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A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
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AN ACT
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Relating to the public school finance system. |
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BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
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ARTICLE 1. BASIC ALLOTMENT |
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SECTION 1.01. Section 48.051, Education Code, is amended by |
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amending Subsection (a) and adding Subsection (a-1) to read as |
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follows: |
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(a) Subject to adjustment under Subsection (a-1), for [For] |
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each student in average daily attendance, not including the time |
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students spend each day in special education programs in an |
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instructional arrangement other than mainstream or career and |
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technology education programs, for which an additional allotment is |
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made under Subchapter C, a district is entitled to an allotment |
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equal to the lesser of $7,365 [$6,160] or the amount that results |
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from the following formula: |
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A = $7,365 [$6,160] X TR/MCR |
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where: |
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"A" is the allotment to which a district is entitled; |
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"TR" is the district's tier one maintenance and operations |
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tax rate, as provided by Section 45.0032; and |
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"MCR" is the district's maximum compressed tax rate, as |
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determined under Section 48.2551. |
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(a-1) Beginning with the 2024-2025 school year, the basic |
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allotment provided to a district under Subsection (a) or (b) is |
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adjusted annually to increase the allotment by the amount that |
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results from applying the inflation rate, as determined by the |
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comptroller on the basis of changes in the Consumer Price Index for |
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All Urban Consumers published by the Bureau of Labor Statistics of |
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the United States Department of Labor, to the allotment for the |
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preceding school year. |
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SECTION 1.02. Section 48.202(a-1), Education Code, is |
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amended to read as follows: |
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(a-1) For purposes of Subsection (a), the dollar amount |
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guaranteed level of state and local funds per weighted student per |
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cent of tax effort ("GL") for a school district is: |
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(1) the greater of the amount of district tax revenue per |
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weighted student per cent of tax effort available to a school |
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district at the 96th percentile of wealth per weighted student or |
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the amount that results from multiplying 7,365 [6,160], or the |
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greater amount provided under Section 48.051(a-1) or (b) |
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[48.051(b)], if applicable, by 0.016, for the first eight cents by |
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which the district's maintenance and operations tax rate exceeds |
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the district's tier one tax rate; and |
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(2) subject to Subsection (f), the amount that results from |
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multiplying $7,365 [$6,160], or the greater amount provided under |
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Section 48.051(a-1) or (b) [48.051(b)], if applicable, by 0.008, |
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for the district's maintenance and operations tax effort that |
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exceeds the amount of tax effort described by Subdivision (1). |
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ARTICLE 2. ENROLLMENT-BASED FUNDING |
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SECTION 2.01. Section 48.005, Education Code, is amended to |
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read as follows: |
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Sec. 48.005. AVERAGE ENROLLMENT [DAILY ATTENDANCE]. (a) |
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In this chapter, average enrollment [daily attendance] is: |
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(1) the average number of students enrolled in the |
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school district during a school year [quotient of the sum of |
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attendance for each day of the minimum number of days of instruction |
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as described under Section 25.081(a) divided by the minimum number |
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of days of instruction; |
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[(2) for a district that operates under a flexible |
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year program under Section 29.0821, the quotient of the sum of |
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attendance for each actual day of instruction as permitted by |
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Section 29.0821(b)(1) divided by the number of actual days of |
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instruction as permitted by Section 29.0821(b)(1); |
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[(3) for a district that operates under a flexible |
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school day program under Section 29.0822, the average daily |
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attendance as calculated by the commissioner in accordance with |
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Sections 29.0822(d) and (d-1)]; or |
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(2) [(4)] for a district that operates a half-day |
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program or a full-day program under Section 29.153(c), one-half of |
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the average enrollment [daily attendance] calculated under |
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Subdivision (1). |
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(b) A school district that experiences a decline of two |
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percent or more in average enrollment [daily attendance] shall be |
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funded on the basis of: |
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(1) the actual average enrollment [daily attendance] |
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of the preceding school year, if the decline is the result of the |
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closing or reduction in personnel of a military base; or |
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(2) subject to Subsection (e), an average enrollment |
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[daily attendance] not to exceed 98 percent of the actual average |
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enrollment [daily attendance] of the preceding school year, if the |
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decline is not the result of the closing or reduction in personnel |
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of a military base. |
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(c) The commissioner shall adjust the average enrollment |
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[daily attendance] of a school district that has a significant |
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percentage of students who are migratory children as defined by 20 |
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U.S.C. Section 6399. |
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(d) The commissioner may adjust the average enrollment |
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[daily attendance] of a school district in which a disaster, flood, |
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extreme weather condition, fuel curtailment, or other calamity has |
