SB900 - Relating to the inclusion of a school safety domain for evaluating districts and campuses under the public school accountability system.

  89R5607 BCH-D     By: Hughes S.B. No. 900       A BILL TO BE ENTITLED   AN ACT   relating to the inclusion of a school safety domain for evaluating   districts and campuses under the public school accountability   system.          BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:          SECTION 1.  Sections 39.053(a-1) and (c), Education Code,   are amended to read as follows:          (a-1)  The indicators adopted by the commissioner under   Subsection (a) must measure and evaluate school districts and   campuses with respect to:                (1)  improving student preparedness for success in:                      (A)  subsequent grade levels; and                      (B)  entering the workforce, the military, or   postsecondary education;                (2)  reducing, with the goal of eliminating, student   academic achievement differentials among students from different   racial and ethnic groups and socioeconomic backgrounds; [ and ]                (3)   providing a safe learning environment; and                 (4)   informing parents and the community regarding   campus and district performance.          (c)  School districts and campuses must be evaluated based on   four [ three ] domains of indicators of achievement adopted under   this section that include:                (1)  in the student achievement domain, indicators of   student achievement that must include:                      (A)  for evaluating the performance of districts   and campuses generally:                            (i)  an indicator that accounts for the   results of assessment instruments required under Sections   39.023(a), (c), and (l), as applicable for the district and campus,   including the results of assessment instruments required for   graduation retaken by a student, aggregated across grade levels by   subject area, including:                                  (a)  for the performance standard   determined by the commissioner under Section 39.0241(a), the   percentage of students who performed satisfactorily on the   assessment instruments, aggregated across grade levels by subject   area; and                                  (b)  for the college readiness   performance standard as determined under Section 39.0241, the   percentage of students who performed satisfactorily on the   assessment instruments, aggregated across grade levels by subject   area; and                            (ii)  an indicator that accounts for the   results of assessment instruments required under Section   39.023(b), as applicable for the district and campus, including the   percentage of students who performed satisfactorily on the   assessment instruments, as determined by the performance standard   adopted by the agency, aggregated across grade levels by subject   area; and                      (B)  for evaluating the performance of high school   campuses and districts that include high school campuses,   indicators that account for:                            (i)  students who satisfy the Texas Success   Initiative (TSI) college readiness benchmarks prescribed by the   Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board under Section 51.334 on   an assessment instrument in reading or mathematics designated by   the coordinating board under that section;                            (ii)  students who satisfy relevant   performance standards on advanced placement tests or similar   assessments;                            (iii)  students who earn dual course credits   in the dual credit courses;                            (iv)  students who enlist in the armed   forces of the United States or the Texas National Guard;                            (v)  students who earn industry   certifications;                            (vi)  students admitted into postsecondary   industry certification programs that require as a prerequisite for   entrance successful performance at the secondary level;                            (vii)  students whose successful completion   of a course or courses under Section 28.014 indicates the student's   preparation to enroll and succeed, without remediation, in an   entry-level general education course for a baccalaureate degree or   associate degree;                            (viii)  students who successfully met   standards on a composite of indicators that through research   indicates the student's preparation to enroll and succeed, without   remediation, in an entry-level general education course for a   baccalaureate degree or associate degree;                            (ix)  high school graduation rates, computed   in accordance with standards and definitions adopted in compliance   with the Every Student Succeeds Act (20 U.S.C. Section 6301 et seq.)   subject to the exclusions provided by Subsections (g), (g-1),   (g-2), (g-3), and (g-4);                            (x)  students who successfully completed an   OnRamps dual enrollment course;                            (xi)  students who successfully completed a   practicum or internship approved by the State Board of Education;                            (xii)  students who are awarded an associate   degree; and                            (xiii)  students who successfully completed   a program of study in career and technical education;                (2)  in the school progress domain, indicators for   effectiveness in promoting student learning, which must include:                      (A)  for assessment instruments, including   assessment instruments under Subdivisions (1)(A)(i) and (ii), the   percentage of students who met the standard for improvement, as   determined by the commissioner; and                      (B)  for evaluating relative performance, the   performance of districts and campuses compared to similar districts   or campuses; [ and ]                (3)  in the closing the gaps domain, the use of   disaggregated data to demonstrate the differentials among students   from different racial and ethnic groups, socioeconomic   backgrounds, and other factors, including:                      (A)  students formerly receiving special   education services;                      (B)  students continuously enrolled; and                      (C)  students who are mobile ; and                 (4)     in the school safety domain, indicators for   effectiveness in promoting a safe learning environment, including:                       (A)  the security of school facilities;                       (B)     training of faculty and staff to improve   school safety;                       (C)     instruction to students to improve school   safety; and                       (D)     the integration of local, state, and federal   resources into school safety programs .          SECTION 2.  Section 39.301(d), Education Code, is amended to   read as follows:          (d)  Performance on the indicators described by Sections   39.053(c)(1), (2), and (3) [ Section 39.053(c) ] and Subsections   (c)(3), (4), and (9) of this section  must be based on longitudinal   student data that is disaggregated by the bilingual education or   special language program, if any, in which emergent bilingual   students, as defined by Section 29.052, are or former emergent   bilingual students were enrolled.  If a student described by this   subsection is not or was not enrolled in specialized language   instruction, the number and percentage of those students shall be   provided.          SECTION 3.  This Act applies beginning with the 2025-2026   school year.          SECTION 4.  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, 2025.