Bill Text: TX HB3261 | 2011-2012 | 82nd Legislature | Introduced
Bill Title: Relating to the establishment of the Texas High Performance Schools Consortium.
Sponsorship: Partisan Bill (Democrat 1)
Status: (Introduced - Dead) 2011-04-12 - Left pending in committee [HB3261 Detail]
Download: Texas-2011-HB3261-Introduced.html
| 82R9484 T | ||
| By: Strama | H.B. No. 3261 | |
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| relating to the establishment of the Texas High Performance Schools | ||
| Consortium. | ||
| BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: | ||
| SECTION 1. Section 7.0561, Education Code, is added to read | ||
| as follows: | ||
| Sec. 7.0561. TEXAS HIGH PERFORMANCE SCHOOLS CONSORTIUM. | ||
| (a) The Texas High Performance Schools Consortium is created for | ||
| the purpose of informing the governor, legislature, and | ||
| commissioner about ways to transform public schools to improve | ||
| student learning through the development of innovative, | ||
| next-generation learning standards and assessment and | ||
| accountability systems. | ||
| (b) One or more school districts, up to a maximum of 20, may | ||
| apply to the commissioner to be included in the consortium of school | ||
| districts. The districts selected shall include a representative | ||
| range of district types and sizes and diverse student populations. | ||
| The commissioner may select upon application an exemplary | ||
| open-enrollment charter school to participate in the consortium. | ||
| (c) The commissioner may waive one or more requirements, | ||
| restrictions, or prohibitions under | ||
| (1) Subchapter B, Chapter 28; | ||
| (2) Sections 31.1011 and 31.073(b)(1) (state textbook | ||
| credits); and | ||
| (3) Chapter 39. | ||
| (d) With input from interested school districts and other | ||
| stakeholders, the commissioner shall adopt rules to create the | ||
| consortium, according to the following principles for a next | ||
| generation of higher performing public schools: | ||
| (1) engagement of students in digital learning, | ||
| including 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 "power standards" identified in coordination with | ||
| districts participating in the consortium; | ||
| (3) use of multiple assessments for learning that have | ||
| meaning and importance and that continuously inform students, | ||
| parents, campuses, and districts about the extent to which learning | ||
| is occurring and what schools are doing to improve; | ||
| (4) an effective and efficient accountability system | ||
| that: | ||
| (A) balances academic excellence and local | ||
| values to inspire learning; and | ||
| (B) at the state level, uses a stratified random | ||
| sampling of students or other objective methodology to hold | ||
| districts and schools accountable while reducing the number of | ||
| state assessments that students are required to take; and | ||
| (5) local control that enables communities and parents | ||
| to be involved in the important decisions regarding the education | ||
| of their children. | ||
| (e) The application shall include a detailed plan for | ||
| assessments and accountability, which will both support improved | ||
| instruction and learning and provide evidence of the accurate | ||
| evaluation of the quality of the campuses, and which shall include: | ||
| (1) a thorough plan for accountability for student | ||
| learning, including issues regarding compliance with federal law; | ||
| (2) clear descriptions of each assessed curricular aim | ||
| in the "power standards"; | ||
| (3) a plan for resources to support teachers in | ||
| improving student learning; and | ||
| (4) other provisions that may be established by the | ||
| commissioner. | ||
| (f) The commissioner shall convene consortium leaders | ||
| periodically to discuss ways to transform learning opportunities | ||
| for all students, build cross-district support systems and | ||
| training, and share best practice tools and processes. | ||
| (g) The commissioner or a school district that participates | ||
| in the consortium may accept gifts, grants, or donations from any | ||
| source, including a foundation, private entity, or governmental | ||
| entity for the implementation of this section. | ||
| (h) To cover administration costs, the commissioner may | ||
| charge a fee to a school district or open-enrollment charter school | ||
| that is selected to participate in the consortium. | ||
| SECTION 2. (a) The commissioner shall adopt rules under | ||
| Section 7.0561, Education Code, as added by this Act, not later than | ||
| December 1, 2011. The commissioner shall seek a federal waiver, if | ||
| needed, for implementation. | ||
| (b) The commissioner shall make the application available | ||
| not later than January 1, 2012, for school districts to apply not | ||
| later than March 1, 2012 and to begin the consortium not later than | ||
| the 2012-13 school year. | ||
| (c) With the assistance of the consortium, the commissioner | ||
| shall submit progress reports to the Legislature by December 1, | ||
| 2012, and December 1, 2014. | ||
| 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. | ||