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a significant effect on the district's enrollment [attendance]. In |
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addition to providing the adjustment for the amount of |
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instructional days during the semester in which the calamity first |
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occurred, an adjustment under this section may only be provided |
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based on a particular calamity for an additional amount of |
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instructional days equivalent to one school year. The commissioner |
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may divide the adjustment between two consecutive school years. |
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(e) For each school year, the commissioner shall adjust the |
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average enrollment [daily attendance] of school districts that are |
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entitled to funding on the basis of an adjusted average enrollment |
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[daily attendance] under Subsection (b)(2) so that: |
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(1) all districts are funded on the basis of the same |
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percentage of the preceding year's actual average enrollment [daily |
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attendance]; and |
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(2) the total cost to the state does not exceed the |
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amount specifically appropriated for that year for purposes of |
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Subsection (b)(2). |
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(f) An open-enrollment charter school is not entitled to |
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funding based on an adjustment under Subsection (b)(2). |
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(g) If a student may receive course credit toward the |
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student's high school academic requirements and toward the |
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student's higher education academic requirements for a single |
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course, including a course provided under Section 28.009 by a |
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public institution of higher education, the time during which the |
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student attends the course shall be counted as part of the minimum |
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number of instructional hours required for a student to be |
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considered a full-time student in average enrollment [daily |
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attendance] for purposes of this section. |
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[(g-1) The commissioner shall adopt rules to calculate |
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average daily attendance for students participating in a blended |
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learning program in which classroom instruction is supplemented |
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with applied workforce learning opportunities, including |
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participation of students in internships, externships, and |
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apprenticeships.] |
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(h) Time [Subject to rules adopted by the commissioner under |
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Section 48.007(b), time] that a student participates in an |
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off-campus instructional program provided by an entity other than a |
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school district or open-enrollment charter school and approved by |
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the commissioner in accordance with commissioner rule [under |
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Section 48.007(a)] shall be counted as part of the minimum number of |
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instructional hours required for a student to be considered a |
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full-time student in average enrollment [daily attendance] for |
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purposes of this section. |
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(i) A district or a charter school operating under Chapter |
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12 that operates a prekindergarten program is eligible to receive |
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one-half of average enrollment [daily attendance] under Subsection |
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(a) if the district's or charter school's prekindergarten program |
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provides at least 32,400 minutes of instructional time to students. |
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(j) A district or charter school is eligible to earn full |
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average enrollment [daily attendance] under Subsection (a) if the |
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district or school provides at least 43,200 minutes of |
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instructional time to students enrolled in: |
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(1) a dropout recovery school or program operating |
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under Section 12.1141(c) or Section 39.0548; |
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(2) an alternative education program operating under |
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Section 37.008; |
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(3) a school program located at a day treatment |
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facility, residential treatment facility, psychiatric hospital, or |
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medical hospital; |
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(4) a school program offered at a correctional |
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facility; or |
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(5) a school operating under Subchapter G, Chapter 12. |
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(k) A charter school operating under a charter granted under |
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Chapter 12 before January 1, 2015, is eligible to earn full average |
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enrollment [daily attendance] under Subsection (a), as that |
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subsection existed immediately before January 1, 2015, for: |
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(1) all campuses of the charter school operating |
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before January 1, 2015; and |
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(2) any campus or site expansion approved on or after |
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January 1, 2015, provided that the charter school received an |
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academic accountability performance rating of C or higher, and the |
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campus or site expansion is approved by the commissioner. |
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(l) A school district campus or charter school described by |
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Subsection (j) may operate more than one program and be eligible for |
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full average enrollment [daily attendance] for each program if the |
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programs operated by the district campus or charter school satisfy |
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all applicable state and federal requirements. |
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(m) The commissioner shall adopt rules necessary to |
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implement this section, including rules that: |
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(1) determine the method to calculate the average |
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number of students enrolled in a school district during a school |
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year; |
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(2) establish the minimum amount of instructional time |
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per day that allows a school district or charter school to be |
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eligible for full average enrollment [daily attendance], which may |
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differ based on the instructional program offered by the district |
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or charter school; |
