| (a) The intent and purpose of the Texas Accelerated Science Achievement Program (Texas ASAP) is to establish and implement intensive after-school and summer school programs designed to increase Grade 10 and 11 student achievement on the science portion of the Texas Assessment of Knowledge and Skills (TAKS). Through intervention programs that will serve students in Grades 9 - 12, the Texas ASAP will target high schools with low student performance on the Grade 10 and 11 science TAKS examinations. (b) Funds shall be distributed by the commissioner of education, on a competitive grant basis, to be used by school districts for the implementation of scientific, research-based science programs designed to improve the performance of students in science, including programs designed to address the gender gap in performance. Prior to providing a program, in accordance with the Texas Education Code, §29.089, and the General Appropriations Act, House Bill 1, Article III, Rider 45, 78th Texas Legislature, 2003, each school district receiving a grant must: (1) document its locally-adopted board of trustees policy for: (A) determining student eligibility for participating in the program that: (i) prescribes the grade level or course a student must be enrolled in to be eligible; and (ii) provides for considering teacher recommendations in determining eligibility; (B) ensuring that parents of or persons standing in parental relation to eligible students are provided notice of the program; (C) ensuring that eligible students are encouraged to attend the program; (D) ensuring that the program is offered at one or more locations in the district that are easily accessible to eligible students; and (E) measuring student progress; (2) demonstrate a need for additional intervention as evidenced by student performance in science resulting in at least one high school identified as under performing. An under-performing campus is one with a TAKS science passing rate below the state average; and (3) partner with a science department of an institution of higher education. (c) The guidelines delineated in this subsection shall determine which school districts may receive funding under the Texas ASAP. (1) School districts must submit applications in accordance with instructions provided by the Texas Education Agency (TEA). Applications received by the established deadline date and time will be reviewed. For each eligible application, the recommendations of the reviewers will be assembled and presented to the commissioner or the commissioner's designee who will: (A) approve the application in whole or in part; or (B) disapprove the application. (2) Awards will be considered on the basis of total points. Grant awards will be made starting with the highest scoring application and continue to the next highest score until funds are exhausted or until the applications meeting minimum criteria or higher are funded. In the event of a tie score that would preclude determination of funding, the effected applicants will be asked to provide additional clarifying information to determine highest need or greatest capacity for successful implementation. (3) The TEA will notify each applicant in writing of the selection or non-selection for funding. In the case of an application selected for funding, notification to the grantee will include the contractual conditions which the applicant must accept in accordance with state law. (d) Grantees must agree to submit all information requested by the TEA through periodic activity/progress reports, a final evaluation report, and other activities related to the evaluation of the program. Reports will be due to the TEA no later than 30 days after the close of the reporting period and must contain all requested information in the prescribed format. These reports will be used by the TEA to evaluate the implementation and progress of grant-funded programs and to determine if modifications or adjustments to the program are necessary. (e) Based on a comprehensive analysis of the periodic activity/progress reports, final evaluation reports, and other relevant data, the TEA will disseminate to each Texas school district information concerning instructional methods that have proved successful in improving student performance in science. |
