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A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
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AN ACT
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relating to limits on the size of certain classes in public schools. |
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BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
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SECTION 1. Sections 25.112(a), (d), and (e), Education |
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Code, are amended to read as follows: |
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(a) Except as otherwise authorized by this section, a school |
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district may not enroll more than 22 students in a kindergarten, |
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first, second, third, or fourth grade class or 28 students in a |
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fifth, sixth, seventh, or eighth grade class. A limit imposed by |
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this subsection [That limitation] does not apply during: |
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(1) any 12-week period of the school year selected by |
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the district, in the case of a district whose average daily |
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attendance is adjusted under Section 42.005(c); or |
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(2) the last 12 weeks of any school year in the case of |
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any other district. |
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(d) On application of a school district, the commissioner |
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may except the district from a [the] limit imposed by [in] |
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Subsection (a) if the commissioner finds the limit works an undue |
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hardship on the district. An exception expires at the end of the |
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school year for which it is granted. |
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(e) A school district seeking an exception under Subsection |
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(d) shall notify the commissioner and apply for the exception not |
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later than the later of: |
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(1) October 1; or |
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(2) the 30th day after the first school day the |
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district exceeds a [the] limit imposed by [in] Subsection (a). |
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SECTION 2. Section 25.113(a), Education Code, is amended to |
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read as follows: |
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(a) A campus or district that is granted an exception under |
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Section 25.112(d) from class size limits shall provide written |
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notice of the exception to the parent of or person standing in |
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parental relation to each student affected by the exception. The |
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notice must be in conspicuous bold or underlined print and: |
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(1) specify the class for which an exception from a |
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[the] limit imposed by Section 25.112(a) was granted; |
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(2) state the number of children in the class for which |
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the exception was granted; and |
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(3) be included in a regular mailing or other |
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communication from the campus or district, such as information sent |
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home with students. |
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SECTION 3. Subchapter E, Chapter 42, Education Code, is |
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amended by adding Section 42.25191 to read as follows: |
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Sec. 42.25191. ADDITIONAL STATE AID FOR CERTAIN LIMITS ON |
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CLASS SIZES. (a) For each school year, from funds that may be used |
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for the purpose, a school district is entitled to state aid in an |
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amount, as determined by the commissioner, sufficient to assist the |
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district in complying with the limit on the number of students who |
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may be enrolled in a fifth, sixth, seventh, or eighth grade class |
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under Section 25.112. |
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(b) The amount of state aid to which a school district is |
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entitled under this section is in addition to the amount of revenue |
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to which the district is entitled under Section 42.2516(b). This |
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subsection expires September 1, 2017. |
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(c) The commissioner shall adopt rules as necessary to |
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administer this section. |
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SECTION 4. This Act applies beginning with the 2015-2016 |
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school year. |
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SECTION 5. 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, 2015. |