaround plan that the commissioner |
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determines meets the requirements for an accelerated campus |
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excellence turnaround plan under Section 39A.105(b). |
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SECTION 3. Section 39A.113, Education Code, is amended by |
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amending Subsections (a) and (b) and adding Subsection (a-1) to |
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read as follows: |
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(a) If the commissioner orders the closure of a campus under |
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this subchapter, that campus may be repurposed to serve students at |
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that campus location only if the commissioner: |
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(1) finds that the repurposed campus [:
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[(A)] offers a distinctly different academic |
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program[;] and: |
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(A) [(B)] serves a majority of grade levels not |
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served at the original campus; or [and] |
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(B) is operated under a contract, approved by the |
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school district board of trustees, with a nonprofit organization |
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exempt from federal taxation under Section 501(c)(3), Internal |
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Revenue Code of 1986, that: |
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(i) has a governing board that is |
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independent of the district; |
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(ii) has a successful history of operating |
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school district campuses or open-enrollment charter schools: |
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(a) that cumulatively serve 10,000 or |
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more students; and |
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(b) a majority of which have been |
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assigned an overall performance rating of B or higher under Section |
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39.054 for the preceding school year; and |
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(iii) has been assigned an overall |
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performance rating of B or higher under Section 39.054 for the |
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preceding school year; and |
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(2) approves a new campus identification number for |
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the repurposed campus. |
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(a-1) A contract described by Subsection (a)(1)(B) must |
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provide that a student residing in the attendance zone of the campus |
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immediately before the campus was repurposed shall be admitted for |
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enrollment at the repurposed campus. |
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(b) The majority of students assigned to a campus that has |
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been closed and repurposed under Subsection (a)(1)(A) may not have |
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attended that campus in the previous school year. |
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SECTION 4. (a) The commissioner of education shall select |
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one campus that received an unacceptable rating for the 2017-2018 |
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school year to submit an accelerated campus excellence turnaround |
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plan as provided by Section 39A.105(b), Education Code, as added by |
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this Act, for the 2019-2020 school year. The commissioner may |
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adjust timelines established under Chapter 39A, Education Code, for |
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the campus selected by the commissioner under this section for |
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purposes of developing and implementing the accelerated campus |
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excellence turnaround plan. A decision by the commissioner under |
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this section is final and may not be appealed. |
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(b) Except as provided by Subsection (a), Sections 39A.105 |
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and 39A.107, Education Code, as amended by this Act, apply |
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beginning with the 2020-2021 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. |
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