Bill Text: TX SB801 | 2015-2016 | 84th Legislature | Introduced
Bill Title: Relating to a high quality prekindergarten program provided by public school districts.
Sponsorship: Bipartisan Bill
Status: (Introduced - Dead) 2015-03-03 - Referred to Education [SB801 Detail]
Download: Texas-2015-SB801-Introduced.html
| 84R10720 JSL-F | ||
| By: Zaffirini, Campbell | S.B. No. 801 | |
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| relating to a high quality prekindergarten program provided by | ||
| public school districts. | ||
| BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: | ||
| SECTION 1. Section 12.104(b), Education Code, is amended to | ||
| read as follows: | ||
| (b) An open-enrollment charter school is subject to: | ||
| (1) a provision of this title establishing a criminal | ||
| offense; and | ||
| (2) a prohibition, restriction, or requirement, as | ||
| applicable, imposed by this title or a rule adopted under this | ||
| title, relating to: | ||
| (A) the Public Education Information Management | ||
| System (PEIMS) to the extent necessary to monitor compliance with | ||
| this subchapter as determined by the commissioner; | ||
| (B) criminal history records under Subchapter C, | ||
| Chapter 22; | ||
| (C) reading instruments and accelerated reading | ||
| instruction programs under Section 28.006; | ||
| (D) accelerated instruction under Section | ||
| 28.0211; | ||
| (E) high school graduation requirements under | ||
| Section 28.025; | ||
| (F) special education programs under Subchapter | ||
| A, Chapter 29; | ||
| (G) bilingual education under Subchapter B, | ||
| Chapter 29; | ||
| (H) prekindergarten programs under Subchapter E | ||
| or E-1, Chapter 29; | ||
| (I) extracurricular activities under Section | ||
| 33.081; | ||
| (J) discipline management practices or behavior | ||
| management techniques under Section 37.0021; | ||
| (K) health and safety under Chapter 38; | ||
| (L) public school accountability under | ||
| Subchapters B, C, D, E, F, G, and J, Chapter 39; | ||
| (M) the requirement under Section 21.006 to | ||
| report an educator's misconduct; and | ||
| (N) intensive programs of instruction under | ||
| Section 28.0213. | ||
| SECTION 2. Section 25.001(a), Education Code, is amended to | ||
| read as follows: | ||
| (a) A person who, on the first day of September of any school | ||
| year, is at least five years of age and under 21 years of age, or is | ||
| at least 21 years of age and under 26 years of age and is admitted by | ||
| a school district to complete the requirements for a high school | ||
| diploma is entitled to the benefits of the available school fund for | ||
| that year. Any other person enrolled in a prekindergarten class | ||
| under Section 29.153 or Subchapter E-1, Chapter 29, is entitled to | ||
| the benefits of the available school fund. | ||
| SECTION 3. Chapter 29, Education Code, is amended by adding | ||
| Subchapter E-1 to read as follows: | ||
| SUBCHAPTER E-1. HIGH QUALITY PREKINDERGARTEN PROGRAM | ||
| Sec. 29.164. DEFINITION. In this subchapter, "program" | ||
| means a high quality prekindergarten program provided free of | ||
| tuition or fees in accordance with this subchapter. | ||
| Sec. 29.165. HIGH QUALITY PREKINDERGARTEN PROGRAM. (a) From | ||
| funds appropriated for that purpose, the commissioner by rule shall | ||
| establish a funding program under which funds are awarded to school | ||
| districts and open-enrollment charter schools to implement a | ||
| prekindergarten program under this subchapter. | ||
| (b) A school district may participate in and receive funding | ||
| under the program if the district meets all program standards | ||
| required under this subchapter. | ||
| (c) A program is subject to any other requirements imposed | ||
| by law that apply to a prekindergarten program not provided in | ||
| accordance with this subchapter, except that to the extent a | ||
| conflict exists between this subchapter and any other provision of | ||
| law, this subchapter prevails. | ||
| Sec. 29.166. HIGH QUALITY PROGRAM FUNDING. (a) In addition | ||
| to funding granted under Subsection (b), a school district is | ||
| eligible for half-day funding under the Foundation School Program | ||
| for students enrolled in a program class. | ||
| (b) A school district is entitled to receive additional | ||
| funding in an amount determined by the commissioner for each | ||
| qualifying student described under Subsection (c) in average daily | ||
| attendance in a program class. | ||
| (c) A student qualifies for additional funding under | ||
| Subsection (b) if the student is four years of age on September 1 of | ||
| the year the student begins the program. | ||
| (d) A school district that receives the funding under this | ||
| section may use the funding only to improve the quality of the | ||
| district's prekindergarten programs. | ||
| Sec. 29.167. HIGH QUALITY CURRICULUM AND TEACHER | ||
| REQUIREMENTS. (a) A school district shall select and implement a | ||
| curriculum for a prekindergarten program under this subchapter that | ||
| includes the prekindergarten guidelines established by the agency | ||
| and measures the progress of students in meeting the recommended | ||
| learning outcomes. | ||
| (b) Each teacher for a program class must be certified under | ||
| Subchapter B, Chapter 21. | ||
| Sec. 29.168. PARENT ENGAGEMENT PLAN. A school district | ||
| shall develop and implement a parent engagement plan to assist the | ||
| district in achieving and maintaining high levels of parental | ||
| involvement and positive parental attitudes toward education. | ||
| Sec. 29.169. PROGRAM EVALUATION. A school district shall: | ||
| (1) select and implement appropriate methods for | ||
| evaluating the district's program classes by measuring student | ||
| progress; and | ||
| (2) make data from the results of program evaluations | ||
| available to parents. | ||
| Sec. 29.170. PROGRAM FUNDING EVALUATION. (a) The | ||
| commissioner shall evaluate the use and effectiveness of funding | ||
| provided under this subchapter in improving student learning. The | ||
| commissioner shall identify effective instruction strategies | ||
| implemented by school districts under this subchapter. | ||
| (b) Not later than December 1, 2018, the commissioner shall | ||
| deliver a report to the legislature containing the results of the | ||
| evaluation. | ||
| (c) This section expires December 31, 2018. | ||
| Sec. 29.171. RULES. The commissioner may adopt rules | ||
| necessary to implement this subchapter. | ||
| SECTION 4. Section 42.003(b), Education Code, is amended to | ||
| read as follows: | ||
| (b) A student to whom Subsection (a) does not apply is | ||
| entitled to the benefits of the Foundation School Program if the | ||
| student is enrolled in a prekindergarten class under Section 29.153 | ||
| or Subchapter E-1, Chapter 29. | ||
| SECTION 5. This Act applies beginning with the 2015-2016 | ||
| 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, 2015. | ||
