84R9085 KJE-F
 
  By: Rodriguez of Travis H.B. No. 1892
 
 
 
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
 
AN ACT
  relating to the establishment of a community school grant program.
         BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
         SECTION 1.  Chapter 29, Education Code, is amended by adding
  Subchapter M to read as follows:
  SUBCHAPTER M. COMMUNITY SCHOOL GRANT PROGRAM
         Sec. 29.501.  DEFINITIONS. In this subchapter:
               (1)  "Community-based organization" means a nonprofit
  corporation or association located in close proximity to the
  population the organization serves.
               (2)  "Community school" means a public elementary,
  middle, junior high, or high school that partners with one or more
  community-based organizations to coordinate academic, social, and
  health services to reduce barriers to learning and improve the
  quality of education for students in the community.
         Sec. 29.502.  COMMUNITY SCHOOL GRANT PROGRAM. (a) The
  agency shall establish a competitive grant program to assist public
  elementary, middle, junior high, and high schools in developing
  community school plans and transitioning into community schools.
         (b)  From funds appropriated for the purpose, the agency
  shall award two-year grants to eligible schools. Each grant may not
  exceed:
               (1)  $60,000 each academic year to pay a stipend to a
  community school coordinator; and
               (2)  $25,000 each academic year to develop and
  implement a community school plan.
         (c)  On application from a school, a grant awarded under this
  section may be extended by the agency for an additional year.
         Sec. 29.503.  ELIGIBILITY. A public elementary, middle,
  junior high, or high school is eligible to apply for a grant under
  this subchapter if the school demonstrates a commitment to
  transitioning into a community school by establishing:
               (1)  a school community partnership team to function as
  the campus-level planning and decision-making committee required
  under Section 11.251, composed of the members required under
  Section 11.251 and additional community representatives; and
               (2)  a partnership with a lead community-based
  organization that has experience in developing and implementing a
  community school plan.
         Sec. 29.504.  USE OF FUNDS. (a) Funds granted under this
  subchapter may not be used for direct programs for students or
  families or for other activities not related to developing or
  implementing a community school plan.
         (b)  A community school coordinator employed using grant
  funds must have relevant experience as a school district employee
  or an employee of a community-based organization with experience in
  developing and implementing a community school plan. The
  coordinator's duties include:
               (1)  recruiting community partners and building
  community support for the school;
               (2)  coordinating:
                     (A)  the school community partnership team's
  planning and training activities; 
                     (B)  planning and evaluation efforts between the
  school and community partners;
                     (C)  academic and student and family support
  programs; and
                     (D)  after-school, summer, and enrichment
  programs for students;
               (3)  encouraging community and parent engagement in the
  school;
               (4)  seeking available resources for implementing
  community school programs and services;
               (5)  conducting an annual needs assessment of the
  school in coordination with the school community partnership team;
  and
               (6)  acting as a liaison between the school, other
  community schools, the school district, and community partners.
         (c)  Before a community school plan may be implemented, the
  plan must:
               (1)  satisfy the requirements for a campus improvement
  plan under Section 11.253; and
               (2)  be approved by:
                     (A)  at least 75 percent of campus faculty and
  staff and 75 percent of parents of students enrolled at the school;
  and
                     (B)  the board of trustees of the school district
  in which the school is located.
         Sec. 29.505.  LOW-PERFORMING SCHOOLS. If a school with
  performance below any standard under Section 39.054(e) receives a
  grant under this subchapter, the school's school community
  partnership team functions as the campus intervention team for
  purposes of Section 39.106.
         Sec. 29.506.  PROGRAM OVERSIGHT. (a) At least once each
  year, the agency shall:
               (1)  monitor the transition into a community school of
  each school awarded a grant under this subchapter; and
               (2)  evaluate whether the school has made satisfactory
  progress toward carrying out the school's objectives as set out in
  the community school plan.
         (b)  A school that the agency determines has not made
  satisfactory progress under Subsection (a) may continue to receive
  grant funds under this subchapter only if the school:
               (1)  amends the school's community school plan to
  address any deficiencies the agency identified during the
  evaluation; and
               (2)  demonstrates strong community support for the
  school's transition to a community school.
         Sec. 29.507.  RULES. The commissioner shall adopt rules as
  necessary to implement this subchapter.
         SECTION 2.  Section 29.259, Education Code, is transferred
  to Subchapter Z, Chapter 29, Education Code, and redesignated as
  Section 29.923, Education Code, to read as follows:
         Sec. 29.923  [29.259].  ADULT HIGH SCHOOL DIPLOMA AND
  INDUSTRY CERTIFICATION CHARTER SCHOOL PILOT PROGRAM. (a)  In this
  section, "adult education" means services and instruction provided
  below the college level for adults by a nonprofit entity described
  by Subsection (e).
         (b)  The commissioner shall establish an adult high school
  diploma and industry certification charter school pilot program as
