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Historical Rule for the Texas Administrative Code

TITLE 19EDUCATION
PART 2TEXAS EDUCATION AGENCY
CHAPTER 97PLANNING AND ACCOUNTABILITY
SUBCHAPTER EEACCREDITATION STATUS, STANDARDS, AND SANCTIONS
RULE §97.1055Accreditation Status

    (A) for four consecutive school years, an academic accountability rating of Academically Unacceptable under §97.1001 of this title;

    (B) for four consecutive school years, a financial accountability rating of Substandard Achievement or Suspended--Data Quality under §109.1002 of this title;

    (C) for four consecutive school years, any one of the ratings referenced in subparagraphs (A) and (B) of this paragraph; or

    (D) for three consecutive school years, a combination of ratings referenced in both subparagraphs (A) and (B) of this paragraph.

  (2) A district shall have its accreditation revoked if, notwithstanding its performance under paragraph (1) of this subsection, the commissioner determines this action is reasonably necessary to achieve the purposes of TEC, §39.071. Such action is generally required by the following circumstances:

    (A) to an extent established under subsection (e) of this section, the district has failed to comply with requirements related to:

      (i) the integrity of assessment or financial data used to measure performance under TEC, Chapter 39 or 42, and rules implementing those chapters;

      (ii) the reporting of data under TEC, §42.006, and §61.1025 of this title;

      (iii) other reports required by state or federal law or court order;

      (iv) awarding high school graduation under TEC, §28.025; or

      (v) any applicable requirement under TEC, §7.056(e)(3)(C) - (I); or

    (B) after investigation under TEC, §39.074 or §39.075, the commissioner finds:

      (i) the district's programs monitored under §97.1005 of this title exhibit serious or persistent deficiencies that require revocation of the district's accreditation; or

      (ii) the district otherwise exhibits serious or persistent deficiencies that require revocation of the district's accreditation.

  (3) Notwithstanding paragraph (2) of this subsection, a district's accreditation shall be revoked if the commissioner determines this action is reasonably necessary to achieve the purposes of TEC, §39.071.

  (4) The commissioner's decision to revoke a district's accreditation may be appealed under §97.1037 of this title (relating to Record Review of Certain Decisions). If the decision is sustained on appeal, the commissioner shall appoint a management team or board of managers to bring to closure the district's operation of the public school.

(e) Legal compliance. In addition to the district's performance as measured by ratings under §97.1001 and §109.1002 of this title, the accreditation status of a district is determined by its compliance with the statutes and rules specified in TEC, §39.071(b)(2). Notwithstanding satisfactory or above satisfactory performance on other measures, a district's accreditation status may be assigned based on its legal compliance alone, to the extent the commissioner determines necessary. In making this determination, the commissioner:

  (1) shall assign the accreditation status that is reasonably calculated to accomplish the applicable provisions specified in §97.1053(a) of this title;

  (2) may impose, but is not required to impose, an accreditation sanction under this subchapter in addition to assigning a status under paragraph (1) of this subsection; and

  (3) shall lower the status assigned and/or impose additional accreditation sanctions as necessary to achieve compliance with the statutes and rules specified in TEC, §39.071(b)(2).

(f) Required notification of Accredited-Warned or Accredited-Probation status.

  (1) A district assigned an accreditation status of Accredited-Warned or Accredited-Probation shall notify the parents of students enrolled in the district and property owners in the district as specified by this subsection.

  (2) The district's notice must contain information about the accreditation status, the implications of such status, and the steps the district is taking to address the areas of deficiency identified by the commissioner. The district's notice shall use the format and language determined by the commissioner.

  (3) Notice under this subsection must:

    (A) not later than 30 calendar days after the accreditation status is assigned, appear on the home page of the district's website, with a link to the notification required by paragraph (2) of this subsection, and remain until the district is assigned the Accredited status; and

    (B) appear in the newspaper with the greatest circulation in the district for three consecutive days as follows:

      (i) from Sunday through Tuesday of the second week following assignment of the status; or

      (ii) if the newspaper is not published from Sunday through Tuesday, then for three consecutive issues of the newspaper beginning the second week following assignment of the status; or

    (C) not later than 30 calendar days after the status is assigned, be sent by first class mail addressed individually to each parent of a student enrolled in the district and each property owner in the district.

  (4) A district required to act under this subsection shall send the following to the TEA via certified mail, return receipt requested:

    (A) the universal resource locator (URL) for the link required by paragraph (3)(A) of this subsection; and

    (B) copies of the notice required by paragraph (3)(B) of this subsection showing dates of publication, or a paid invoice showing the notice content and its dates of publication; or

    (C) copies of the notice required by paragraph (3)(C) of this subsection and copies of all mailing lists and postage receipts.


Source Note: The provisions of this §97.1055 adopted to be effective January 6, 2008, 33 TexReg 150

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