S.B. No. 276

	AN ACT
	relating to an adult high school diploma and industry certification
	charter school pilot program.
	BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
	SECTION 1.  Section 29.259, Education Code, is amended by
	amending Subsections (d) and (i) and adding Subsections (n), (o),
	(p), (q), and (r) to read as follows:
	(d)  Notwithstanding any other law and in addition to the
	number of charters allowed under Subchapter D, Chapter 12, the
	commissioner [a charter under the pilot program] may, on the basis
	of an application submitted, grant a charter under the pilot
	program [be granted] to a single nonprofit entity described by
	Subsection (e) to provide an adult education program for [not more
	than 150] individuals described by Subsection (g) to successfully
	complete:
	(1)  a high school program that can lead to a diploma;
	and
	(2)  career and technology education courses that can
	lead to industry certification.
	(i)  A charter granted under this section must:
	(1)  include a description of the adult education
	program to be offered under this section; and
	(2)  establish specific, objective standards for
	receiving a high school diploma, including:
	(A)  successful completion of:
	(i)  if applicable to the program
	participant, the curriculum requirements under Section 28.025; or
	(ii)  the appropriate curriculum
	requirements applicable to the program participant; and
	(B)  satisfactory performance on the standardized
	secondary exit-level assessment instrument described by Subsection
	(c).
	(n)  An adult education program operated under a charter
	granted under this section 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 as determined by the
	commissioner to monitor compliance with this section and, as
	applicable, Subchapter D, Chapter 12;
	(B)  criminal history records under Subchapter C,
	Chapter 22;
	(C)  high school graduation requirements under
	Section 28.025, to the extent applicable to a program participant;
	(D)  special education programs under Subchapter
	A, Chapter 29;
	(E)  bilingual education under Subchapter B,
	Chapter 29;
	(F)  health and safety under Chapter 38;
	(G)  the requirement under Section 21.006 to
	report an educator's misconduct; and
	(H)  the right of an employee to report a crime, as
	provided by Section 37.148.
	(o)  The commissioner shall develop and adopt performance
	frameworks that establish standards by which to measure the
	performance of an adult high school program operated under a
	charter granted under this section in a manner consistent with the
	requirements provided for an open-enrollment charter school under
	Sections 12.1181(a) and (b).  The commissioner shall include in the
	performance frameworks adopted under this subsection the following
	performance indicators:
	(1)  the percentage of program participants who
	performed satisfactorily on the standardized secondary exit-level
	assessment instrument described by Subsection (c);
	(2)  the percentage of program participants who
	successfully completed the high school program and earned a high
	school diploma;
	(3)  the percentage of program participants who
	successfully completed career and technology education courses and
	obtained industry certification;
	(4)  the percentage of program participants who have
	enrolled in an institution of higher education or private or
	independent institution of higher education, as those terms are
	defined under Section 61.003; and
	(5)  the percentage of program participants who earned
	a wage, salary, or other income increase that was significant as
	determined and reported by the Texas Workforce Commission.
	(p)  Each year, the commissioner shall evaluate the
	performance of an adult high school program operated under a
	charter granted under this section based on the applicable
	performance frameworks adopted under Subsection (o).
	(q)  The commissioner shall adopt rules as necessary to
	implement and administer the reporting requirements under
	Subsection (n)(2)(A) and the evaluation provisions of Subsections
	(o) and (p).
	(r)  The commissioner or an adult education program operated
	under a charter granted under this section may accept gifts,
	grants, or donations from any public or private source to be used
	for purposes of this section.
	SECTION 2.  Section 29.259(l), Education Code, is repealed.
	SECTION 3.  Section 29.259(p), Education Code, as added by
	this Act, applies beginning with the 2017-2018 school year.
	SECTION 4.  Section 29.259(d), Education Code, as amended by
	this Act, takes effect only if a specific appropriation is provided
	for additional funding for the increase in the number of program
	participants above 150 in a general appropriations act of the 85th
	Legislature.
	SECTION 5.  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.
	______________________________	______________________________
	President of the Senate	Speaker of the House
	I hereby certify that S.B. No. 276 passed the Senate on
	April 25, 2017, by the following vote:  Yeas 31, Nays 0.
	______________________________
	Secretary of the Senate
	I hereby certify that S.B. No. 276 passed the House on
	May 11, 2017, by the following vote:  Yeas 143, Nays 0, one
	present not voting.
	______________________________
	Chief Clerk of the House
	Approved:
	______________________________
	Date
	______________________________
	Governor