Sec. 21.301. APPEAL TO COMMISSIONER. (a) Not later than the 20th day after the date the board of trustees or board subcommittee announces its decision under Section 21.259 or the board advises the teacher of its decision not to renew the teacher's contract under Section 21.208, the teacher may appeal the decision by filing a petition for review with the commissioner.

(b) The school district must file a response not later than the 20th day after the date the petition for review is filed. The record of the local hearing must be filed with the district's response or be filed alone within the period for a response if the district does not file a response. A school district's filing of the record with the commissioner under this subsection is not an offense under Section 551.146, Government Code.

(c) The commissioner shall review the record of the hearing before the hearing examiner and the oral argument before the board of trustees or board subcommittee. Except as provided in Section 21.302, the commissioner shall consider the appeal solely on the basis of the local record and may not consider any additional evidence or issue. The commissioner, on the motion of a party or on the commissioner's motion, may hear oral argument. The commissioner shall accept written argument.

(d) In conducting a hearing under this section, the commissioner has the same authority relating to discovery and conduct of a hearing as a hearing examiner has under Subchapter F.

(e) The commissioner may adopt rules governing the conduct of an appeal to the commissioner. An appeal to the commissioner under this section is not subject to Chapter 2001, Government Code.

(f) The commissioner may obtain advice concerning legal matters from the chief legal officer of the agency if the chief legal officer has not been involved in the proceedings.

Added by Acts 1995, 74th Leg., ch. 260, Sec. 1, eff. May 30, 1995. Amended by Acts 2001, 77th Leg., ch. 895, Sec. 2, eff. June 14, 2001.