H.B. 379 Summary

• Increases academic distress commission membership from 5 to 7 members, adding one teacher and one parent/guardian representative appointed by the district board president.

• Requires school action teams (11-member groups with teachers, parents, and community members) at each school building in distressed districts to develop student success recommendations and monitor academic progress.

• Expands chief executive officer powers to include establishing community learning centers, implementing cultural competency training, and maximizing preschool enrollment in districts under academic distress.

• Allows individual school buildings with a "C" or higher grade to opt out of academic distress oversight while the district remains under commission, with automatic re-entry if performance drops to "F."

• Allocates $930,000-$2,000,000 annually for academic distress commission operations and related duties, including matching funds for innovative education programs and a district resource coordinator position.