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A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
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AN ACT
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relating to a contract regarding the operation of a school district |
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campus. |
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BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
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SECTION 1. Section 11.174, Education Code, is amended by |
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adding Subsections (o), and (p) and amending Subsection (h) to read |
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as follows: |
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(h) A [Subject to Subsection (i), a] contract entered into |
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by the board of trustees of a school district and the governing body |
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of an open-enrollment charter school or entity for the operation of |
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a district campus as provided by Subsection (a) must: |
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(1) engage in a thorough vetting process, including |
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exercising due diligence to assess performance, cultural |
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alignment, and shared goals to: |
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(A) ensure accurate projections of student |
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enrollment, average daily attendance, and associated costs to |
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minimize financial discrepancies; and |
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(B) clearly state any shared service fees and |
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include a formula for any adjustment based on actual use or changes |
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in the student population; |
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(2) require that all federal money received by the |
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district for a student at the campus under the Americans with |
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Disabilities Act of 1990 (42 U.S.C. Section 12101 et seq.), Title I |
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of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. |
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Section 6301 et seq.), and any other supplementary funding |
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identified in the contract is passed directly from the district to |
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the school or entity, without any deduction that is not |
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specifically authorized in the contract; and |
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(3) subject to Subsection (i), include a provision |
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addressing student eligibility for enrollment. |
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(o) Each school year for which the board of trustees of a |
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school district enters into a contract to partner with an |
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open-enrollment charter school or entity to operate a district |
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campus under Subsection (a): |
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(1) the district and open-enrollment charter school or |
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entity shall conduct a financial review of the partnership and |
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reconcile all payments for the operation of the partnership at the |
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end of the school year. |
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(p) The agency: |
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(1) may provide guidance to school districts, |
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open-enrollment charter schools, and entities described by |
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Subsection (a)(2) on contracts to partner to operate a district |
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campus under Subsection (a); and |
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(2) may audit a partnership to operate a district |
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campus under Subsection (a). |
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SECTION 2. A contract entered into or renewed before the |
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effective date of this Act is governed by the law in effect on the |
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date the contract was entered into or renewed, and the former law is |
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continued in effect for that purpose. |
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SECTION 3. This Act takes effect September 1, 2025. |