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A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
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AN ACT
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relating to the use of calculator applications in place of graphing |
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calculators in public schools. |
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BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
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SECTION 1. Subchapter Z, Chapter 25, Education Code, is |
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amended by adding Section 25.904 to read as follows: |
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Sec. 25.904. USE OF CALCULATOR APPLICATION IN PLACE OF |
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GRAPHING CALCULATOR. (a) A school district shall permit a student |
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enrolled in a course that requires the student to use a graphing |
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calculator to use a calculator application on a computing device, |
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including a personal, laptop, or tablet computer, that provides the |
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same functionality, unless the district makes available to the |
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student a graphing calculator at no cost to the student. |
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(b) A school district may adopt policies related to student |
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use of a computing device under this section. |
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(c) To the extent this section conflicts with Section |
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37.082, this section prevails. |
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(d) The agency shall conduct an evaluation of best practices |
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for the use of a calculator application on a computing device by a |
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student during an assessment instrument administered under Section |
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39.023. On completion of the evaluation the agency shall adopt |
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rules establishing a policy for the permitted use of a calculator |
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application on a computing device. The rules must specify the types |
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of calculator applications and computing devices students are |
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authorized to use and the circumstances under which each calculator |
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application and computing device may be used. The agency shall post |
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to the agency's Internet website and communicate to each school |
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district the policy adopted under this subsection and a list of |
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approved calculator applications and computing devices, including |
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information relating to the cost and functionality of each listed |
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calculator application and computing device. |
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SECTION 2. Not later than January 1, 2020, the Texas |
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Education Agency shall adopt rules establishing a policy for the |
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use of a calculator application on a computing device as required by |
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Section 25.904(d), Education Code, as added by this Act. |
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SECTION 3. This Act applies beginning with the 2019-2020 |
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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. |
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* * * * * |