SB 365 - This act establishes the "School Turnaround Act", which requires the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education to establish school turnaround programs to assist public and charter schools in need of intervention. THE SCHOOL TURNAROUND FUND (Sections 161.090, 161.1095, 161.1105, 161.1110)
Beginning September 1, 2021, the Department shall use an outcome-based measure to set the criteria for the designation of schools in need of intervention. Such designations shall occur no later than one month following the release of the statewide assessment results. The Department shall use the same measure to determine the criteria a school must meet to exit the school turnaround program.
The Department shall designate a school as in need of intervention only if there are sufficient funds in the School Turnaround Fund, established in this act, to pay an independent school turnaround expert.
Prior to August 30, 2021, the Department is required to identify two or more approved independent school turnaround experts that a school in need of intervention may partner with. Such experts must meet the criteria set forth in the act.
The School Turnaround Committee, established by the governing board prior to October 1 of any year in which a school is designated as a school in need of intervention shall partner with the governing board, before October 15, to select an independent school turnaround expert from the candidates identified by the Department. The Committee shall be composed of one member of the governing board, the school principal, three parents of students enrolled in the school, and four teachers at the school.
The Department shall award contracts to school turnaround experts, and governing boards are not required to pay such experts. Contracts between the governing board and the expert are required to include specific elements set forth in the act.
SCHOOL TURNAROUND PLANS (Sections 161.1095, 161.1110)
The independent school turnaround expert shall, with the Committee, develop and implement a school turnaround plan that includes certain elements set forth in the act. Such plan shall be submitted by the Committee to the governing board for approval before March first of any initial remedial year. If the governing board does not approve the school turnaround plan, the Committee may appeal the disapproval in accordance with the Department's rules.
If the plan is approved by the governing board, such plan shall then be submitted to the Department for final approval before April first of an initial remedial year. The Department shall review a school turnaround plan submitted for approval within 30 days of submission, and shall approve a plan that is timely, well-developed, and meets the criteria set forth in the act.
The Department shall create an appeals process for a school that does not receive approval of its school turnaround plan, and for a governing board that does not receive approval of its plan from the Department.
THE SCHOOL INTERVENTION FUND (Sections 161.1110 and 161.1115)
The Department, under this act, shall award grants from the School Intervention Fund, established in this act, to fund interventions identified in approved school turnaround plans. Local educational agencies shall only be eligible for a grant if the agency provides matching funds or an in-kind contribution of goods or services in the amount equal to the grant award.
A school in need of intervention that does not meet certain criteria, determined by the Department, within three school years after being designated a school in need of intervention may petition the Department for an extension to continue school improvement efforts for up to two additional years. Such extension shall be granted by the Department only if the school has demonstrated at least 50% of the improvement necessary to exit the turnaround process, or submits an appeal to the Department. A school that has been granted an extension is eligible for continued funding, and the Department may also extend the contract of an independent school turnaround expert.
Consequences for schools that do not meet the predetermined exit criteria in the required time frame shall be established by the Department.
THE SCHOOL RECOGNITION REWARD FUND (Section 161.1120, 161.1125)
Subject to appropriation, the Department shall establish a statewide program to be known as the "School Recognition and Reward Program" to provide incentives to schools and teachers to improve schools in need of intervention.
The Department shall award grants from the newly created School Recognition Reward Fund to local educational agencies with eligible schools, so long as the grant money is used to reward such schools or teachers.
Before November 30 2022, and before November 30 of each year thereafter, the Department shall report to the Joint Committee on Education on the implementation of this act.
This act is substantially similar to SS#2/SCS/HCS/HB 604 (2019) and HCS/SS/SB 218 (2019).
JOSIE BUTLER