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(3) [(2)] establish the requirements necessary for a |
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school district or charter school to be eligible for one-half of |
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average enrollment [daily attendance], which may differ based on |
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the instructional program offered by the district or charter |
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school; |
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(4) [(3)] proportionally reduce the average |
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enrollment [daily attendance] for a school district if any campus |
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or instructional program in the district provides fewer than the |
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required minimum minutes of instruction to students; and |
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(5) [(4)] allow a grade or course repeated under |
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Section 28.02124 to qualify for average enrollment [daily |
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attendance] even if the student previously passed or earned credit |
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for the grade or course, if the grade or course would otherwise be |
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eligible. |
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(n) To assist school districts in implementing this section |
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as amended by H.B. 2442, [Acts of the] 85th Legislature, Regular |
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Session, 2017, the commissioner may waive a requirement of this |
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section or adopt rules to implement this section. |
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SECTION 2.02. Section 7.062(a), Education Code, is amended |
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to read as follows: |
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(a) In this section, "wealth per student" means a school |
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district's taxable value of property as determined under Subchapter |
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M, Chapter 403, Government Code, or, if applicable, Section 48.258, |
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divided by the district's average enrollment [daily attendance] as |
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determined under Section 48.005. |
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SECTION 2.03. Section 11.052(f), Education Code, is amended |
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to read as follows: |
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(f) If single-member trustee districts are adopted or |
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approved as provided by this section, the board shall divide the |
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school district into the appropriate number of trustee districts, |
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based on the number of members of the board that are to be elected |
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from single-member trustee districts, and shall number each trustee |
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district. The trustee districts must be compact and contiguous and |
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must be as nearly as practicable of equal population. In a district |
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with 150,000 or more students in average enrollment [daily |
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attendance], the boundary of a trustee district may not cross a |
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county election precinct boundary except at a point at which the |
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boundary of the school district crosses the county election |
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precinct boundary. Trustee districts must be drawn not later than |
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the 90th day before the date of the first election of trustees from |
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those districts. |
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SECTION 2.04. Sections 12.106(a), (a-2), and (d), Education |
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Code, are amended to read as follows: |
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(a) A charter holder is entitled to receive for the |
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open-enrollment charter school funding under Chapter 48 equal to |
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the amount of funding per student in weighted average enrollment |
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[daily attendance], excluding the adjustment under Section 48.052, |
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the funding under Sections 48.101, 48.110, 48.111, and 48.112, and |
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enrichment funding under Section 48.202(a), to which the charter |
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holder would be entitled for the school under Chapter 48 if the |
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school were a school district without a tier one local share for |
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purposes of Section 48.266. |
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(a-2) In addition to the funding provided by Subsection (a), |
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a charter holder is entitled to receive for the open-enrollment |
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charter school an allotment per student in average enrollment |
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[daily attendance] in an amount equal to the difference between: |
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(1) the product of: |
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(A) the quotient of: |
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(i) the total amount of funding provided to |
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eligible school districts under Section 48.101(b) or (c); and |
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(ii) the total number of students in |
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average enrollment [daily attendance] in school districts that |
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receive an allotment under Section 48.101(b) or (c); and |
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(B) the sum of one and the quotient of: |
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(i) the total number of students in average |
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enrollment [daily attendance] in school districts that receive an |
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allotment under Section 48.101(b) or (c); and |
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(ii) the total number of students in |
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average enrollment [daily attendance] in school districts |
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statewide; and |
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(2) $125. |
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(d) Subject to Subsection (e), in addition to other amounts |
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provided by this section, a charter holder is entitled to receive, |
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for the open-enrollment charter school, funding per student in |
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average enrollment [daily attendance] in an amount equal to the |
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guaranteed level of state and local funds per student per cent of |
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tax effort under Section 46.032(a) multiplied by the lesser of: |
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(1) the state average interest and sinking fund tax |
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rate imposed by school districts for the current year; or |
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(2) a rate that would result in a total amount to which |
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charter schools are entitled under this subsection for the current |
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year equal to $60 million. |
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SECTION 2.05. Sections 12.263(a), (b), and (c), Education |
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Code, are amended to read as follows: |
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(a) Except as otherwise provided by this section, funding |
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for an adult education program operated under a charter granted |
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under this subchapter is an amount per participant through the |
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Foundation School Program equal to the amount of state funding per |
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student in weighted average enrollment [daily attendance] that |
