Bill Text: TX HB1600 | 2015-2016 | 84th Legislature | Introduced
Bill Title: Relating to the establishment of a grant program to assist school districts in developing or implementing innovative blended learning initiatives.
Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Republican 1-0)
Status: (Introduced - Dead) 2015-04-21 - Left pending in committee [HB1600 Detail]
Download: Texas-2015-HB1600-Introduced.html
84R9001 KKA-D | ||
By: King of Hemphill | H.B. No. 1600 |
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relating to the establishment of a grant program to assist school | ||
districts in developing or implementing innovative blended | ||
learning initiatives. | ||
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: | ||
SECTION 1. Subchapter Z, Chapter 29, Education Code, is | ||
amended by adding Section 29.912 to read as follows: | ||
Sec. 29.912. BLENDED LEARNING INNOVATION GRANT PROGRAM. | ||
(a) In this section: | ||
(1) "Blended learning" means learning in an | ||
environment in which classroom instruction is supplemented with | ||
lectures, exercises, and tutorials that students view online at | ||
their own pace, either in the classroom or at home. | ||
(2) "Individualized learning" is a mastery-based | ||
system of learning in which students advance in their lessons based | ||
on demonstrated proficiency instead of amount of time spent in the | ||
classroom. | ||
(b) From funds appropriated for that purpose, the | ||
commissioner by rule shall establish an innovation grant program | ||
under which participating school districts receive grants to | ||
develop or implement blended learning initiatives to improve | ||
student learning in the classroom. | ||
(c) A school district that receives a grant under this | ||
section may use grant funds to: | ||
(1) implement a blended learning initiative developed | ||
by the district; | ||
(2) develop new approaches for blended learning, | ||
including individualized learning; | ||
(3) convert traditional learning models to blended | ||
learning models; or | ||
(4) pursue any combination of the activities specified | ||
in Subdivisions (1), (2), and (3). | ||
(d) The commissioner's rules adopted under this section | ||
must: | ||
(1) require a school district, in cooperation with | ||
agency staff, to establish a timeline, goals, and accountability | ||
measures for a project to be developed or implemented using grant | ||
funds; and | ||
(2) encourage a school district to form partnerships | ||
with private sector technology infrastructure providers to achieve | ||
the benefit of current private sector expertise and technological | ||
capabilities. | ||
SECTION 2. This Act takes effect September 1, 2015. |