Bill Text: TX HB2955 | 2017-2018 | 85th Legislature | Introduced
Bill Title: Relating to a waiver for a school district from state requirements that hinder the district's ability to effectively compete with charter or private schools.
Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Republican 1-0)
Status: (Introduced - Dead) 2017-04-27 - Withdrawn from schedule [HB2955 Detail]
Download: Texas-2017-HB2955-Introduced.html
| 85R9479 KJE-D | ||
| By: King of Parker | H.B. No. 2955 | |
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| relating to a waiver for a school district from state requirements | ||
| that hinder the district's ability to effectively compete with | ||
| charter or private schools. | ||
| BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: | ||
| SECTION 1. Subchapter C, Chapter 7, Education Code, is | ||
| amended by adding Section 7.0562 to read as follows: | ||
| Sec. 7.0562. WAIVERS TO ENHANCE COMPETITIVENESS. (a) A | ||
| school district whose estimated enrollment for a school year has | ||
| decreased by at least three percent from the enrollment for the | ||
| preceding school year may apply to the commissioner for a waiver of | ||
| any state requirements that hinder the district's ability to | ||
| effectively compete with charter or private schools. | ||
| (b) Consideration of applying for a waiver under this | ||
| section may be initiated by: | ||
| (1) a resolution adopted by the board of trustees of | ||
| the school district; or | ||
| (2) a petition signed by a majority of the members of | ||
| the district-level planning and decision-making committee | ||
| established under Section 11.251. | ||
| (c) Promptly after adopting a resolution or receiving a | ||
| petition under Subsection (b), as applicable, the board of trustees | ||
| of the school district shall hold a public hearing to consider | ||
| whether the district should apply for a waiver under this section. | ||
| At the conclusion of the public hearing or as soon as practicable | ||
| after conclusion of the public hearing, the board of trustees may: | ||
| (1) decline to pursue the waiver; or | ||
| (2) appoint a committee to prepare and submit an | ||
| application for the waiver, including the plan required under | ||
| Subsection (d). | ||
| (d) An application for a waiver under this section must | ||
| include a plan to enhance the school district's competitiveness. | ||
| The plan must: | ||
| (1) provide for a comprehensive educational program | ||
| for the district, which may include innovative curriculum or other | ||
| methods designed to improve student enrollment in the district; and | ||
| (2) identify each state requirement that inhibits the | ||
| goals of the plan and from which the district should be exempted on | ||
| adoption of the plan. | ||
| (e) The commissioner may deny an application for a waiver | ||
| under this section only for good cause. If the commissioner does | ||
| not deny an application by the 30th day after the date on which the | ||
| application is received, the application is considered granted. | ||
| (f) A waiver under this section is effective for a period of | ||
| five years. At the conclusion of that period, the commissioner | ||
| shall review the waiver to determine whether the waiver has | ||
| improved the school district's competitiveness and, if so, may | ||
| renew the waiver for a period of five years. | ||
| (g) The commissioner may adopt rules as necessary to | ||
| implement this section, including rules establishing grounds for | ||
| denying an application for a waiver under this section. | ||
| SECTION 2. This Act applies beginning with the 2018-2019 | ||
| 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, 2017. | ||
