Bill Text: TX SB1557 | 2011-2012 | 82nd Legislature | Enrolled
Bill Title: Relating to the Texas High Performance Schools Consortium.
Spectrum: Bipartisan Bill
Status: (Passed) 2011-06-17 - Effective immediately [SB1557 Detail]
Download: Texas-2011-SB1557-Enrolled.html
S.B. No. 1557 |
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relating to the Texas High Performance Schools Consortium. | ||
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: | ||
SECTION 1. Subchapter C, Chapter 7, Education Code, is | ||
amended by adding Section 7.0561 to read as follows: | ||
Sec. 7.0561. TEXAS HIGH PERFORMANCE SCHOOLS CONSORTIUM. | ||
(a) In this section, "consortium" means the Texas High Performance | ||
Schools Consortium established under this section. | ||
(b) The Texas High Performance Schools Consortium is | ||
established to inform the governor, legislature, and commissioner | ||
concerning methods for transforming public schools in this state by | ||
improving student learning through the development of innovative, | ||
next-generation learning standards and assessment and | ||
accountability systems. | ||
(c) From among school districts and eligible | ||
open-enrollment charter schools that apply using the form and in | ||
the time and manner established by commissioner rule, the | ||
commissioner may select not more than 20 participants for the | ||
consortium. The districts selected by the commissioner must | ||
represent a range of district types, sizes, and diverse student | ||
populations, as determined by the commissioner in accordance with | ||
commissioner rule. To be eligible to participate in the | ||
consortium, an open-enrollment charter school must have been | ||
awarded an exemplary distinction designation under Subchapter G, | ||
Chapter 39, during the preceding school year. | ||
(d) The number of students enrolled in consortium | ||
participants may not be greater than a number equal to five percent | ||
of the total number of students enrolled in public schools in this | ||
state according to the most recent agency data. | ||
(e) The application process under Subsection (c) must | ||
require school districts and open-enrollment charter schools | ||
applying to participate in the consortium to submit a detailed plan | ||
designed to both support improved instruction of and learning by | ||
students and provide evidence of the accurate assessment of the | ||
quality of learning on campuses. The plan submitted by a school | ||
district may designate the entire district or one or more district | ||
campuses as proposed consortium participants. The plan submitted | ||
by a district or open-enrollment charter school must include: | ||
(1) a clear description of each assessed curricular | ||
goal included in the learning standards adopted in accordance with | ||
Subsection (f)(2); | ||
(2) a plan for acquiring resources to support teachers | ||
in improving student learning; | ||
(3) a description of any waiver of an applicable | ||
prohibition, requirement, or restriction the district or charter | ||
school would want to apply for; and | ||
(4) any other provisions required by the commissioner. | ||
(f) In consultation with interested school districts, | ||
open-enrollment charter schools, and other appropriate interested | ||
persons, the commissioner shall adopt rules applicable to the | ||
consortium, according to the following principles for a next | ||
generation of higher performing public schools: | ||
(1) engagement of students in digital learning, | ||
including engagement through the use of electronic textbooks and | ||
instructional materials adopted under Subchapters B and B-1, | ||
Chapter 31, and courses offered through the state virtual school | ||
network under Subchapter 30A; | ||
(2) emphasis on learning standards that focus on | ||
high-priority standards identified in coordination with districts | ||
and charter schools participating in the consortium; | ||
(3) use of multiple assessments of learning capable of | ||
being used to inform students, parents, districts, and charter | ||
schools on an ongoing basis concerning the extent to which learning | ||
is occurring and the actions consortium participants are taking to | ||
improve learning; and | ||
(4) reliance on local control that enables communities | ||
and parents to be involved in the important decisions regarding the | ||
education of their children. | ||
(g) The commissioner shall convene consortium leaders | ||
periodically to discuss methods to transform learning | ||
opportunities for all students, build cross-district and | ||
cross-school support systems and training, and share best practices | ||
tools and processes. | ||
(h) The commissioner or a school district or | ||
open-enrollment charter school participating in the consortium | ||
may, for purposes of this section, accept gifts, grants, or | ||
donations from any source, including a private entity or | ||
governmental entity. | ||
(i) To cover the costs of administering the consortium, the | ||
commissioner may charge a fee to a school district or | ||
open-enrollment charter school participating in the consortium. | ||
(j) With the assistance of the school districts and | ||
open-enrollment charter schools participating in the consortium, | ||
the commissioner shall submit reports concerning the performance | ||
and progress of the consortium to the governor and the legislature | ||
not later than December 1, 2012, and not later than December 1, | ||
2014. The report submitted not later than December 1, 2012, must | ||
include any recommendation by the commissioner concerning | ||
legislative authorization for the commissioner to waive a | ||
prohibition, requirement, or restriction that applies to a | ||
consortium participant. That report must also include a plan for an | ||
effective and efficient accountability system for consortium | ||
participants that balances academic excellence and local values to | ||
inspire learning and, at the state level, contingent on any | ||
necessary waiver of federal law, may incorporate use of a | ||
stratified random sampling of students or other objective | ||
methodology to hold consortium participants accountable while | ||
attempting to reduce the number of state assessment instruments | ||
that are required to be administered to students. The commissioner | ||
shall seek a federal waiver, to any extent necessary, to prepare for | ||
implementation of the plan if enacted by the legislature. This | ||
subsection expires January 1, 2018. | ||
SECTION 2. (a) Not later than January 1, 2012, the | ||
commissioner of education shall adopt rules as required under | ||
Section 7.0561, Education Code, as added by this Act. | ||
(b) Not later than March 1, 2012, the commissioner of | ||
education shall make available to school districts and | ||
open-enrollment charter schools the application forms required | ||
under Section 7.0561, Education Code, as added by this Act. The | ||
commissioner of education shall require school districts and | ||
open-enrollment charter schools that intend to apply to participate | ||
in the Texas High Performance Schools Consortium to submit | ||
applications not later than June 1, 2012. | ||
(c) Not later than July 1, 2012, the commissioner of | ||
education shall formally select participants for the Texas High | ||
Performance Schools Consortium established under Section 7.0561, | ||
Education Code, as added by this Act. The consortium must begin | ||
operating not later than the beginning of the 2012-2013 school | ||
year. | ||
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, 2011. | ||
______________________________ | ______________________________ | |
President of the Senate | Speaker of the House | |
I hereby certify that S.B. No. 1557 passed the Senate on | ||
May 3, 2011, by the following vote: Yeas 29, Nays 2. | ||
______________________________ | ||
Secretary of the Senate | ||
I hereby certify that S.B. No. 1557 passed the House on | ||
May 23, 2011, by the following vote: Yeas 142, Nays 0, one | ||
present not voting. | ||
______________________________ | ||
Chief Clerk of the House | ||
Approved: | ||
______________________________ | ||
Date | ||
______________________________ | ||
Governor |