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would be allocated under the Foundation School Program for the |
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student's attendance at an open-enrollment charter school in |
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accordance with Section 12.106. |
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(b) For purposes of determining the average enrollment |
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[daily attendance] of an adult education program operated under a |
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charter granted under this subchapter, a student is considered to |
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be in average enrollment [daily attendance, with a 100 percent |
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attendance rate,] for: |
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(1) all of the instructional days of the school year, |
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if the student is enrolled for at least 75 percent of the school |
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year; |
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(2) half of the instructional days of the school year, |
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if the student is enrolled for at least 50 percent but less than 75 |
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percent of the school year; |
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(3) a quarter of the instructional days of the school |
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year, if the student is enrolled for at least 25 percent but less |
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than 50 percent of the school year; or |
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(4) one-tenth of the instructional days of the school |
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year, if the student is enrolled for at least 10 percent but less |
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than 25 percent of the school year. |
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(c) A student enrolled in an adult education program |
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operated under a charter granted under this subchapter for less |
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than 10 percent of a school year may not be counted toward the adult |
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education program's average enrollment [daily attendance] for that |
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school year. |
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SECTION 2.06. Section 13.051(c), Education Code, is amended |
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to read as follows: |
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(c) Territory that does not have residents may be detached |
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from a school district and annexed to another school district if: |
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(1) the total taxable value of the property in the |
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territory according to the most recent certified appraisal roll for |
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each school district is not greater than: |
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(A) five percent of the district's taxable value |
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of all property in that district as determined under Subchapter M, |
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Chapter 403, Government Code; and |
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(B) $5,000 property value per student in average |
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enrollment [daily attendance] as determined under Section 48.005; |
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and |
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(2) the school district from which the property will |
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be detached does not own any real property located in the territory. |
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SECTION 2.07. Section 13.102, Education Code, is amended to |
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read as follows: |
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Sec. 13.102. MINIMUM AREA AND ENROLLMENT [ATTENDANCE] |
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REQUIREMENTS. A new district may not be created with an area of |
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less than nine square miles or fewer than 8,000 students in average |
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enrollment [daily attendance], and a district may not be reduced to |
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an area of less than nine square miles or fewer than 8,000 students |
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in average enrollment [daily attendance]. |
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SECTION 2.08. Section 13.283, Education Code, is amended to |
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read as follows: |
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Sec. 13.283. PAYMENTS REDUCED. The incentive aid payments |
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shall be reduced in direct proportion to any reduction in the |
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average enrollment [daily attendance] as determined under Section |
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48.005 of the reorganized school district for the preceding year. |
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SECTION 2.09. Section 19.009(d-2), Education Code, is |
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amended to read as follows: |
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(d-2) Beginning with the 2009-2010 school year, the |
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district shall increase the monthly salary of each classroom |
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teacher, full-time speech pathologist, full-time librarian, |
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full-time school counselor certified under Subchapter B, Chapter |
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21, and full-time school nurse employed by the district by the |
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greater of: |
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(1) $80; or |
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(2) the maximum uniform amount that, when combined |
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with any resulting increases in the amount of contributions made by |
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the district for social security coverage for the specified |
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employees or by the district on behalf of the specified employees |
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under Section 825.405, Government Code, may be provided using an |
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amount equal to the product of $60 multiplied by the number of |
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students in weighted average enrollment [daily attendance] in the |
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district during the 2009-2010 school year. |
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SECTION 2.10. Section 25.038, Education Code, is amended to |
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read as follows: |
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Sec. 25.038. TUITION FEE FOR TRANSFER STUDENTS. The |
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receiving school district may charge a tuition fee to the extent |
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that the district's actual expenditure per student in average |
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enrollment [daily attendance], as determined by its board of |
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trustees, exceeds the sum the district benefits from state aid |
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sources as provided by Section 25.037. However, unless a tuition |
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fee is prescribed and set out in a transfer agreement before its |
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execution by the parties, an increase in tuition charge may not be |
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made for the year of that transfer that exceeds the tuition charge, |
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if any, of the preceding school year. |
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SECTION 2.11. Section 25.045(c), Education Code, is amended |
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to read as follows: |
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(c) A student who transfers to another school district under |
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this section may not be charged tuition. The student is included in |
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the average enrollment [daily attendance] of the district in which |
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the student attends school. |
