| |
| |
|
|
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
|
|
|
AN ACT
|
|
|
relating to a local remote learning program offered by a public |
|
|
school for certain students at risk of dropping out of school. |
|
|
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
|
|
SECTION 1. Subchapter Z, Chapter 29, Education Code, is |
|
|
amended by adding Section 29.9092 to read as follows: |
|
|
Sec. 29.9092. LOCAL REMOTE LEARNING PROGRAM FOR STUDENTS AT |
|
|
RISK OF DROPPING OUT OF SCHOOL. (a) A school district or |
|
|
open-enrollment charter school may operate a local remote learning |
|
|
program to offer virtual courses outside the state virtual school |
|
|
network under Chapter 30A to eligible students at risk of dropping |
|
|
out of school. |
|
|
(b) A virtual course offered under the local remote learning |
|
|
program must: |
|
|
(1) be provided through asynchronous instruction; and |
|
|
(2) provide for at least the same number of |
|
|
instructional hours as required for a course offered in a program |
|
|
that meets the required minimum number of minutes of operation |
|
|
under Section 25.081. |
|
|
(c) A student is eligible to enroll in a virtual course |
|
|
offered under a local remote learning program if: |
|
|
(1) the student is: |
|
|
(A) enrolled at the high school level at a school |
|
|
district or open-enrollment charter school; and |
|
|
(B) a student at risk of dropping out of school, |
|
|
as defined by Section 29.081; and |
|
|
(2) the district or school at which the student is |
|
|
enrolled determines under Subsection (d)(2) that participation in |
|
|
the program is suitable for the student. |
|
|
(d) A school district or open-enrollment charter school |
|
|
that operates a local remote learning program shall develop a |
|
|
process to: |
|
|
(1) identify students who are potentially eligible to |
|
|
enroll in a virtual course offered under the program; and |
|
|
(2) screen students identified under Subdivision (1) |
|
|
to ensure that participation in the program is suitable for the |
|
|
student based on the student's academic needs and access to |
|
|
necessary technology. |
|
|
(e) A school district or open-enrollment charter school |
|
|
may, but is not required to, provide technological equipment to |
|
|
students who enroll in a virtual course offered under a local remote |
|
|
learning program operated under this section. |
|
|
(f) A student enrolled in a virtual course offered under a |
|
|
local remote learning program operated under this section shall be |
|
|
counted toward the school district's or open-enrollment charter |
|
|
school's average daily attendance in the same manner as other |
|
|
district or school students. The commissioner shall adopt rules |
|
|
providing for a method of taking attendance, once each school day, |
|
|
for students enrolled in a virtual course offered under a local |
|
|
remote learning program operated under this section. |
|
|
(g) Chapter 30A does not apply to a virtual course offered |
|
|
under a local remote learning program operated under this section. |
|
|
(h) This section does not prohibit a student enrolled in a |
|
|
school district or open-enrollment charter school that operates a |
|
|
local remote learning program under this section from enrolling in |
|
|
courses offered through the state virtual school network under |
|
|
Chapter 30A. |
|
|
SECTION 2. This Act applies beginning with the 2023-2024 |
|
|
school year. |
|
|
SECTION 3. 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, 2023. |