86R2667 SRS-D
 
  By: Bettencourt S.B. No. 280
 
 
 
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
 
AN ACT
  relating to powers and duties of the board of trustees of an
  independent school district.
         BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
         SECTION 1.  Section 11.055, Education Code, is amended by
  adding Subsection (c) to read as follows:
         (c)  The board of trustees by a two-thirds vote may adopt a
  resolution that requires candidates for the board of trustees to
  provide a petition with a specified number of signatures for a place
  on the ballot. The number of signatures required may not exceed the
  number of signatures required for a candidate for a countywide
  office under Section 142.007, Election Code, in the county in which
  the district's central administrative office is located.  A board
  that adopts a requirement under this subsection may by a two-thirds
  vote eliminate the requirement.
         SECTION 2.  Subchapter C, Chapter 11, Education Code, is
  amended by adding Sections 11.0582 and 11.0583 to read as follows:
         Sec. 11.0582.  RESIGNATION FOR CANDIDACY OF ANOTHER OFFICE.
  (a)  The board of trustees of an independent school district may by
  a two-thirds vote adopt a resolution requiring a member of the board
  of trustees to resign from the board before running for another
  elected office. The board of trustees shall adopt procedures for
  implementing this section.
         (b)  A board of trustees that adopts a requirement under this
  section may by a two-thirds vote eliminate the requirement.
         Sec. 11.0583.  MAYORAL OR COUNTY BOARD MEMBER APPOINTEES.
  (a) The board of trustees of an independent school district by a
  two-thirds vote may, subject to voter approval under Subsection
  (c), adopt a resolution that provides for two additional members to
  be appointed to the board by the following officials, as specified
  in the resolution:
               (1)  the mayor of the municipality where the district's
  central administrative office is located;
               (2)  the county judge of the county where the district's
  central administrative office is located; or
               (3)  the mayor and the county judge of the municipality
  and county described by Subdivisions (1) and (2).
         (b)  The resolution must specify the manner in which the
  additional members will be appointed and the terms to be served by
  those members.
         (c)  If the board of trustees approves a resolution as
  described by Subsection (a), the board shall order an election on
  the addition of appointed board members. A two-thirds majority of
  the persons voting in the election must approve the proposed
  addition for the addition to take effect. An election under this
  subsection must be held on the November uniform election date in an
  even-numbered year.
         (d)  A board of trustees may eliminate the additional
  appointed board member positions by using the same procedure as
  used for adding appointed board members under this section.
         SECTION 3.  Section 11.059, Education Code, is amended by
  adding Subsections (e) and (f) to read as follows:
         (e)  The board of trustees by resolution may change the
  length of the terms of the trustees. The resolution must:
               (1)  provide for staggered terms of four years; 
               (2)  specify the manner in which the transition from
  the length of the former term to the modified term is made; and 
               (3)  determine the first regular election for trustees
  with which the transition to the modified term will begin.
         (f)  The board of trustees by a two-thirds vote may adopt a
  resolution imposing term limits for board members of at least eight
  years but less than 16 years. The board by a two-thirds vote may
  eliminate term limits previously imposed under this subsection.
         SECTION 4.  Subchapter C, Chapter 11, Education Code, is
  amended by adding Sections 11.0591, 11.0592, 11.0593, and 11.0594
  to read as follows:
         Sec. 11.0591.  REMOVAL OF MEMBER BY BOARD OF TRUSTEES. (a)
  The board of trustees of an independent school district by a
  majority vote may begin an investigation to determine if a board
  member has violated a legal provision or board policy.
         (b)  On completion of an investigation, the board of trustees
  by a two-thirds majority vote may recommend a board member be
  removed under the procedure provided by Section 87.018, Local
  Government Code.
         (c)  To conduct an investigation under this section, the
  board of trustees may contract with independent counsel.
         (d)  If a board member is removed under this section:
               (1)  the removed member is not eligible for election to
  the board of trustees at the next regularly scheduled trustee
  election; and
               (2)  if time remains in the term of the removed member,
  the vacancy shall be filled at the next regularly scheduled trustee
  election.
         Sec. 11.0592.  RECALL BY VOTERS. If at least 15 percent of
  the registered voters in a single-member trustee district sign a
  petition to recall the board member elected from that district, the
  board member must, to retain a position on the board, seek
  reelection at the next regularly scheduled trustee election,
  regardless of the time remaining on the board member's term. The
  person elected at the election held under this section shall serve
  for the remainder of the board member's term.
         Sec. 11.0593.  TRUSTEE ELECTION AFTER LOW SCHOOL DISTRICT
  PERFORMANCE RATING. (a) If an independent school district
  receives an overall performance rating of D or F under Section
  39.054, all positions on the district's board of trustees shall be
  filled at the first regularly scheduled trustee election that:
               (1)  occurs after receipt of the performance rating;
  and
               (2)  permits compliance with applicable deadlines for a
  trustee election.
         (b)  After conducting a trustee election in accordance with
  this section, the elected trustees shall draw lots for staggered
  terms as provided by Section 11.059.
         Sec. 11.0594.  AWARD FOR DISTRICT PERFORMANCE. (a) If an
  independent school district receives a preliminary overall
  performance rating of A under Section 39.054, the commissioner
  shall provide a performance grant of $20,000 to the school
  district.
         (b)  The commissioner shall adopt rules to implement this
  section.
         SECTION 5.  Section 11.162(c), Education Code, is amended to
  read as follows:
         (c)  A parent or guardian of a student assigned to attend a
