(a) The board shall establish The Texas Academy of Mathematics and Science at the university. The academy serves the following purposes:
(1) to provide academically gifted and highly motivated junior and senior high school students with a challenging university-level curriculum that:
(A) allows students to complete high school graduation requirements, including requirements adopted under Section 28.025 for the advanced high school program, while attending for academic credit a public institution of higher education;
(B) fosters students' knowledge of real-world mathematics and science issues and applications and teaches students to apply critical thinking and problem-solving skills to those issues;
(C) includes the study of English, foreign languages, social studies, mathematics, science, and technology; and
(D) offers students learning opportunities related to mathematics and science through in-depth research and field-based studies;
(2) to provide students with an awareness of mathematics and science careers and professional development opportunities through any appropriate means such as:
(A) seminars;
(B) workshops;
(C) collaboration with postsecondary and university students, including opportunities for summer studies; and
(D) internships in foreign countries; and
(3) to provide students with social development activities that enrich the academic curriculum and student life, including, as determined appropriate by the academy, University Interscholastic League activities and other extracurricular activities.
(b) The academy is a coeducational program for selected Texas high school students with an interest in and the potential to excel in mathematics and science studies. The academy shall admit only high school juniors and seniors, except that the academy may admit a student with exceptional abilities who is not yet a high school junior. The board shall set aside adequate space at the new university to operate the academy and implement the purposes of this section. The academy must operate on the same fall and spring semester basis as the university. Full-time students of the academy must enroll for both the fall and spring semesters. Faculty members of the university shall teach all academic classes at the academy. A student of the academy may attend a college course offered by the university and receive college credit for that course.
(c) The university administration has the same powers and duties with respect to the academy that the administration has with respect to the university. The board, in consultation with university administration, shall:
(1) establish an internal management system for the academy and appoint an academy principal, who serves at the will of the board and reports to the vice president for academic affairs;
(2) provide for one or more academy counselors;
(3) establish for the academy a site-based decision-making process similar to the process required by Subchapter F , Chapter 11 , that provides for the participation of academy faculty, parents of academy students, and other members of the community; and
(4) establish an admissions process for the academy.
(d) The student-teacher ratio in all regular academic classes at the academy may not exceed 30 students for each classroom teacher, except that the student-teacher ratio may exceed that limit:
(1) in a program provided for the purposes prescribed by Subsection (a)(2) or another special enrichment course or in a physical education course;
(2) if the board determines that a class with a higher student-teacher ratio would contribute to the educational development of the students in the class; or
(3) if an academy class is combined with a university class with more than 30 students.
(e) The academy shall provide the university-level curriculum in a manner that is appropriate for the social, psychological, emotional, and physical development of high school juniors and seniors. The administrative and counseling personnel of the academy shall provide continuous support to and supervision of students.
(f) For each student enrolled in the academy, the academy is entitled to allotments from the foundation school fund under Chapter 48 as if the academy were a school district without a tier one local share for purposes of Section 48.266 . If in any academic year the amount of the allotments under this subsection exceeds the amount of state funds paid to the academy in the first fiscal year of the academy's operation, the commissioner of education shall set aside from the total amount of funds to which school districts are entitled under Section 48.266 (c) an amount equal to the excess amount and shall distribute that amount to the academy. After deducting the amount set aside and paid to the academy by the commissioner of education under this subsection, the commissioner of education shall reduce the amount to which each district is entitled under Section 48.266 (c) in the manner described by Section 48.266 (f). A determination of the commissioner of education under this subsection is final and may not be appealed.
(g) The board may use any available money, enter into contracts, and accept grants, including matching grants, federal grants, and grants from a corporation or other private contributor, in establishing and operating the academy. Money spent by the academy must further the purposes of the academy under Subsection (a).
(h) The liability of this state under Chapters 101 and 104 , Civil Practice and Remedies Code, is limited for the academy and employees assigned to the academy and acting on behalf of the academy to the same extent that the liability of a school district and an employee of the school district is limited under Sections 22.0511 , 22.0512 , and 22.052 of this code and Section 101.051 , Civil Practice and Remedies Code. An employee assigned to the academy is entitled to representation by the attorney general in a civil suit based on an action or omission of the employee in the course of the employee's employment, to limits on liability, and to indemnity under Chapters 104 and 108 , Civil Practice and Remedies Code.
(i) Except as otherwise provided by this section, the academy is not subject to the provisions of this code or to the rules of the Texas Education Agency regulating public schools.
Added by Acts 2013, 83rd Leg., R.S., Ch. 726 (S.B. 24 ), Sec. 1, eff. June 14, 2013.
