Bill Text: TX HB681 | 2023-2024 | 88th Legislature | Introduced

NOTE: There are more recent revisions of this legislation. Read Latest Draft

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Bill Title: Relating to the provision of virtual education in public schools and to certain waivers and modifications by the commissioner of education to the method of calculating average daily attendance in an emergency or crisis for purposes of preserving school district funding entitlements under the Foundation School Program during that emergency or crisis; authorizing a fee.

Spectrum: Slight Partisan Bill (Republican 5-2)

Status: (Engrossed - Dead) 2023-05-26 - Returned from the House for further action [HB681 Detail]

Download: Texas-2023-HB681-Introduced.html

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88R887 TSS-F
By: Bell of Kaufman H.B. No. 681

A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
AN ACT
relating to virtual and off-campus electronic instruction at a
public school, the satisfaction of teacher certification
requirements through an internship teaching certain virtual
courses, and the allotment for certain special-purpose school
districts under the Foundation School Program.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
SECTION 1. Section 21.051(g), Education Code, is amended to
read as follows:
(g) Rules proposed by the board under Section 21.044(a) or
this section may allow a candidate to satisfy certification
requirements through an internship that provides the candidate
employment as a teacher for courses offered through a local remote
learning program under Section 29.9091 or the state virtual school
network under Chapter 30A. [This subsection expires September 1,
2023.]
SECTION 2. Section 25.092(a-4), Education Code, is amended
to read as follows:
(a-4) A school district or open-enrollment charter school
may adopt a policy to exempt students from the requirements of this
section for one or more courses identified in the policy that are
offered under a local remote learning program under Section
29.9091. [This subsection expires September 1, 2023.]
SECTION 3. Section 29.9091(r), Education Code, is amended
to read as follows:
(r) In calculating under Subsection (q) the number of
students that may be enrolled in a local remote learning program, a
school district or open-enrollment charter school shall count
students who spend at least half of the student's instructional
time during the [2021-2022] school year [or 2022-2023 school year,
as applicable,] enrolled in virtual courses or receiving remote
instruction, other than by enrollment in electronic courses offered
through the state virtual school network under Chapter 30A,
including students enrolled in virtual courses or who received
remote instruction during the [2021-2022] school year [or 2022-2023
school year, as applicable,] because the student was:
(1) medically fragile;
(2) placed in a virtual setting by an admission,
review, and dismissal committee; or
(3) receiving accommodations under Section 504,
Rehabilitation Act of 1973 (29 U.S.C. Section 794).
SECTION 4. Section 48.005(h-1), Education Code, is amended
to read as follows:
(h-1) Subject to rules adopted by the commissioner under
Section 48.007(b), time that a student participates in a course or
program provided under Section 48.0071(b) shall be counted as part
of the minimum number of instructional hours required for a student
to be considered a full-time student in average daily attendance
for purposes of this section. [This subsection expires September
1, 2023.]
SECTION 5. The following provisions of the Education Code
are repealed:
(1) Section 29.9091(s);
(2) Section 39.0549(d);
(3) Section 39.301(c-2);
(4) Section 48.005(m-2);
(5) Section 48.0071(d); and
(6) Section 48.053(b-2).
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 August 31, 2023.