  school at which students are required to wear school uniforms may
  choose for the student to be exempted from the requirement or to
  transfer to a school at which students are not required to wear
  uniforms and at which space is available if the parent or guardian
  provides a written statement that, as determined by the board of
  trustees or the board's designee, states a bona fide religious or
  philosophical objection to the requirement.
         SECTION 6.  Section 28.0214, Education Code, is amended to
  read as follows:
         Sec. 28.0214.  FINALITY OF GRADE. (a) An examination or
  course grade issued by a classroom teacher is final and may not be
  changed unless the grade is arbitrary, erroneous, or not consistent
  with the school district grading policy applicable to the grade, as
  determined by the board of trustees, or the board's designee, of the
  school district in which the teacher is employed.
         (b)  A determination by a school district board of trustees,
  or the board's designee, under Subsection (a) is not subject to
  appeal. This subsection does not prohibit an appeal related to a
  student's eligibility to participate in extracurricular activities
  under Section 33.081.
         SECTION 7.  Sections 28.023(a), (b), (c), (c-1), (d), and
  (h), Education Code, are amended to read as follows:
         (a)  Using guidelines established by the State Board of
  Education, a school district shall develop or select for review by
  the district board of trustees, or the board's designee,
  examinations for acceleration for each primary school grade level
  and for credit for secondary school academic subjects.  The
  guidelines must provide for the examinations to thoroughly test
  comprehension of the information presented in the applicable grade
  level or subject.  The board of trustees or the board's designee
  shall approve for each subject, to the extent available, at least
  four examinations that satisfy State Board of Education guidelines.  
  The examinations approved by the board of trustees or the board's
  designee must include:
               (1)  advanced placement examinations developed by the
  College Board; and
               (2)  examinations administered through the
  College-Level Examination Program.
         (b)  A school district shall give a student in a primary
  grade level credit for a grade level and advance the student one
  grade level on the basis of an examination for acceleration
  approved by the board of trustees or the board's designee under
  Subsection (a) if:
               (1)  the student scores in the 80th percentile or above
  on each section of the examination;
               (2)  a district representative recommends that the
  student be advanced; and
               (3)  the student's parent or guardian gives written
  approval of the advancement.
         (c)  A school district shall give a student in grade level
  six or above credit for a subject on the basis of an examination for
  credit in the subject approved by the board of trustees or the
  board's designee under Subsection (a) if the student scores in the
  80th percentile or above on the examination or if the student
  achieves a score as provided by Subsection (c-1).  If a student is
  given credit in a subject on the basis of an examination, the
  district shall enter the examination score on the student's
  transcript and the student is not required to take an end-of-course
  assessment instrument adopted under Section 39.023(c) for that
  subject.
         (c-1)  A school district shall give a student in grade level
  six or above credit for a subject if the student scores:
               (1)  a three or higher on an advanced placement
  examination approved by the board of trustees or the board's
  designee under Subsection (a) and developed by the College Board;
  or
               (2)  a scaled score of 50 or higher on an examination
  approved by the board of trustees or the board's designee under
  Subsection (a) and administered through the College-Level
  Examination Program.
         (d)  Each district shall administer each examination
  approved by the board of trustees or the board's designee under
  Subsection (a) not fewer than four times each year, at times to be
  determined by the State Board of Education.
         (h)  This subsection applies only to a school district
  surrounded by a school district described by Section
  11.065(a).  Notwithstanding any other provision of this section, a
  school district's board of trustees, or the board's designee, may
  establish a minimum required score for each section of an
  examination for acceleration or an examination for credit approved
  by the board or the board's designee under Subsection (a) that is
  higher than the minimum required scores under Subsections (b) and
  (c), respectively. A minimum required score established by a board
  of trustees or the board's designee under this subsection:
               (1)  may be no greater than a score in the 90th
  percentile;
               (2)  must be established before the beginning of a
  school year for examinations to be administered in the school year;
  and
               (3)  must apply for at least the entire school year.
         SECTION 8.  Sections 29.089(c) and (d), Education Code, are
  amended to read as follows:
         (c)  The [board of trustees of the] district shall obtain the
  consent of a student's parent or guardian before allowing the
  student to participate in the program.
         (d)  The [board of trustees of the] district may arrange for
  any public or nonprofit community-based organization to come to the
  district's schools and implement the program.
         SECTION 9.  Section 29.183, Education Code, is amended to
  read as follows:
         Sec. 29.183.  CAREER AND TECHNOLOGY AND OTHER EDUCATIONAL
  PROGRAMS. (a) A [The board of trustees of a] school district may
  conduct and supervise career and technology classes and other
  educational programs for students and for other persons of all ages
  and spend local maintenance funds for the cost of those classes and
  programs.
         (b)  In developing a career and technology program, the
  district [board of trustees] shall consider the state plan for
  career and technology education required under Section 29.182.
         SECTION 10.  Section 54.363(f), Education Code, is amended
  to read as follows:
         (f)  The board of trustees, or the board's designee, of a
  school district shall establish a plan to encourage the hiring of
  educational aides who show a willingness to become certified
  teachers.
         SECTION 11.  This Act takes effect September 1, 2019.