By: Dutton H.B. No. 4547

A BILL TO BE ENTITLED

AN ACT

Relating to a Texas school accountability Internet website; posting of accountability information; release of distinction designations.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:

SECTION 1. Section 39.309, Education Code, is amended by amending Subsections (a), (b) and (c) to read as follows:

Sec. 39.309. TEXAS SCHOOL ACCOUNTABILITY DASHBOARD INTERNET WEBSITE. (a) The agency shall develop and maintain an Internet website, separate from the agency's Internet website, to be known as the Texas School Accountability Dashboard for the public to access school district and campus accountability information.

(b) The commissioner shall adopt, for use on the Texas School Accountability Dashboard, a performance index in each of the following areas:

(1) student achievement;

(2) student progress;

(3) closing performance gaps; and

(4) postsecondary readiness.

(c) The Texas School Accountability DashboardInternet website developed under Subsection (a) must include:

(1) performance information for each school district and campus in areas specified by Subsection (b) and must allow for comparison of performance between districts and campuses in each of the areas;

(2) a comparison of the number of students enrolled in each school district, including:

(A) the percentage of students of limited English proficiency, as defined by Section 29.052;

(B) the percentage of students who are unschooled asylees or refugees, as defined by Section 39.027(a-1);

(C) the percentage of students who are educationally disadvantaged; and

(D) the percentage of students with disabilities;

(3) a comparison of performance information for each district and campus disaggregated by race, ethnicity, and populations served by special programs, including special education, bilingual education, and special language programs; and

(4) a comparison of performance information by subject area.

SECTION 2. Section 39.363, Education Code, is amended to read as follows:

Sec. 39.363. NOTICE ON AGENCY WEBSITE. Not later than October 1 of each year, the agency shall make the following information available to the public on the agency's Internet website:

(1) the letter performance rating assigned to each school district and campus under Section 39.054 and each distinction designation awarded to a school district or campus under Subchapter G; and

(2) the performance rating assigned to a school district and each campus in the district by the district under Section 39.0545; and

(3) the financial accountability rating assigned to each school district and open-enrollment charter school under Section 39.082.

SECTION 3. Section 39.201, Education Code, is amended by amending Subsections (a) to read as follows:

Sec. 39.201. DISTINCTION DESIGNATIONS. (a) Not later than August 815 of each year, the commissioner shall award distinction designations for outstanding performance as provided by this subchapter. A distinction designation awarded to a district or campus under this subchapter shall be referenced directly in connection with the performance rating assigned to the district or campus and made publicly available together with the performance ratings as provided by rules adopted under Section 39.054(a).

SECTION 4. Subchapter Z, Chapter 39A, Education Code is amended by adding Section 39A.908 to read as follows:

Section 39.201, Education Code, is amended by amending Subsections (a) to read as follows:

Sec. 39A.908. RULES. (a) The commissioner shall adopt rules as necessary to administer this chapter.

SECTION 5. The following provisions of the Education Code are repealed:

(1) Section 39A.115;

(2) Section 39A.117(d);

(3) Section 39A.161; and

(4) Section 39A.252(a).

SECTION 6. 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, 2021.