  provided by this section as a strategy for meeting industry needs
  for a sufficiently trained workforce within the state.
         (c)  The agency shall adopt and administer a standardized
  secondary exit-level assessment instrument appropriate for
  assessing adult education program participants who successfully
  complete high school curriculum requirements under a program
  provided under this section.  The commissioner shall determine the
  level of performance considered to be satisfactory on the secondary
  exit-level assessment instrument for receipt of a high school
  diploma by an adult education program participant in a program
  provided under this section.
         (d)  Notwithstanding any other law and in addition to the
  number of charters allowed under Subchapter D, Chapter 12, a
  charter under the pilot program may, on the basis of an application
  submitted, be granted to a single nonprofit entity described by
  Subsection (e) to provide an adult education program for not more
  than 150 individuals described by Subsection (g) to successfully
  complete:
               (1)  a high school program that can lead to a diploma;
  and
               (2)  career and technology education courses that can
  lead to industry certification.
         (e)  A nonprofit entity may be granted a charter under this
  section only if the entity:
               (1)  has a successful history of providing education
  services, including industry certifications and job placement
  services, to adults 18 years of age and older whose educational and
  training opportunities have been limited by educational
  disadvantages, disabilities, homelessness, criminal history, or
  similar circumstances; and
               (2)  agrees to commit at least $1 million to the adult
  education program offered.
         (f)  A nonprofit entity granted a charter under this section
  may partner with a public junior college to provide career and
  technology courses that lead to industry certification.
         (g)  A person who is at least 19 years of age and not more
  than 50 years of age is eligible to enroll in the adult education
  program under this section if the person has not earned a high
  school equivalency certificate and:
               (1)  has failed to complete the curriculum requirements
  for high school graduation; or
               (2)  has failed to perform satisfactorily on an
  assessment instrument required for high school graduation.
         (h)  The nonprofit entity must include in its charter
  application the information required by Subsection (i).
         (i)  A charter granted under this section must:
               (1)  include a description of the adult education
  program to be offered under this section; and
               (2)  establish specific, objective standards for
  receiving a high school diploma, including satisfactory
  performance on the standardized secondary exit-level assessment
  instrument described by Subsection (c).
         (j)  Funding for an adult education program under this
  section is provided based on the following:
               (1)  for participants who are 26 years of age and older,
  an amount per participant from available general revenue funds
  appropriated for the pilot program equal to the statewide average
  amount of state funding per student in weighted average daily
  attendance that would be allocated under the Foundation School
  Program to an open-enrollment charter school under Section 12.106
  were the student under 26 years of age; and
               (2)  for participants who are at least 19 years of age
  and under 26 years of age, an amount per participant through the
  Foundation School Program equal to the amount of state funding per
  student in weighted average daily attendance that would be
  allocated under the Foundation School Program for the student's
  attendance at an open-enrollment charter school in accordance with
  Section 12.106.
         (k)  Sections 12.107 and 12.128 apply as though funds under
  this section were funds under Subchapter D, Chapter 12.
         (l)  Not later than December 1 of each even-numbered year,
  beginning December 1, 2016, the agency shall prepare and deliver to
  the governor, lieutenant governor, speaker of the house of
  representatives, and presiding officer of each standing
  legislative committee with primary jurisdiction over public
  education or economic development a report that:
               (1)  evaluates any adult education program operated
  under a charter granted under this section; and
               (2)  makes recommendations regarding the abolition,
  continuation, or expansion of the pilot program.
         (m)  The commissioner shall adopt rules necessary to
  administer the pilot program under this section.  In adopting
  rules, the commissioner may modify charter school requirements only
  to the extent necessary for the administration of a charter school
  under this section that provides for adult education.
         SECTION 3.  Section 42.003(a), Education Code, is amended to
  read as follows:
         (a)  A student is entitled to the benefits of the Foundation
  School Program if, on September 1 of the school year, the student:
               (1)  is 5 years of age or older and under 21 years of age
  and has not graduated from high school, or is at least 21 years of
  age and under 26 years of age and has been admitted by a school
  district to complete the requirements for a high school diploma; or
               (2)  is at least 19 years of age and under 26 years of
  age and is enrolled in an adult high school diploma and industry
  certification charter school pilot program under Section 29.923
  [29.259].
         SECTION 4.  (a) The heading to Subchapter H, Chapter 29,
  Education Code, is repealed.
         (b)  Sections 7.021(b)(8), 7.102(c)(17), 29.251, 29.252,
  29.255, 29.256, and 29.257, Education Code, are repealed.
         SECTION 5.  The Texas Education Agency shall establish the
  grant program under Subchapter M, Chapter 29, Education Code, as
  added by this Act, not later than November 1, 2015.
         SECTION 6.  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, 2015.