BILL ANALYSIS

 

 

Senate Research Center

S.B. 1109

 

By: Deuell

 

Education

 

3/22/2013

 

As Filed

 

 

 

AUTHOR'S / SPONSOR'S STATEMENT OF INTENT

 

Due to persistent issues with the accountability ratings system, S.B. 1109 seeks to continue the suspension of the assignment of accreditation statuses and performance ratings for districts and campuses through the 2012-2013 school year.

 

The commissioner of education (commissioner) is still required to report district and campus performance for student achievement indicators following the 2012-2013 school year. The commissioner will also continue to implement interventions and sanctions for districts and campuses identified as having unacceptable performance ratings in the 2010-2011 school year.

 

However, S.B. 1109 makes an exception for districts or campuses that would have improved performance ratings had the performance standards been applied during the 2012-2013 school year. This allows school districts to go up in ratings but not down.

 

S.B. 1109 also changes the expiration date of this section of the Education Code to September 1, 2015, from September 1, 2014. 

 

As proposed, S.B. 1109 amends current law relating to suspending public school accountability ratings and certain interventions and sanctions for the 2012-2013 school year.

 

RULEMAKING AUTHORITY

 

This bill does not expressly grant any additional rulemaking authority to a state officer, institution, or agency.

 

SECTION BY SECTION ANALYSIS

 

SECTION 1.  Amends Section 39.116, Education Code, by amending Subsections (a), (b), (e), (f), and (g) and adding Subsection (e-1), as follows:

 

(a) Requires, rather than authorizes, the commissioner of education (commissioner), during the period of transition to the accreditation system established under H.B. No. 3, Acts of the 81st Legislature, Regular Session, 2009, to be implemented in August 2013, to suspend assignment of accreditation statuses and performance ratings for the 2011-2012 and 2012-2013 school years, rather than the 2011-2012 year.

 

(b) Requires the commissioner, as soon as practicable following the 2012-2013 school year, rather than the 2011-2012 school year, to report district and campus performance under the student achievement indicators under Sections 39.053(c)(1)(A) (requiring that certain indicators of student achievement include results of certain assessment instruments) and (B) (requiring that certain indicators of student achievement include results of assessment instruments relating to a certain college readiness performance standard).

 

(e) Provides that the commissioner, during the 2011-2012, 2012-2013, and 2013-2014 school years, rather than during the 2011-2012 and 2012-2013 school years, is required to continue to implement interventions and sanctions for districts and campuses identified as having unacceptable performance in the 2010-2011 school year in accordance with the performance standards applicable during the 2010-2011 school year and is authorized to increase or decrease the level of interventions and sanctions based on an evaluation of the district's or campus's performance.

 

(e-1) Provides that Subsection (e) does not apply to districts or campuses that would have improved performance ratings had the performance standards applicable during the 2012-2013 school year been in effect in the 2010-2011 school year.

 

(f) Requires that the performance ratings and accreditation statuses issued in the 2010-2011 and 2013-2014 school years, rather than in the 2010-2011 and 2012-2013 school years, for purposes of determining multiple years of unacceptable performance and required district and campus interventions and sanctions under this subchapter, be considered consecutive.

 

(g)  Provides that this section expires September 1, 2015, rather than September 1, 2014.

 

SECTION 2.  Repealer: Subsection (c) (requiring reporting and evaluation of certain district and campus performance and assignment of certain statuses and ratings), Section 39.116 (Transitional Interventions and Sanctions), Education Code.

 

SECTION 3.  Effective date: upon passage or September 1, 2013.