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A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
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AN ACT
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relating to a study on alternative school schedules conducted by |
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the Texas Education Agency. |
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BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
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SECTION 1. Subchapter Z, Chapter 29, Education Code, is |
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amended by adding Section 29.938 to read as follows: |
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Sec. 29.938. STUDY ON ALTERNATIVE SCHOOL SCHEDULES. (a) |
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The agency shall conduct a study on the adoption of alternative |
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instructional day or school week schedules by school districts to |
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determine whether these alternative schedules: |
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(1) help school districts attract and retain qualified |
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teachers and classroom support personnel; |
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(2) ensure that teachers and classroom support |
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personnel have sufficient time to perform assigned duties; and |
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(3) provide sufficient instructional time to maintain |
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student achievement and improvement. |
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(b) The study must consider alternative instructional day |
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or school week schedules maintained by at least one school |
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district, such as: |
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(1) a four-day school week; |
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(2) a four-and-one-half-day school week; |
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(3) the use of one day per week for remedial education |
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to compensate for learning loss due to the COVID-19 pandemic; |
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(4) work-study schedules, in which students attend |
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class three days per week and participate in employment or skills |
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training two days per week; |
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(5) a schedule involving a combination of two |
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classrooms of students with two or more teachers assigned to that |
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combined classroom; or |
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(6) schedules allowing teachers to work partial days. |
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(c) Not later than December 31, 2024, the agency shall |
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prepare and submit to the legislature a report on the results of the |
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study and any recommendations for legislative or other action. |
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(d) This section expires September 1, 2025. |
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SECTION 2. 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, 2023. |