By: Hughes S.B. No. 1045
 
 
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
 
AN ACT
  relating to academic accountability ratings for certain school
  districts, open-enrollment charter schools, and contracted
  entities that offer full-time online programs through the state
  virtual school network.
         BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
         SECTION 1.  Subchapter C, Chapter 30A, Education Code, is
  amended by adding Sections 30A.1011, 30A.1012, and 30A.1013 to read
  as follows:
         Sec. 30A.1011.  AUTHORITY TO OPERATE FULL-TIME ONLINE
  PROGRAM.  (a)  A school district or open-enrollment charter school
  may not operate more than one full-time online program under this
  chapter.
         (b)  The provisions of this section may not be waived by the
  commissioner.
         Sec. 30A.1012.  CONTRACTING FOR FULL-TIME ONLINE PROGRAM.
  (a)  A school district or open-enrollment charter school that
  contracts with an entity to operate a full-time online program for
  the district or school shall report to the agency:
               (1)  the identity of the contracted entity each year
  the contracted entity operates the full-time online program; and
               (2)  information required to be reported under Section
  42.006 regarding staff and finances as if the full-time online
  program were a campus.
         (b)  A school district or open-enrollment charter school
  shall revoke a contract with an entity to operate a full-time online
  program for the district or school if the entity has received for
  the three most recent school years a campus or district
  accountability rating of D or F under Subchapter C, Chapter 39. A
  school district or open-enrollment charter school shall include a
  contract revocation provision in each contract entered into with an
  entity to operate a full-time online program for the district or
  school under this section.
         (b-1)  For purposes of Subsections (b) and (c), an
  accountability rating for a school year before the 2018-2019 school
  year may not be considered.  This subsection expires September 1,
  2021.
         (c)  The agency shall notify a school district or
  open-enrollment charter school that the district or school is
  subject to Subsection (b) if its full-time online program has
  received for the three most recent school years accountability
  ratings described by Subsection (b). Failure to receive notice
  under this subsection does not affect the requirement imposed on
  the district or school under Subsection (b).
         (d)  A school district or open-enrollment charter school may
  not contract with an entity to operate a full-time online program
  for the district or school if the contracted entity operated a
  full-time online program for a district or school and the
  contracting entity was subject to a contract revocation under
  Subsection (b) within the preceding 10 years.
         (e)  The administering authority shall include a list of
  entities subject to a contract revocation under Subsection (b) on
  the state virtual school network Internet website.
         (f)  An entity under this section includes a corporate
  affiliate or an entity that is substantially related to the entity.
         (g)  The provisions of this section may not be waived by the
  commissioner.
         Sec. 30A.1013.  REVOCATION OF APPROVAL FOR FULL-TIME ONLINE
  PROGRAM. If the commissioner revokes approval for a school
  district or open-enrollment charter school to operate a full-time
  online program under this chapter, the district or school may not
  operate a full-time online program under this chapter during the
  10-year period following the revocation.
         SECTION 2.  Section 30A.110, Education Code, is amended by
  adding Subsections (d), (d-1), and (d-2) to read as follows:
         (d)  An entity that operates a full-time online program shall
  receive an accountability rating under Chapter 39.  An entity that
  operates multiple full-time online programs shall receive an
  accountability rating for:
               (1)  each full-time online program as if the program
  were a campus; and
               (2)  the entity as if the entity were a school district
  or open-enrollment charter school and each full-time online program
  were a campus of the district or school.
         (d-1)  This subsection applies only to a school district or
  open-enrollment charter school that provides instruction to
  students while students are located on the physical premises of a
  district or school campus and provides separate instruction to
  students enrolled full-time in courses provided through a district
  or school full-time online program. In determining the performance
  ratings under Section 39.054 of a school district or
  open-enrollment charter school subject to this subsection, the
  commissioner shall evaluate the performance of students enrolled in
  a district or school full-time online program separately from the
  performance of other district or school students and assign:
               (1)  separate district or school overall and domain
  performance ratings for the district's or school's full-time online
  program; and
               (2)  separate campus overall and domain performance
  ratings for each full-time online program.
         (d-2)  Subsection (d-1) and this subsection expire September
  1, 2021.
         SECTION 3.  This Act applies beginning with the 2019-2020
  school year.
         SECTION 4.  The Texas Education Agency is required to
  implement a provision of this Act only if the legislature
  appropriates money specifically for that purpose.  If the
  legislature does not appropriate money specifically for that
  purpose, the Texas Education Agency may, but is not required to,
  implement a provision of this Act using other appropriations
  available for that purpose.
         SECTION 5.  This Act takes effect immediately if it receives
  a vote of two-thirds of all the members elected to each house, as
  provided by Section 39, Article III, Texas Constitution.  If this
  Act does not receive the vote necessary for immediate effect, this
  Act takes effect September 1, 2019.