TITLE: Relating to the administration of public school assessment instruments and the temporary suspension of certain accountability determinations for a school district or campus in a school year in which in-person attendance at the district is disrupted as a result of a declared disaster and the requirement to use those assessment instruments as a criterion for promotion or graduation of a public school student.

SUMMARY: Relating to the administration of public school assessment instruments and the temporary suspension of certain accountability determinations for a school district or campus in a school year in which in-person attendance at the district is disrupted as a result of a declared disaster and the requirement to use those assessment instruments as a criterion for promotion or graduation of a public school student.

FULL TEXT:
AN ACT relating to the administration of public school assessment instruments and the temporary suspension of certain accountability determinations for a school district or campus in a school year in which in-person attendance at the district is disrupted as a result of a declared disaster and the requirement to use those assessment instruments as a criterion for promotion or graduation of a public school student. BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: SECTION 1. Subchapter B, Chapter 39, Education Code, is amended by adding Section 39.0239 to read as follows: Sec. 39.0239. ADMINISTRATION OF ASSESSMENT INSTRUMENTS AND TEMPORARY SUSPENSION OF CERTAIN ACCOUNTABILITY MEASURES DURING DISASTER. (a) If a school district is located wholly or partly in the area of a disaster declared by the president of the United States under the Robert T. Stafford Disaster Relief and Emergency Assistance Act (42 U.S.C. Section 5121 et seq.) or by the governor under Chapter 418, Government Code, during a school year in which in-person attendance at the district is disrupted for at least 37,800 instructional minutes as a result of the disaster, the commissioner shall apply to the United States Department of Education for a waiver of the requirement under the Every Student Succeeds Act (20 U.S.C. Section 6301 et seq.) to administer assessment instruments during that school year for the affected district. (b) If the United States Department of Education fails to grant a waiver requested under Subsection (a), the assessment instruments shall be administered as required under Section 39.023 during the applicable school year, but, notwithstanding any other law, the commissioner may not consider the results of the assessment instruments for purposes of: (1) evaluating school district or campus performance under this chapter for the affected district for the applicable school year, including in determining: (A) the accreditation status of a district under Section 39.051; (B) the performance rating to assign to the district or the district's campuses under Section 39.054; or (C) whether to impose any intervention or sanction authorized by Chapter 39A after the applicable school year on the district or the district's campuses; or (2) determining a student's qualification for promotion or graduation. SECTION 2. 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.