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SECTION 2.12. Sections 25.081(e) and (f), Education Code, |
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are amended to read as follows: |
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(e) A school district or education program is exempt from |
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the minimum minutes of operation requirement if the district's or |
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program's average enrollment [daily attendance] is calculated |
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under Section 48.005(j). |
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(f) The commissioner may proportionally reduce the amount |
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of funding a district receives under Chapter 46, 48, or 49 and the |
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average enrollment [daily attendance] calculation for the district |
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if the district operates on a calendar that provides fewer minutes |
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of operation than required under Subsection (a). |
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SECTION 2.13. Section 25.087(d), Education Code, is amended |
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to read as follows: |
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(d) A student whose absence is excused under Subsection (b), |
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(b-1), (b-2), (b-4), (b-5), (b-7), (b-8), or (c) may not be |
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penalized for that absence and shall be counted as if the student |
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attended school for purposes of funding under Chapter 48 |
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[calculating the average daily attendance of students in the school |
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district]. A student whose absence is excused under Subsection (b), |
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(b-1), (b-2), (b-4), (b-5), (b-7), (b-8), or (c) shall be allowed a |
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reasonable time to make up school work missed on those days. If the |
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student satisfactorily completes the school work, the day of |
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absence shall be counted as a day of compulsory attendance. |
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SECTION 2.14. Section 25.111, Education Code, is amended to |
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read as follows: |
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Sec. 25.111. STUDENT/TEACHER RATIOS. Except as provided by |
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Section 25.112, each school district must employ a sufficient |
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number of teachers certified under Subchapter B, Chapter 21, to |
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maintain an average ratio of not less than one teacher for each 20 |
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students in average enrollment [daily attendance]. |
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SECTION 2.15. Sections 25.112(a) and (b), Education Code, |
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are amended to read as follows: |
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(a) Except as otherwise authorized by this section, a school |
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district may not enroll more than 22 students in a prekindergarten, |
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kindergarten, first, second, third, or fourth grade class. That |
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limitation does not apply during: |
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(1) any 12-week period of the school year selected by |
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the district, in the case of a district whose average enrollment |
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[daily attendance] is adjusted under Section 48.005(c); or |
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(2) the last 12 weeks of any school year in the case of |
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any other district. |
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(b) Not later than the 30th day after the first day of the |
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12-week period for which a district whose average enrollment [daily |
|
attendance] is adjusted under Section 48.005(c) is claiming an |
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exemption under Subsection (a), the district shall notify the |
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commissioner in writing that the district is claiming an exemption |
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for the period stated in the notice. |
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SECTION 2.16. Section 29.008(b), Education Code, is amended |
|
to read as follows: |
|
(b) Except as provided by Subsection (c), costs of an |
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approved contract for residential placement may be paid from a |
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combination of federal, state, and local funds. The local share of |
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the total contract cost for each student is that portion of the |
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local tax effort that exceeds the district's local fund assignment |
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under Section 48.256, divided by the average enrollment [daily |
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attendance] in the district. If the contract involves a private |
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facility, the state share of the total contract cost is that amount |
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remaining after subtracting the local share. If the contract |
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involves a public facility, the state share is that amount |
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remaining after subtracting the local share from the portion of the |
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contract that involves the costs of instructional and related |
|
services. For purposes of this subsection, "local tax effort" |
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means the total amount of money generated by taxes imposed for debt |
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service and maintenance and operation less any amounts paid into a |
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tax increment fund under Chapter 311, Tax Code. |
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SECTION 2.17. Section 29.014(b), Education Code, is amended |
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to read as follows: |
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(b) A school district to which this section applies may |
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operate an extended year program for a period not to exceed 45 days. |
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[The district's average daily attendance shall be computed for the |
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regular school year plus the extended year.] |
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SECTION 2.18. Section 29.081(f), Education Code, is amended |
|
to read as follows: |
|
(f) The commissioner shall include a student who |
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successfully completes a course offered through a program under |
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Subsection (e) in the computation of the district's or school's |
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average enrollment [daily attendance] for funding purposes. [For a |
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student who successfully completes a remote course offered through |
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the program, the commissioner shall include the student in the |
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computation of the district's or school's average daily attendance |
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with an attendance rate equal to: |
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[(1) the district's or school's average attendance |
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rate for students successfully completing a course offered in |
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person under the program; or |
|
[(2) if the district or school does not offer courses |
|
in person under the program, the statewide average attendance rate |
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for students successfully completing a course offered in person |
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under a program under Subsection (e).] |
|
SECTION 2.19. Section 29.0822(d), Education Code, is |
|
amended to read as follows: |
|
(d) The commissioner may adopt rules for the administration |
|
of this section, including rules establishing application |
|
requirements. [Subject to Subsection (d-1), the commissioner shall |
|
calculate average daily attendance for students served under this |
