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A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
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AN ACT
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relating to the methods by which students may be admitted to public |
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schools and the disclosure of information regarding public school |
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admission methods. |
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BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
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SECTION 1. Section 12.117, Education Code, is amended by |
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adding Subsections (a-1) and (b-1) to read as follows: |
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(a-1) An open-enrollment charter school that fills |
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available positions by lottery under Subsection (a)(2)(A) may use a |
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weighted lottery that assigns weights to applicants so that an |
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applicant's probability of admission increases if the applicant is: |
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(1) eligible to participate in a special education |
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program under Section 29.003; |
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(2) a student of limited English proficiency, as |
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defined by Section 29.052; or |
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(3) a student at risk of dropping out of school, as |
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defined by Section 29.081(d). |
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(b-1) An open-enrollment charter school shall post in a |
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prominent and appropriate location on the school's public Internet |
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website notice of: |
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(1) the method by which the school fills available |
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positions in the school, including whether the school uses: |
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(A) a lottery; or |
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(B) a weighted lottery; and |
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(2) if the school fills available positions by |
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weighted lottery under Subsection (a-1), the weights assigned to |
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applicants under that subsection. |
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SECTION 2. Section 12.1173(a), Education Code, is amended |
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to read as follows: |
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(a) The commissioner by rule shall adopt a common admission |
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application form for use by an applicant for admission to an |
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open-enrollment charter school that provides for the submission of |
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information that the commissioner considers appropriate, including |
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information necessary for an open-enrollment charter school to |
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implement a weighted lottery under Section 12.117(a-1). |
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SECTION 3. Section 25.001, Education Code, is amended by |
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adding Subsection (k) to read as follows: |
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(k) If a school district elects to admit students not |
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described by Subsection (b) into the district's schools, the |
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district shall post in a prominent and appropriate location on the |
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district's public Internet website notice of: |
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(1) the method by which the district admits those |
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students; and |
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(2) if the district uses a weighted lottery to admit |
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those students, the weights assigned to applicants for the lottery, |
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including the weights assigned to an applicant who is: |
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(A) eligible to participate in the school's |
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special education program under Section 29.003; |
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(B) a student of limited English proficiency, as |
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defined by Section 29.052; or |
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(C) a student at risk of dropping out of school, |
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as defined by Section 29.081(d). |
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SECTION 4. Section 12.117(a-1), Education Code, as added by |
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this Act, applies beginning with admissions for the 2022-2023 |
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school year. |
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SECTION 5. This Act takes effect September 1, 2021. |