| |
| |
|
|
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
|
|
|
AN ACT
|
|
|
relating to open-enrollment charter schools that provide only |
|
|
prekindergarten programs. |
|
|
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
|
|
SECTION 1. Subchapter D, Chapter 12, Education Code, is |
|
|
amended by adding Section 12.1015 to read as follows: |
|
|
Sec. 12.1015. AUTHORIZATION FOR GRANT OF CHARTERS FOR |
|
|
SCHOOLS PROVIDING ONLY PREKINDERGARTEN PROGRAMS. (a) The |
|
|
commissioner may grant under Section 12.101 a charter on the |
|
|
application of an eligible entity for an open-enrollment charter |
|
|
school intended to provide only prekindergarten programs. |
|
|
(b) A charter application for an open-enrollment charter |
|
|
school described by Subsection (a) may not be denied, and the |
|
|
charter of an open-enrollment charter school described by |
|
|
Subsection (a) may not be revoked or denied renewal, on the basis |
|
|
that the school does not provide instruction to students at any |
|
|
grade level at which students are assessed under Subchapter B, |
|
|
Chapter 39. |
|
|
(c) The limit on the number of charters for open-enrollment |
|
|
charter schools imposed by Section 12.101 does not apply to a |
|
|
charter granted under this section. |
|
|
(d) For purposes of the applicability of state and federal |
|
|
law, an open-enrollment charter school described by Subsection (a) |
|
|
is considered the same as any other school for which a charter is |
|
|
granted under Section 12.101. |
|
|
(e) The commissioner shall adopt rules as necessary to |
|
|
administer this section. |
|
|
SECTION 2. Section 12.118(b), Education Code, is amended to |
|
|
read as follows: |
|
|
(b) An evaluation under this section must include |
|
|
consideration of the following items before implementing the |
|
|
charter and after implementing the charter: |
|
|
(1) if applicable, students' scores on assessment |
|
|
instruments administered under Subchapter B, Chapter 39; |
|
|
(2) student attendance; |
|
|
(3) students' grades; |
|
|
(4) incidents involving student discipline; |
|
|
(5) socioeconomic data on students' families; |
|
|
(6) parents' satisfaction with their children's |
|
|
schools; and |
|
|
(7) students' satisfaction with their schools. |
|
|
SECTION 3. This Act takes effect immediately if it receives |
|
|
a vote of two-thirds of all the members elected to each house, as |
|
|
provided by Section 39, Article III, Texas Constitution. If this |
|
|
Act does not receive the vote necessary for immediate effect, this |
|
|
Act takes effect September 1, 2017. |