The commissioner must create an electronic audit process for school district dropout records, and districts may be monitored on-site if they are flagged as high risk.
Sec. 39.308. ANNUAL AUDIT OF DROPOUT RECORDS; REPORT. (a) The commissioner shall develop a process for auditing school district dropout records electronically. The commissioner shall also develop a system and standards for review of the audit or use systems already available at the agency. The system must be designed to identify districts that are at high risk of having inaccurate dropout records and that, as a result, require on-site monitoring of dropout records. (b) If the electronic audit of a school district's dropout records indicates that a district is not at high risk of having inaccurate dropout records, the district may not be subject to on-site monitoring under this subsection. (c) If the risk-based system indicates that a school district is at high risk of having inaccurate dropout records, the district is entitled to an opportunity to respond to the commissioner's determination before on-site monitoring may be conducted. The district must respond not later than the 30th day after the date the commissioner notifies the district of the commissioner's determination. If the district's response does not change the commissioner's determination that the district is at high risk of having inaccurate dropout records or if the district does not respond in a timely manner, the commissioner shall order agency staff to conduct on-site monitoring of the district's dropout records. (d) The commissioner shall notify the board of trustees of a school district of any objection the commissioner has to the district's dropout data, any violation of sound accounting practices or of a law or rule revealed by the data, or any recommendation by the commissioner concerning the data. If the data reflect that a penal law has been violated, the commissioner shall notify the county attorney, district attorney, or criminal district attorney, as appropriate, and the attorney general. (e) The commissioner is entitled to access to all district records the commissioner considers necessary or appropriate for the review, analysis, or approval of district dropout data. Amended by: Acts 2009, 81st Leg., R.S., Ch. 895 (H.B. 3), Sec. 59, eff. June 19, 2009.