Bill Text: TX HB847 | 2017-2018 | 85th Legislature | Introduced

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Bill Title: Relating to the inclusion of school climate in the indicators for evaluating the performance of public schools.

Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Democrat 1-0)

Status: (Introduced - Dead) 2017-02-21 - Referred to Public Education [HB847 Detail]

Download: Texas-2017-HB847-Introduced.html

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85R5751 PAM-D
By: González of El Paso H.B. No. 847

A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
AN ACT
relating to the inclusion of school climate in the indicators for
evaluating the performance of public schools.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
SECTION 1. Section 39.053(c), Education Code, is amended to
read as follows:
(c) School districts and campuses must be evaluated based on
five domains of indicators of achievement adopted under this
section that include:
(1) in the first domain, the results of:
(A) assessment instruments required under
Sections 39.023(a), (c), and (l), including the results of
assessment instruments required for graduation retaken by a
student, aggregated across grade levels by subject area, including:
(i) for the performance standard determined
by the commissioner under Section 39.0241(a), the percentage of
students who performed satisfactorily on the assessment
instruments, aggregated across grade levels by subject area; and
(ii) for the college readiness performance
standard as determined under Section 39.0241, the percentage of
students who performed satisfactorily on the assessment
instruments, aggregated across grade levels by subject area; and
(B) assessment instruments required under
Section 39.023(b), aggregated across grade levels by subject area,
including the percentage of students who performed satisfactorily
on the assessment instruments, as determined by the performance
standard adopted by the agency, aggregated across grade levels by
subject area;
(2) in the second domain:
(A) for assessment instruments under Subdivision
(1)(A):
(i) for the performance standard determined
by the commissioner under Section 39.0241(a), the percentage of
students who met the standard for annual improvement on the
assessment instruments, as determined by the commissioner by rule
or by the method for measuring annual improvement under Section
39.034, aggregated across grade levels by subject area; and
(ii) for the college readiness performance
standard as determined under Section 39.0241, the percentage of
students who met the standard for annual improvement on the
assessment instruments, as determined by the commissioner by rule
or by the method for measuring annual improvement under Section
39.034, aggregated across grade levels by subject area; and
(B) for assessment instruments under Subdivision
(1)(B), the percentage of students who met the standard for annual
improvement on the assessment instruments, as determined by the
commissioner by rule or by the method for measuring annual
improvement under Section 39.034, aggregated across grade levels by
subject area;
(3) in the third domain, the student academic
achievement differentials among students from different racial and
ethnic groups and socioeconomic backgrounds;
(4) in the fourth domain:
(A) for evaluating the performance of high school
campuses and districts that include high school campuses:
(i) dropout rates, including dropout rates
and district completion rates for grade levels 9 through 12,
computed in accordance with standards and definitions adopted by
the National Center for Education Statistics of the United States
Department of Education;
(ii) high school graduation rates, computed
in accordance with standards and definitions adopted in compliance
with the Every Student Succeeds Act [No Child Left Behind Act of
2001] (20 U.S.C. Section 6301 et seq.);
(iii) the percentage of students who
successfully completed the curriculum requirements for the
distinguished level of achievement under the foundation high school
program;
(iv) the percentage of students who
successfully completed the curriculum requirements for an
endorsement under Section 28.025(c-1);
(v) the percentage of students who
completed a coherent sequence of career and technical courses;
(vi) the percentage of students who satisfy
the Texas Success Initiative (TSI) college readiness benchmarks
prescribed by the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board under
Section 51.3062(f) on an assessment instrument in reading, writing,
or mathematics designated by the Texas Higher Education
Coordinating Board under Section 51.3062(c);
(vii) the percentage of students who earn
at least 12 hours of postsecondary credit required for the
foundation high school program under Section 28.025 or to earn an
endorsement under Section 28.025(c-1);
(viii) the percentage of students who have
completed an advanced placement course;
(ix) the percentage of students who enlist
in the armed forces of the United States; and
(x) the percentage of students who earn an
industry certification;
(B) for evaluating the performance of middle and
junior high school and elementary school campuses and districts
that include those campuses:
(i) student attendance; and
(ii) for middle and junior high school
campuses:
(a) dropout rates, computed in the
manner described by Paragraph (A)(i); and
(b) the percentage of students in
grades seven and eight who receive instruction in preparing for
high school, college, and a career that includes information
regarding the creation of a high school personal graduation plan
under Section 28.02121, the distinguished level of achievement
described by Section 28.025(b-15), each endorsement described by
Section 28.025(c-1), college readiness standards, and potential
career choices and the education needed to enter those careers; and
(C) any additional indicators of student
achievement not associated with performance on standardized
assessment instruments determined appropriate for consideration by
the commissioner in consultation with educators, parents, business
and industry representatives, and employers; and
(5) in the fifth domain:
(A) two [, three] programs or specific categories
of performance related to community and student engagement, locally
selected and evaluated as provided by Section 39.0546; and
(B) the school climate, locally evaluated as
provided by Section 39.05461.
SECTION 2. Section 39.0546(a), Education Code, is amended
to read as follows:
(a) For purposes of including the local evaluation of
districts and campuses under Section 39.053(c)(5)(A)
[39.053(c)(5)] and assigning an overall rating under Section
39.054, before the beginning of each school year:
(1) each school district shall:
(A) select and report to the agency two [three]
programs or categories under Section 39.0545(b)(1)[, as added by
Chapter 211 (H.B. 5), Acts of the 83rd Legislature, Regular
Session, 2013,] under which the district will evaluate district
performance;
(B) submit to the agency the criteria the
district will use to evaluate district performance and assign the
district a performance rating; and
(C) make the information described by Paragraphs
(A) and (B) available on the district's Internet website; and
(2) each campus shall:
(A) select and report to the agency two [three]
programs or categories under Section 39.0545(b)(1)[, as added by
Chapter 211 (H.B. 5), Acts of the 83rd Legislature, Regular
Session, 2013,] under which the campus will evaluate campus
performance;
(B) submit to the agency the criteria the campus
will use to evaluate campus performance and assign the campus a
performance rating; and
(C) make the information described by Paragraphs
(A) and (B) available on the Internet website of the campus.
SECTION 3. Subchapter C, Chapter 39, Education Code, is
amended by adding Section 39.05461 to read as follows:
Sec. 39.05461. EVALUATION OF SCHOOL CLIMATE AS COMPONENT OF
OVERALL DISTRICT AND CAMPUS RATING. (a) For purposes of including
the local evaluation of districts and campuses under Section
39.053(c)(5)(B) and assigning an overall rating under Section
39.054, the commissioner by rule shall adopt a method that is based
on recognized research and national standards to evaluate the
school climate of school districts and campuses.
(b) Using the method adopted by the commissioner under
Subsection (a) to evaluate school climate, each school district
shall assign the district and each campus shall assign the campus a
school climate performance rating of exemplary, recognized,
acceptable, or needs improvement.
(c) On or before the date determined by the commissioner by
rule, each school district and campus shall report the school
climate performance rating to the agency for the purpose of
including the rating in evaluating school district and campus
performance and assigning an overall rating under Section 39.054.
SECTION 4. As soon as practicable, the commissioner of
education shall adopt a method to evaluate the school climate of
school districts and campuses as provided by Section 39.05461,
Education Code, as added by this Act.
SECTION 5. This Act applies beginning with the 2017-2018
school year.
SECTION 6. 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.