Bill Text: TX HB1678 | 2023-2024 | 88th Legislature | Engrossed
Bill Title: Relating to a local remote learning program offered by a public school for certain students at risk of dropping out of school.
Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Republican 1-0)
Status: (Engrossed - Dead) 2023-05-12 - Referred to Education [HB1678 Detail]
Download: Texas-2023-HB1678-Engrossed.html
88R1432 CXP-D | ||
By: Jetton | H.B. No. 1678 |
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relating to a local remote learning program offered by a public | ||
school for certain students at risk of dropping out of school. | ||
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: | ||
SECTION 1. Subchapter Z, Chapter 29, Education Code, is | ||
amended by adding Section 29.9092 to read as follows: | ||
Sec. 29.9092. LOCAL REMOTE LEARNING PROGRAM FOR STUDENTS AT | ||
RISK OF DROPPING OUT OF SCHOOL. (a) A school district or | ||
open-enrollment charter school may operate a local remote learning | ||
program to offer virtual courses outside the state virtual school | ||
network under Chapter 30A to eligible students at risk of dropping | ||
out of school. | ||
(b) A virtual course offered under the local remote learning | ||
program must: | ||
(1) be provided through asynchronous instruction; and | ||
(2) provide for at least the same number of | ||
instructional hours as required for a course offered in a program | ||
that meets the required minimum number of minutes of operation | ||
under Section 25.081. | ||
(c) A student is eligible to enroll in a virtual course | ||
offered under a local remote learning program if: | ||
(1) the student is: | ||
(A) enrolled at the high school level at a school | ||
district or open-enrollment charter school; and | ||
(B) a student at risk of dropping out of school, | ||
as defined by Section 29.081; and | ||
(2) the district or school at which the student is | ||
enrolled determines under Subsection (d)(2) that participation in | ||
the program is suitable for the student. | ||
(d) A school district or open-enrollment charter school | ||
that operates a local remote learning program shall develop a | ||
process to: | ||
(1) identify students who are potentially eligible to | ||
enroll in a virtual course offered under the program; and | ||
(2) screen students identified under Subdivision (1) | ||
to ensure that participation in the program is suitable for the | ||
student based on the student's academic needs and access to | ||
necessary technology. | ||
(e) A school district or open-enrollment charter school | ||
may, but is not required to, provide technological equipment to | ||
students who enroll in a virtual course offered under a local remote | ||
learning program operated under this section. | ||
(f) A student enrolled in a virtual course offered under a | ||
local remote learning program operated under this section shall be | ||
counted toward the school district's or open-enrollment charter | ||
school's average daily attendance in the same manner as other | ||
district or school students. The commissioner shall adopt rules | ||
providing for a method of taking attendance, once each school day, | ||
for students enrolled in a virtual course offered under a local | ||
remote learning program operated under this section. | ||
(g) Chapter 30A does not apply to a virtual course offered | ||
under a local remote learning program operated under this section. | ||
(h) This section does not prohibit a student enrolled in a | ||
school district or open-enrollment charter school that operates a | ||
local remote learning program under this section from enrolling in | ||
courses offered through the state virtual school network under | ||
Chapter 30A. | ||
SECTION 2. This Act applies beginning with the 2023-2024 | ||
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, 2023. |