Sec. 28.020.  MATHEMATICS INNOVATION ZONES.  (a)  The commissioner may: 
(1)  on application of a school district or open-enrollment charter school, designate a campus of the district or school as a mathematics innovation zone; and
(2)  from funds appropriated or donated for purposes of this section, award a grant to support implementation of innovative mathematics instruction at the campus in accordance with this section.
(b)  A campus designated as a mathematics innovation zone must:
(1)  implement with fidelity an innovative mathematics instructional program approved by the commissioner for purposes of this section that addresses the essential knowledge and skills of the mathematics curriculum required by Section 28.002;
(2)  comply with objectives, metrics, and other mathematics innovation zone requirements imposed by the commissioner through rules adopted under Subsection (g); and
(3)  provide all data relating to the mathematics innovation zone requested by the agency.
(c)  A campus designated as a mathematics innovation zone is not subject to interventions under the state accountability system described by Section 39.107(a) or (e) for the first two years of the designation, provided that the campus implements the instructional program with fidelity and complies with each mathematics innovation zone requirement to the satisfaction of the commissioner.  The period that a campus is exempt from interventions as provided by this subsection is not:
(1)  included in calculating consecutive school years under Section 39.107(a) or (e); or
(2)  considered a break in consecutive school years of unacceptable ratings for purposes of determining the need for intervention under Section 39.107(a) or (e).
(d)  The commissioner may revoke designation of a campus as a mathematics innovation zone and suspend associated grant funding if the commissioner determines that the campus has failed to implement the instructional program with fidelity or comply with any requirement imposed under this section.
(e)  A school district or open-enrollment charter school may use a pay for success program approved by the commissioner under Section 44.904 to pay costs associated with designation of a campus as a mathematics innovation zone.
(f)  The commissioner may accept gifts, grants, or donations from any public or private source for purposes of this section.
(g)  The commissioner may adopt rules as necessary to administer this section.
(h)  A decision or determination by the commissioner under this section is final and may not be appealed.
Added by Acts 2017, 85th Leg., R.S., Ch. 424 (S.B. 1318), Sec. 1, eff. September 1, 2017.