SB 900

relating to the inclusion of a school safety domain for evaluating
districts and campuses under the public school accountability
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
(1)  improving student preparedness for success in:
(A)  subsequent grade levels; and
(B)  entering the workforce, the military, or
(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
(1)  in the student achievement domain, indicators of
student achievement that must include:
(A)  for evaluating the performance of districts
(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
(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
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
(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
(B)  for evaluating the performance of high school
campuses and districts that include high school campuses,
(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
(iii)  students who earn dual course credits
(iv)  students who enlist in the armed
forces of the United States or the Texas National Guard;
(v)  students who earn industry
(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
(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),
(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
(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
(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
(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
(C)  instruction to students to improve school
(D)  the integration of local, state, and federal
resources into school safety programs.
SECTION 2.  Section 39.301(d), Education Code, is amended to
(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
SECTION 3.  This Act applies beginning with the 2025-2026
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.