|
section. The commissioner shall allow accumulations of hours of |
|
instruction for students whose schedule would not otherwise allow |
|
full state funding. Funding under this subsection shall be |
|
determined based on the number of instructional days in the school |
|
district calendar and a seven-hour school day, but attendance may |
|
be cumulated over a school year, including any summer or vacation |
|
session. The attendance of students who accumulate less than the |
|
number of attendance hours required under this subsection shall be |
|
proportionately reduced for funding purposes. The commissioner |
|
may: |
|
[(1) set maximum funding amounts for an individual |
|
course under this section; and |
|
[(2) limit funding for the attendance of a student |
|
described by Subsection (a)(3) in a course under this section to |
|
funding only for the attendance necessary for the student to earn |
|
class credit that, as a result of attendance requirements under |
|
Section 25.092, the student would not otherwise be able to receive |
|
without retaking the class.] |
|
SECTION 2.20. Section 29.184(b), Education Code, is amended |
|
to read as follows: |
|
(b) A student who attends career and technology classes at |
|
another school under a contract authorized by Subsection (a) is |
|
included in the average enrollment [daily attendance] of the |
|
district in which the student is regularly enrolled. |
|
SECTION 2.21. Sections 29.203(a) and (c), Education Code, |
|
are amended to read as follows: |
|
(a) A student who under this subchapter uses a public |
|
education grant to attend a public school in a school district other |
|
than the district in which the student resides is included in the |
|
average enrollment [daily attendance] of the district in which the |
|
student attends school. |
|
(c) A school district is entitled to additional facilities |
|
assistance under Section 48.301 if the district agrees to: |
|
(1) accept a number of students using public education |
|
grants that is at least one percent of the district's average |
|
enrollment [daily attendance] for the preceding school year; and |
|
(2) provide services to each student until the student |
|
either voluntarily decides to attend a school in a different |
|
district or graduates from high school. |
|
SECTION 2.22. Section 29.403(b), Education Code, is amended |
|
to read as follows: |
|
(b) A student who is enrolled in a program under this |
|
subchapter is included in determining the average enrollment [daily |
|
attendance] under Section 48.005 of the partnering school district. |
|
SECTION 2.23. Section 29.457(a), Education Code, is amended |
|
to read as follows: |
|
(a) In addition to other funding to which a school district |
|
is entitled under this code, each district in which alleged |
|
offender residents attend school is entitled to an annual allotment |
|
of $5,100 for each resident in average enrollment [daily |
|
attendance] or a different amount for any year provided by |
|
appropriation. |
|
SECTION 2.24. Section 29.912(c), Education Code, is amended |
|
to read as follows: |
|
(c) The program must enable an eligible school district that |
|
has fewer than 1,600 students in average enrollment [daily |
|
attendance] to partner with at least one other school district |
|
located within a distance of 100 miles to offer a broader array of |
|
robust college and career pathways. Each partnership must: |
|
(1) offer college and career pathways that align with |
|
regional labor market projections for high-wage, high-demand |
|
careers; and |
|
(2) be managed by a coordinating entity that: |
|
(A) has or will have at the time students are |
|
served under the partnership the capacity to effectively coordinate |
|
the partnership; |
|
(B) has entered into a performance agreement |
|
approved by the board of trustees of each partnering school |
|
district that confers on the coordinating entity the same authority |
|
with respect to pathways offered under the partnership provided to |
|
an entity that contracts to operate a district campus under Section |
|
11.174; |
|
(C) is an eligible entity as defined by Section |
|
12.101(a); and |
|
(D) has on the entity's governing board as either |
|
voting or ex officio members, or has on an advisory body, |
|
representatives of each partnering school district and members of |
|
regional higher education and workforce organizations. |
|
SECTION 2.25. Section 30.003(b), Education Code, is amended |
|
to read as follows: |
|
(b) If the student is admitted to the school for a full-time |
|
program for the equivalent of two long semesters, the district's |
|
share of the cost is an amount equal to the dollar amount of |
|
maintenance and debt service taxes imposed by the district for that |
|
year divided by the district's average enrollment [daily |
|
attendance] for the preceding year. |
|
SECTION 2.26. Section 30.102(a), Education Code, is amended |
|
to read as follows: |
|
(a) The Texas Juvenile Justice Department is entitled to |
|
receive the state available school fund apportionment based on the |
|
average enrollment [daily attendance] in the department's |
|
educational programs of students who are at least three years of age |
|
and not older than 21 years of age. |
|
SECTION 2.27. Section 30A.151(f), Education Code, is |
|
amended to read as follows: |
|
(f) For a full-time electronic course program offered |
|
through the state virtual school network for a grade level at or |
|
above grade level three but not above grade level eight, a school |
|
district or open-enrollment charter school is entitled to receive |
|
federal, state, and local funding for a student enrolled in the |
|
program in an amount equal to the funding the district or school |
|
would otherwise receive for a student enrolled in the district or |
|
school. [The district or school may calculate the average daily |
|
attendance of a student enrolled in the program based on: |
|
[(1) hours of contact with the student; |
|
[(2) the student's successful completion of a course; |
|
or |
|
[(3) a method approved by the commissioner.] |
|
SECTION 2.28. Section 33.157, Education Code, is amended to |
|
read as follows: |
|
Sec. 33.157. PARTICIPATION IN PROGRAM. An elementary or |
|
secondary school receiving funding under Section 33.156 shall |
|
participate in a local Communities In Schools program if the number |
|
of students enrolled in the school who are at risk of dropping out |
|
of school is equal to at least 10 percent of the number of students |
|
in average enrollment [daily attendance] at the school, as |
|
determined by the agency. |
|
SECTION 2.29. Section 37.0061, Education Code, is amended |
|
to read as follows: |
|
Sec. 37.0061. FUNDING FOR ALTERNATIVE EDUCATION SERVICES IN |
|
JUVENILE RESIDENTIAL FACILITIES. A school district that provides |
|
education services to pre-adjudicated and post-adjudicated |
|
students who are confined by court order in a juvenile residential |
|
facility operated by a juvenile board is entitled to count such |
|
students in the district's average enrollment [daily attendance] |
|
for purposes of receipt of state funds under the Foundation School |
|
Program. If the district has a local revenue level greater than the |
|
guaranteed local revenue level but less than the level established |
|
under Section 48.257, the district in which the student is enrolled |
|
on the date a court orders the student to be confined to a juvenile |
|
residential facility shall transfer to the district providing |
|
education services an amount equal to the difference between the |
|
average Foundation School Program costs per student of the district |
|
providing education services and the sum of the state aid and the |
|
money from the available school fund received by the district that |
|
is attributable to the student for the portion of the school year |
|
for which the district provides education services to the student. |
|
SECTION 2.30. Section 37.008(f), Education Code, is amended |
|
to read as follows: |
|
(f) A student removed to a disciplinary alternative |
|
education program is counted in computing the average enrollment |
|
[daily attendance] of students in the district [for the student's |
|
time in actual attendance in the program]. |
|
SECTION 2.31. Section 37.011(a-4), Education Code, is |
|
amended to read as follows: |
|
(a-4) A school district located in a county considered to be |
|
a county with a population of 125,000 or less under Subsection (a-3) |
|
shall provide educational services to a student who is expelled |
|
from school under this chapter. The district is entitled to count |
|
the student in the district's average enrollment [daily attendance] |
|
for purposes of receipt of state funds under the Foundation School |
|
Program. An educational placement under this section may include: |
|
(1) the district's disciplinary alternative education |
|
program; or |
|
(2) a contracted placement with: |
|
(A) another school district; |
|
(B) an open-enrollment charter school; |
|
(C) an institution of higher education; |
|
(D) an adult literacy council; or |
|
(E) a community organization that can provide an |
|
educational program that allows the student to complete the credits |
|
required for high school graduation. |
|
SECTION 2.32. Sections 39.027(c) and (f), Education Code, |
|
are amended to read as follows: |
|
(c) The commissioner shall develop and adopt a process for |
|
reviewing the exemption process of a school district or shared |
|
services arrangement that gives an exemption under Subsection |
|
