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A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
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AN ACT
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relating to the removal of restrictions on funding and payment of |
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costs for certain full-time online educational programs; |
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authorizing a fee. |
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BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
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SECTION 1. Section 26.0031(c-1), Education Code, is amended |
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to read as follows: |
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(c-1) A school district or open-enrollment charter school |
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may decline to pay the cost for a student of more than three |
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yearlong electronic courses, or the equivalent, during any school |
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year. This subsection does not: |
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(1) limit the ability of the student to enroll in |
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additional electronic courses at the student's cost; or |
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(2) apply to a student enrolled in a full-time online |
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program [that was operating on January 1, 2013]. |
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SECTION 2. Section 30A.153(a-1), Education Code, is amended |
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to read as follows: |
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(a-1) For purposes of Subsection (a), a school district or |
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open-enrollment charter school is limited to the funding described |
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by that subsection for a student's enrollment in not more than three |
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electronic courses during any school year, unless the student is |
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enrolled in a full-time online program [that was operating on |
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January 1, 2013]. |
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SECTION 3. Subchapter D, Chapter 30A, Education Code, is |
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amended by adding Section 30A.156 to read as follows: |
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Sec. 30A.156. PROGRAM ESTABLISHMENT FEE. (a) If the agency |
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determines that the cost of supporting the establishment of a |
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full-time online program, including the cost of evaluating and |
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approving electronic courses, will not be paid by the agency |
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because funds for that purpose are not available, a school district |
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or open-enrollment charter school that intends to operate a |
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full-time online program may pay to the agency a one-time fee in an |
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amount that is equal to the cost of establishing that program to |
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ensure adequate support for that program is provided. |
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(b) The agency shall develop and publish a fee schedule for |
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purposes of establishing a full-time online program. |
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SECTION 4. The changes in law made by this Act apply to |
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electronic courses taken through the state virtual school network |
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beginning with the 2023-2024 school year. |
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SECTION 5. This Act takes effect immediately if it receives |
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a vote of two-thirds of all the members elected to each house, as |
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provided by Section 39, Article III, Texas Constitution. If this |
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Act does not receive the vote necessary for immediate effect, this |
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Act takes effect September 1, 2023. |
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* * * * * |