HB 1525, Sen 2nd Rdg, Amnd #F10

Amend CSHB 1525 (senate committee printing) by adding the following appropriately numbered SECTIONS to the bill and renumbering subsequent SECTIONS of the bill accordingly:

SECTION ____. Subchapter Z, Chapter 29, Education Code, is amended by adding Sections 29.929, 29.930, 29.931, 29.932, and 29.933 to read as follows:

Sec. 29.929. PROGRAMS TO ENSURE ONE-TIME INTENSIVE EDUCATIONAL SUPPORTS FOR OVERCOMING COVID-19 PANDEMIC IMPACT. (a) From state discretionary funds under Section 313(e), Coronavirus Response and Relief Supplemental Appropriations Act, 2021 (Div. M, Pub. L. No. 116-260, reprinted in note, 20 U.S.C. Section 3401) and Section 2001(f), American Rescue Plan Act of 2021 (Pub. L. No. 117-2, reprinted in note, 20 U.S.C. Section 3401) and other funds appropriated, the agency shall establish programs that assist school districts and open-enrollment charter schools in implementing intensive supports to ensure students perform at grade level and graduate demonstrating college, career, or military readiness. Programs established under this section must include:

(1) expanding learning options for:

(A) Pathways in Technology Early College High School (P-TECH) programs in participating school districts under Subchapter N, Chapter 29;

(B) the Texas Regional Pathways Network; and

(2) supplemental instructional supports, including tutoring; and

(3) COVID-19 learning acceleration supports, including:

(A) innovation in curriculum and instruction;

(B) diagnosing student mastery;

(D) supports for teachers.

(b) The agency may take actions as necessary in implementing intensive supports under Subsection (a), including providing grants to school districts, open-enrollment charter schools, and regional education service centers.

Sec. 29.930. USE OF ONE-TIME FEDERAL DISCRETIONARY COVID-19 FUNDING TO ENSURE GRADE LEVEL SUPPORT AND REIMBURSEMENTS. (a) To ensure additional resources to pay for unreimbursed costs due to the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic and for intensive educational supports for students not performing satisfactorily, for each of the 2021-2022 and 2022-2023 school years, except as provided by Subsection (c), from state discretionary funds under Section 2001(f), American Rescue Plan Act of 2021 (Pub. L. No. 117-2, reprinted in note, 20 U.S.C. Section 3401), the agency shall provide to each school district and open-enrollment charter school an allotment in an amount equal to the sum of:

(1) $208.35 for each student enrolled in the district or charter school; and

(2) $1,290 for each student enrolled in the district or charter school during the 2020-2021 school year multiplied by the percentage of students at the district or charter school who are not performing satisfactorily, as determined under Subsection (b).

(b) For purposes of Subsection (a)(2), the agency shall determine the percentage of students not performing satisfactorily by:

(1) dividing the number of students who did not perform satisfactorily on an assessment instrument administered under Section 39.023 by the total number of students who were administered assessment instruments under Section 39.023 during the 2018-2019 school year; and

(2) increasing the resulting number under Subdivision (1) by:

(A) for the 2021-2022 school year, 40 percent; and

(B) for the 2022-2023 school year, 20 percent.

(c) The agency shall reduce the amount of the allotment that a school district or open-enrollment charter school receives under Subsection (a) by the amount that the district or charter school receives from the local educational agency subgrants under Section 313(c), Coronavirus Response and Relief Supplemental Appropriations Act, 2021 (Div. M, Pub. L. No. 116-260, reprinted in note, 20 U.S.C. Section 3401) and Section 2001(d), American Rescue Plan Act of 2021 (Pub. L. No. 117-2, reprinted in note, 20 U.S.C. Section 3401).

(d) If the allotment provided to a school district or open-enrollment charter school under Subsection (a) is reduced in accordance with Subsection (c), the agency shall provide the total allotment amount to which the district or charter school is entitled for the 2021-2022 and 2022-2023 school years to the district or charter school in an equal amount each year.

(e) An allotment provided to a school district or open-enrollment charter school under this section may not reduce funding to which the district or charter school is otherwise entitled.

(f) The agency may not provide allotments to school districts and open-enrollment charter schools under this section after the 2022-2023 school year.

(g) This section expires September 1, 2024.

Sec. 29.931. BROADBAND TECHNICAL SUPPORT FOR STUDENTS. From appropriated state funds or other funds, including federal funds, available for this section, the agency shall provide technical assistance to school districts and open-enrollment charter schools to ensure Internet access for students who have limited or no access to the Internet.

Sec. 29.932. ONE-TIME TECHNOLOGY REIMBURSEMENT. (a) Using state discretionary funds under Section 18003(e), Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act (Title VIII, Div. B, Pub. L. No. 116-136, reprinted in note, 20 U.S.C. Section 3401), and Section 313(c), Coronavirus Response and Relief Supplemental Appropriations Act, 2021 (Div. M, Pub. L. No. 116-260, reprinted in note, 20 U.S.C. Section 3401), the agency shall provide reimbursement for technology acquisitions made by school districts and open-enrollment charter schools before February 28, 2021.

(b) This section expires September 1, 2023.

Sec. 29.933. LEGISLATIVE OVERSIGHT ON COVID-19 STATE RESPONSE. (a) At least quarterly, the agency shall update the entities listed under Subsection (b) regarding the state response to the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic with respect to public education matters, including:

(1) the implementation of and distribution of funds under the following programs:

(A) programs to ensure one-time intensive educational supports for overcoming COVID-19 pandemic impact under Section 29.929;

(B) the use of one-time federal discretionary COVID-19 funding to ensure grade level support and reimbursements under Section 29.930;

(D) one-time technology reimbursement under Section 29.932; and

(2) the use of state discretionary funds under:

(A) Section 18003(e), Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act (Title VIII, Div. B, Pub. L. No. 116-136, reprinted in note, 20 U.S.C. Section 3401); and

(B) Section 313(e), Coronavirus Response and Relief Supplemental Appropriations Act, 2021 (Div. M, Pub. L. No. 116-260, reprinted in note, 20 U.S.C. Section 3401).

(b) The agency shall update, in accordance with Subsection (a), the following entities:

(1) the office of the governor;

(2) the office of the lieutenant governor;

(3) the office of the speaker of the house of representatives;

(4) the office of the chair of the Senate Committee on Finance;

(5) the office of the chair of the House Committee on Appropriations;

(6) the office of the chair of the Senate Committee on Education; and

(7) the office of the chair of the House Committee on Public Education.

SECTION ____. Subchapter D, Chapter 39, Education Code, is amended by adding Section 39.087 to read as follows:

Sec. 39.087. COVID-19 ADJUSTMENT FOR FINANCIAL ACCOUNTABILITY. (a) The commissioner shall adjust the financial accountability rating system under Section 39.082 to account for the impact of financial practices necessary as a response to the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic, including adjustments required to account for federal funding and funding adjustments under Subchapter F, Chapter 48.

(b) This section expires September 1, 2023.

SECTION ____. Subchapter F, Chapter 48, Education Code, is amended by adding Section 48.2611 to read as follows:

Sec. 48.2611. ONE-TIME REIMBURSEMENT FOR WINTER STORM URI. (a) The agency shall provide reimbursement to school districts in accordance with Section 48.261 for costs incurred as a result of the 2021 North American winter storm (Winter Storm Uri), including any resulting electricity price increases.