(a)(1) as follows: |
|
(1) to more than five percent of the students in the |
|
special education program, in the case of a district or shared |
|
services arrangement with an average enrollment [daily attendance] |
|
of at least 1,600; |
|
(2) to more than 10 percent of the students in the |
|
special education program, in the case of a district or shared |
|
services arrangement with an average enrollment [daily attendance] |
|
of at least 190 and not more than 1,599; or |
|
(3) to the greater of more than 10 percent of the |
|
students in the special education program or to at least five |
|
students in the special education program, in the case of a district |
|
or shared services arrangement with an average enrollment [daily |
|
attendance] of not more than 189. |
|
(f) In this section, "average enrollment [daily |
|
attendance]" is computed in the manner provided by Section 48.005. |
|
SECTION 2.33. Section 39.053(g-1), Education Code, is |
|
amended to read as follows: |
|
(g-1) In computing dropout and completion rates such as high |
|
school graduation rates under Subsection (c)(1)(B)(ix), the |
|
commissioner shall exclude: |
|
(1) students who are ordered by a court to attend a |
|
high school equivalency certificate program but who have not yet |
|
earned a high school equivalency certificate; |
|
(2) students who were previously reported to the state |
|
as dropouts, including a student who is reported as a dropout, |
|
reenrolls, and drops out again, regardless of the number of times of |
|
reenrollment and dropping out; |
|
(3) students in attendance who are not in membership |
|
for purposes of average enrollment [daily attendance]; |
|
(4) students whose initial enrollment in a school in |
|
the United States in grades 7 through 12 was as an unschooled asylee |
|
or refugee as defined by Section 39.027(a-1); |
|
(5) students who are detained at a county |
|
pre-adjudication or post-adjudication juvenile detention facility |
|
and: |
|
(A) in the district exclusively as a function of |
|
having been detained at the facility but are otherwise not students |
|
of the district in which the facility is located; or |
|
(B) provided services by an open-enrollment |
|
charter school exclusively as the result of having been detained at |
|
the facility; |
|
(6) students who are incarcerated in state jails and |
|
federal penitentiaries as adults and as persons certified to stand |
|
trial as adults; and |
|
(7) students who have suffered a condition, injury, or |
|
illness that requires substantial medical care and leaves the |
|
student: |
|
(A) unable to attend school; and |
|
(B) assigned to a medical or residential |
|
treatment facility. |
|
SECTION 2.34. Section 39.262(a), Education Code, is amended |
|
to read as follows: |
|
(a) The governor may present a financial award to the |
|
schools or districts that the commissioner determines have |
|
demonstrated the highest levels of sustained success or the |
|
greatest improvement in achieving the education goals. For each |
|
student in average enrollment [daily attendance], each of those |
|
schools or districts is entitled to an amount set for the award for |
|
which the school or district is selected by the commissioner, |
|
subject to any limitation set by the commissioner on the total |
|
amount that may be awarded to a school or district. |
|
SECTION 2.35. Section 43.001(c), Education Code, is amended |
|
to read as follows: |
|
(c) The term "scholastic population" in Subsection (b) or |
|
any other law governing the apportionment, distribution, and |
|
transfer of the available school fund means all students of school |
|
age [enrolled] in average enrollment [daily attendance] the |
|
preceding school year in the public elementary and high school |
|
grades of school districts within or under the jurisdiction of a |
|
county of this state. |
|
SECTION 2.36. Section 44.004(c), Education Code, is amended |
|
to read as follows: |
|
(c) The notice of public meeting to discuss and adopt the |
|
budget and the proposed tax rate may not be smaller than one-quarter |
|
page of a standard-size or a tabloid-size newspaper, and the |
|
headline on the notice must be in 18-point or larger type. Subject |
|
to Subsection (d), the notice must: |
|
(1) contain a statement in the following form: |
|
"NOTICE OF PUBLIC MEETING TO DISCUSS BUDGET AND PROPOSED TAX RATE |
|
"The (name of school district) will hold a public meeting at |
|
(time, date, year) in (name of room, building, physical location, |
|
city, state). The purpose of this meeting is to discuss the school |
|
district's budget that will determine the tax rate that will be |
|
adopted. Public participation in the discussion is invited." The |
|
statement of the purpose of the meeting must be in bold type. In |
|
reduced type, the notice must state: "The tax rate that is |
|
ultimately adopted at this meeting or at a separate meeting at a |
|
later date may not exceed the proposed rate shown below unless the |
|
district publishes a revised notice containing the same information |
|
and comparisons set out below and holds another public meeting to |
|
discuss the revised notice." In addition, in reduced type, the |
|
notice must state: "Visit Texas.gov/PropertyTaxes to find a link to |
|
your local property tax database on which you can easily access |
|
information regarding your property taxes, including information |
|
about proposed tax rates and scheduled public hearings of each |
|
entity that taxes your property."; |
|
(2) contain a section entitled "Comparison of Proposed |
|
Budget with Last Year's Budget," which must show the difference, |
|
expressed as a percent increase or decrease, as applicable, in the |
|
amounts budgeted for the preceding fiscal year and the amount |
|
budgeted for the fiscal year that begins in the current tax year for |
|
each of the following: |
|
(A) maintenance and operations; |
|
(B) debt service; and |
|
(C) total expenditures; |
|
(3) contain a section entitled "Total Appraised Value |
|
and Total Taxable Value," which must show the total appraised value |
|
and the total taxable value of all property and the total appraised |
|
value and the total taxable value of new property taxable by the |
|
district in the preceding tax year and the current tax year as |
|
calculated under Section 26.04, Tax Code; |
|
(4) contain a statement of the total amount of the |
|
outstanding and unpaid bonded indebtedness of the school district; |
|
(5) contain a section entitled "Comparison of Proposed |
|
Rates with Last Year's Rates," which must: |
|
(A) show in rows the tax rates described by |
|
Subparagraphs (i)-(iii), expressed as amounts per $100 valuation of |
|
property, for columns entitled "Maintenance & Operations," |
|
"Interest & Sinking Fund," and "Total," which is the sum of |
|
"Maintenance & Operations" and "Interest & Sinking Fund": |
|
(i) the school district's "Last Year's |
|
Rate"; |
|
(ii) the "Rate to Maintain Same Level of |
|
Maintenance & Operations Revenue & Pay Debt Service," which: |
|
(a) in the case of "Maintenance & |
|
Operations," is the tax rate that, when applied to the current |
|
taxable value for the district, as certified by the chief appraiser |
|
under Section 26.01, Tax Code, and as adjusted to reflect changes |
|
made by the chief appraiser as of the time the notice is prepared, |
|
would impose taxes in an amount that, when added to state funds to |
|
be distributed to the district under Chapter 48, would provide the |
|
same amount of maintenance and operations taxes and state funds |
|
distributed under Chapter 48 per student in average enrollment |
|
[daily attendance] for the applicable school year that was |
|
available to the district in the preceding school year; and |
|
(b) in the case of "Interest & Sinking |
|
Fund," is the tax rate that, when applied to the current taxable |
|
value for the district, as certified by the chief appraiser under |
|
Section 26.01, Tax Code, and as adjusted to reflect changes made by |
|
the chief appraiser as of the time the notice is prepared, and when |
|
multiplied by the district's anticipated collection rate, would |
|
impose taxes in an amount that, when added to state funds to be |
|
distributed to the district under Chapter 46 and any excess taxes |
|
collected to service the district's debt during the preceding tax |
|
year but not used for that purpose during that year, would provide |
|
the amount required to service the district's debt; and |
|
(iii) the "Proposed Rate"; |
|
(B) contain fourth and fifth columns aligned with |
|
the columns required by Paragraph (A) that show, for each row |
|
required by Paragraph (A): |
|
(i) the "Local Revenue per Student," which |
|
is computed by multiplying the district's total taxable value of |
|
property, as certified by the chief appraiser for the applicable |
|
school year under Section 26.01, Tax Code, and as adjusted to |
|
reflect changes made by the chief appraiser as of the time the |
|
notice is prepared, by the total tax rate, and dividing the product |
|
by the number of students in average enrollment [daily attendance] |
|
in the district for the applicable school year; and |
|
(ii) the "State Revenue per Student," which |
|
is computed by determining the amount of state aid received or to be |
|
received by the district under Chapters 43, 46, and 48 and dividing |
|
that amount by the number of students in average enrollment [daily |
|
attendance] in the district for the applicable school year; and |
|
(C) contain an asterisk after each calculation |
|
for "Interest & Sinking Fund" and a footnote to the section that, in |
