Bill Text: TX HB4613 | 2023-2024 | 88th Legislature | Introduced


Bill Title: Relating to the establishment of professional charter academies.

Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Republican 2-0)

Status: (Introduced - Dead) 2023-03-22 - Referred to Public Education [HB4613 Detail]

Download: Texas-2023-HB4613-Introduced.html
  88R2186 MEW-F
 
  By: Kitzman H.B. No. 4613
 
 
 
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
 
AN ACT
  relating to the establishment of professional charter academies.
         BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
         SECTION 1.  Chapter 12, Education Code, is amended by adding
  Subchapter F to read as follows:
  SUBCHAPTER F.  PROFESSIONAL CHARTER ACADEMY PROGRAM
         Sec. 12.201.  PURPOSES.  Professional charter academies are
  established under this subchapter to provide highly qualified
  education professionals an opportunity to:
               (1)  operate an educational institution and function
  independently; and
               (2)  innovate and create educational programs tailored
  specifically to the students enrolled in the academy.
         Sec. 12.202.  PROFESSIONAL CHARTER ACADEMY PROGRAM; RULES.  
  (a)  The commissioner shall establish a professional charter
  academy program under which eligible education professionals are
  authorized to create and operate a professional charter academy in
  accordance with this subchapter.
         (b)  The commissioner shall adopt rules to administer this
  subchapter.  The rules must include provisions relating to
  prevention of fraud and abuse in financial transactions under the
  professional charter academy program.
         Sec. 12.203.  ELIGIBLE EDUCATION PROFESSIONALS. (a)  To be
  eligible to operate a professional charter academy under this
  subchapter, an education professional must:
               (1)  have at least three years of classroom teaching
  experience;
               (2)  have been rated as proficient or higher for at
  least three years under the evaluation system used to evaluate the
  professional; or
               (3)  have served as the principal of a school for at
  least three years.
         (b)  A professional charter academy must be operated by at
  least one eligible education professional and be formed as a
  corporation governed under Title 2, Business Organizations Code.
         Sec. 12.204.  APPLICATION OF LAWS. A professional charter
  academy is subject only to federal and state laws applicable to
  schools accredited by an organization that is monitored and
  approved by the Texas Private School Accreditation Commission.  A
  professional charter academy is not subject to state law applicable
  to charter schools authorized by law other than this subchapter.
         Sec. 12.205.  INITIAL FUNDING. An education professional
  eligible under Section 12.203 is responsible for securing initial
  capital from sources other than public funding for the
  establishment of a professional charter academy.  The commissioner
  may not provide any public or state funding to an eligible education
  professional operating a professional charter academy during the
  first 12 months of operation of the academy.
         Sec. 12.206.  GRANTING OF CHARTER. The commissioner shall
  grant a charter to operate a professional charter academy to an
  education professional eligible under Section 12.203 if the
  professional provides to the commissioner:
               (1)  a viable business plan;
               (2)  proof of financial ability to fund 12 months of the
  academy's anticipated operation expenses, presented in the form of
  a bank letter of credit or other acceptable financial guarantee;
  and
               (3)  demonstration of parental and community interest
  in the establishment of a professional charter academy.
         Sec. 12.207.  PUBLIC FUNDING. (a)  Funding under this
  section may only be provided for a school year after the first full
  school year in which a professional charter academy is in
  operation.
         (b)  For each school year after the first school year in
  which a professional charter academy is in operation, the
  commissioner shall provide to a student who will attend the academy
  or the student's parent an amount equal to the average state funding
  per student received by open-enrollment charter schools under
  Subchapter D during the preceding school year.  The student or the
  student's parent may assign the funding received under this section
  to the academy the student attends.  The commissioner may adjust the
  amount provided in accordance with the student's period of actual
  enrollment in the academy during the school year.
         (c)  The commissioner shall provide the funding under
  Subsection (b) to the student, to the student's parent, or, if the
  funding has been assigned to the professional charter academy, to
  the academy, not later than the 90th day after the date the
  commissioner receives enrollment data reports from the academy at
  the end of each school year for which the academy is eligible for
  funding under this section.
         (d)  Federal funds and money from the available school fund
  may not be used to make payments under this subchapter.
         Sec. 12.208.  REPORTS. (a)  Not later than October 1 of each
  year, the commissioner shall determine the estimated number of
  students who are likely to attend each professional charter academy
  authorized under this subchapter.  The report must indicate the
  school district a student attending a professional charter academy
  is eligible to attend.
         (b)  Not later than March 1 of each year, the commissioner
  shall provide actual numbers of students who attend each
  professional charter academy.
         (c)  The agency shall modify estimates of funding under
  Section 48.266 using the information reported under this section.
         Sec. 12.209.  ADMINISTRATIVE COSTS.  (a)  Notwithstanding
  Section 12.207(b), the commissioner may deduct a percentage of each
  payment provided under that subsection to cover the commissioner's
  costs in implementing and administering the program.  The
  percentage deducted from each payment may not exceed the lesser of:
               (1)  the pro rata cost of the program in the applicable
  year; or
               (2)  two percent of the amount of each payment.
         (b)  This section expires September 1, 2030.
         SECTION 2.  As soon as possible but not later than the 45th
  day after the effective date of this Act, the commissioner of
  education shall establish the professional charter academy program
  as required under Subchapter F, Chapter 12, Education Code, as
  added by this Act.
         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, 2023.
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