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A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
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AN ACT
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relating to the establishment of the student success initiative |
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program by the Texas Education Agency and the award of grants under |
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that program. |
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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 29.935 to read as follows: |
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Sec. 29.935. STUDENT SUCCESS INITIATIVE PROGRAM; GRANTS. |
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(a) The agency, in collaboration with qualified experts in the |
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areas of child and youth mental health and education, shall develop |
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a student success initiative program based on evidence-based best |
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practices to: |
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(1) support youth well-being and educational |
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outcomes; and |
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(2) increase the number of students performing at |
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grade level by providing academic, community, and governmental |
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supports. |
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(b) From money appropriated or otherwise available for the |
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purpose, the commissioner shall provide technical assistance and |
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award grants to school districts and open-enrollment charter |
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schools that implement the program developed under Subsection (a). |
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(c) In awarding grants under Subsection (b), the |
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commissioner shall: |
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(1) award 75 percent of the amount available during |
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each school year to school districts that serve a population of |
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100,000 students or more; and |
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(2) prioritize school districts and open-enrollment |
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charter schools with high percentages of students who: |
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(A) do not perform satisfactorily on assessment |
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instruments administered under Section 39.023; or |
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(B) are educationally disadvantaged. |
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(d) The commissioner may use not more than 10 percent of the |
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money appropriated for purposes of this section to cover the cost of |
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administering this section. |
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(e) The agency shall annually submit to the legislature a |
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report on the impact of the student success initiative program and |
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best practices learned from the program. |
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(f) The commissioner shall adopt rules as necessary to |
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implement this section, including rules establishing: |
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(1) application criteria for receipt of a grant under |
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this section; and |
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(2) allowable uses of grant money by a school district |
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or open-enrollment charter school under this section, which must |
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include supports for students such as tutoring, mentoring, and |
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other educational opportunities outside of the district or school. |
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SECTION 2. This Act takes effect September 1, 2025. |