Senate Bill 522 Summary

• Aligns selection of innovative schools with those identified by the State Board of Education for comprehensive support and improvement through a three-tier system (qualifying, watch, and warning lists) with specific notification and public hearing requirements.

• Expands options for the Innovative School District by allowing voluntary selection of qualifying schools by local boards and permitting innovation zones for up to three continually low-performing schools or all low-performing schools if a district has more than 35% low-performing schools.

• Requires local boards of education to inform county commissioners of academic progress of identified low-performing schools and present information at public commission meetings upon request.

• Eliminates the cap on local boards of education participating in the Advanced Teaching Roles pilot program and exempts participating schools from class size requirements.

• Directs the State Superintendent and ISD Superintendent to study and report on innovative school options and alignment of low-performing school reform models to the Joint Legislative Education Oversight Committee by March 15, 2020.