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A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
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AN ACT
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relating to the public education grant program. |
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BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
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SECTION 1. Section 29.201, Education Code, is amended to |
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read as follows: |
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Sec. 29.201. PARENTAL CHOICE. Notwithstanding any other |
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provision of this code, as provided by this subchapter a [an
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eligible] student may attend a public school in the district in |
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which the student resides or may use a public education grant to |
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attend a public school in any other district chosen by the student's |
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parent. |
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SECTION 2. Section 29.203(d), Education Code, is |
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redesignated as Section 29.2011, Education Code, and amended to |
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read as follows: |
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Sec. 29.2011. ACCEPTANCE BY CHOSEN CAMPUS. (a) [(d)] A |
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school district may not [chosen by a student's parent under Section
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29.201 is entitled to accept or] reject an [the] application under |
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Section 29.201 for a [the] student to attend school at a campus |
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chosen by the student's parent unless positions at the campus are |
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unavailable because the campus is at full capacity [in that
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district but may not use criteria that discriminate on the basis of
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a student's race, ethnicity, academic achievement, athletic
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abilities, language proficiency, sex, or socioeconomic status]. |
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(b) A school district that has more [acceptable] applicants |
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for attendance at a campus under this subchapter than available |
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positions [must give priority to students at risk of dropping out of
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school as defined by Section 29.081 and] must fill the available |
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positions at the campus as follows: |
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(1) students residing in the assigned attendance zone |
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of the campus must be accepted first; |
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(2) students residing in the school district in which |
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the campus is located must be accepted next; and |
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(3) students residing in a school district other than |
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the district in which the campus is located must be accepted if |
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positions remain after accepting students under Subdivisions (1) |
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and (2). |
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(c) If a school district has more applicants from students |
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in a category under Subsection (b) than available positions, the |
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district shall fill the available positions by lottery. |
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(d) Notwithstanding Subsections (b) and (c) [However], to |
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achieve continuity in education, a school district may give |
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preference [over at-risk students] to enrolled students and to the |
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siblings of enrolled students residing in the same household or |
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other children residing in the same household as enrolled students |
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for the convenience of parents, guardians, or custodians of those |
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children. |
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SECTION 3. Section 29.203(f), Education Code, is |
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redesignated as Section 29.2012, Education Code, and amended to |
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read as follows: |
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Sec. 29.2012. TRANSPORTATION. If the school a student |
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would otherwise attend is a campus assigned an unacceptable |
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performance rating under Section 39.054, the [(f) The] school |
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district in which the [a] student resides shall provide |
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transportation free of charge to and from the school the student |
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attends [each student attending a school in another district] under |
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this subchapter [transportation free of charge to and from the
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school the student would otherwise attend]. |
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SECTION 4. Section 29.204(b), Education Code, is amended to |
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read as follows: |
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(b) Not later than February 1 of each year, a school |
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district shall notify the parent of each student in the district |
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[assigned to attend a campus described by Section 29.202] that the |
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student is eligible for a public education grant. The notice must |
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contain a clear, concise explanation of the public education grant |
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program and of the manner in which the parent may obtain further |
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information about the program. |
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SECTION 5. Section 29.205, Education Code, is amended to |
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read as follows: |
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Sec. 29.205. CONTRACT AUTHORITY. The board of trustees of a |
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school district may contract under Section 11.157 for the provision |
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of educational services to a district student eligible to receive a |
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public education grant [under Section 29.202]. |
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SECTION 6. Sections 29.202, 29.203(b), (c), and (g), |
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29.204(a), 42.157, and 42.4101, Education Code, are repealed. |
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SECTION 7. This Act applies beginning with the 2013-2014 |
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school year. |
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SECTION 8. 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, 2013. |