|
reduced type, states "The Interest & Sinking Fund tax revenue is |
|
used to pay for bonded indebtedness on construction, equipment, or |
|
both. The bonds, and the tax rate necessary to pay those bonds, were |
|
approved by the voters of this district."; |
|
(6) contain a section entitled "Comparison of Proposed |
|
Levy with Last Year's Levy on Average Residence," which must: |
|
(A) show in rows the information described by |
|
Subparagraphs (i)-(iv), rounded to the nearest dollar, for columns |
|
entitled "Last Year" and "This Year": |
|
(i) "Average Market Value of Residences," |
|
determined using the same group of residences for each year; |
|
(ii) "Average Taxable Value of Residences," |
|
determined after taking into account the limitation on the |
|
appraised value of residences under Section 23.23, Tax Code, and |
|
after subtracting all homestead exemptions applicable in each year, |
|
other than exemptions available only to disabled persons or persons |
|
65 years of age or older or their surviving spouses, and using the |
|
same group of residences for each year; |
|
(iii) "Last Year's Rate Versus Proposed |
|
Rate per $100 Value"; and |
|
(iv) "Taxes Due on Average Residence," |
|
determined using the same group of residences for each year; and |
|
(B) contain the following information: "Increase |
|
(Decrease) in Taxes" expressed in dollars and cents, which is |
|
computed by subtracting the "Taxes Due on Average Residence" for |
|
the preceding tax year from the "Taxes Due on Average Residence" for |
|
the current tax year; |
|
(7) contain the following statement in bold print: |
|
"Under state law, the dollar amount of school taxes imposed on the |
|
residence of a person 65 years of age or older or of the surviving |
|
spouse of such a person, if the surviving spouse was 55 years of age |
|
or older when the person died, may not be increased above the amount |
|
paid in the first year after the person turned 65, regardless of |
|
changes in tax rate or property value."; |
|
(8) contain the following statement in bold print: |
|
"Notice of Voter-Approval Rate: The highest tax rate the district |
|
can adopt before requiring voter approval at an election is (the |
|
school district voter-approval rate determined under Section |
|
26.08, Tax Code). This election will be automatically held if the |
|
district adopts a rate in excess of the voter-approval rate of (the |
|
school district voter-approval rate)."; and |
|
(9) contain a section entitled "Fund Balances," which |
|
must include the estimated amount of interest and sinking fund |
|
balances and the estimated amount of maintenance and operation or |
|
general fund balances remaining at the end of the current fiscal |
|
year that are not encumbered with or by corresponding debt |
|
obligation, less estimated funds necessary for the operation of the |
|
district before the receipt of the first payment under Chapter 48 in |
|
the succeeding school year. |
|
SECTION 2.37. Sections 45.0011(a), (d), and (e), Education |
|
Code, are amended to read as follows: |
|
(a) This section applies only to an independent school |
|
district that, at the time of the issuance of obligations and |
|
execution of credit agreements under this section, has: |
|
(1) at least 2,000 students in average enrollment |
|
[daily attendance]; or |
|
(2) a combined aggregate principal amount of at least |
|
$50 million of outstanding bonds and voted but unissued bonds. |
|
(d) A district may not issue bonds to which this section |
|
applies in an amount greater than the greater of: |
|
(1) 25 percent of the sum of: |
|
(A) the aggregate principal amount of all |
|
district debt payable from ad valorem taxes that is outstanding at |
|
the time the bonds are issued; and |
|
(B) the aggregate principal amount of all bonds |
|
payable from ad valorem taxes that have been authorized but not |
|
issued; |
|
(2) $25 million, in a district that has at least 3,500 |
|
but not more than 15,000 students in average enrollment [daily |
|
attendance]; or |
|
(3) $50 million, in a district that has more than |
|
15,000 students in average enrollment [daily attendance]. |
|
(e) In this section, average enrollment [daily attendance] |
|
is determined in the manner provided by Section 48.005. |
|
SECTION 2.38. Section 45.006(a), Education Code, is amended |
|
to read as follows: |
|
(a) This section applies only to a school district that: |
|
(1) has an average enrollment [daily attendance] of |
|
less than 10,000; and |
|
(2) is located in whole or part in a municipality with |
|
a population of less than 25,000 that is located in a county with a |
|
population of 200,000 or more bordering another county with a |
|
population of 2.8 million or more. |
|
SECTION 2.39. Section 45.105(d), Education Code, is amended |
|
to read as follows: |
|
(d) An independent school district that has in its limits a |
|
municipality with a population of 150,000 or more or that contains |
|
at least 170 square miles, has $850 million or more assessed value |
|
of taxable property on the most recent approved tax roll and has a |
|
growth in average enrollment [daily attendance] of 11 percent or |
|
more for each of the preceding five years as determined by the |
|
agency may, in buying school sites or additions to school sites and |
|
in building school buildings, issue and deliver negotiable or |
|
nonnegotiable notes representing all or part of the cost to the |
|
school district of the land or building. The district may secure |
|
the notes by a vendor's lien or deed of trust lien against the land |
|
or building. By resolution or order of the governing body made at |
|
or before the delivery of the notes, the district may set aside and |
|
appropriate as a trust fund, and the sole and only fund, for the |
|
payment of the principal of and interest on the notes that part of |
|
the local school funds, levied and collected by the school district |
|
in that year or subsequent years, as the governing body determines. |
|
The aggregate amount of local school funds set aside in or for any |
|
subsequent year for the retirement of the notes may not exceed, in |
|
any one subsequent year, 10 percent of the local school funds |
|
collected during that year. The district may issue the notes only |
|
if approved by majority vote of the qualified voters voting in an |
|
election conducted in the manner provided by Section 45.003 for |
|
approval of bonds. |
|
SECTION 2.40. Section 46.003(a), Education Code, is amended |
|
to read as follows: |
|
(a) For each year, except as provided by Sections 46.005 and |
|
46.006, a school district is guaranteed a specified amount per |
|
student in state and local funds for each cent of tax effort, up to |
|
the maximum rate under Subsection (b), to pay the principal of and |
|
interest on eligible bonds issued to construct, acquire, renovate, |
|
or improve an instructional facility. The amount of state support |
|
is determined by the formula: |
|
FYA = (FYL X AE [ADA] X BTR X 100) - (BTR X (DPV/100)) |
|
where: |
|
"FYA" is the guaranteed facilities yield amount of state |
|
funds allocated to the district for the year; |
|
"FYL" is the dollar amount guaranteed level of state and |
|
local funds per student per cent of tax effort, which is $35 or a |
|
greater amount for any year provided by appropriation; |
|
"AE" ["ADA"] is the greater of the number of students in |
|
average enrollment [daily attendance], as determined under Section |
|
48.005, in the district or 400; |
|
"BTR" is the district's bond tax rate for the current year, |
|
which is determined by dividing the amount budgeted by the district |
|
for payment of eligible bonds by the quotient of the district's |
|
taxable value of property as determined under Subchapter M, Chapter |
|
403, Government Code, or, if applicable, Section 48.258, divided by |
|
100; and |
|
"DPV" is the district's taxable value of property as |
|
determined under Subchapter M, Chapter 403, Government Code, or, if |
|
applicable, Section 48.258. |
|
SECTION 2.41. Section 46.005, Education Code, is amended to |
|
read as follows: |
|
Sec. 46.005. LIMITATION ON GUARANTEED AMOUNT. The |
|
guaranteed amount of state and local funds for a new project that a |
|
district may be awarded in any state fiscal biennium under Section |
|
46.003 for a school district may not exceed the lesser of: |
|
(1) the amount the actual debt service payments the |
|
district makes in the biennium in which the bonds are issued; or |
|
(2) the greater of: |
|
(A) $100,000; or |
|
(B) the product of the number of students in |
|
average enrollment [daily attendance] in the district multiplied by |
|
$250. |
|
SECTION 2.42. Section 46.006(g), Education Code, is amended |
|
to read as follows: |
|
(g) In this section, "wealth per student" means a school |
|
district's taxable value of property as determined under Subchapter |
|
M, Chapter 403, Government Code, or, if applicable, Section 48.258, |
|
divided by the district's average enrollment [daily attendance] as |
|
determined under Section 48.005. |
|
SECTION 2.43. Section 46.032(a), Education Code, is amended |
|
to read as follows: |
|
(a) Each school district is guaranteed a specified amount |
|
per student in state and local funds for each cent of tax effort to |
|
pay the principal of and interest on eligible bonds. The amount of |
|
state support, subject only to the maximum amount under Section |
|
46.034, is determined by the formula: |
|
EDA = (EDGL X AE [ADA] X EDTR X 100) - (EDTR X (DPV/100)) |
|
where: |
|
"EDA" is the amount of state funds to be allocated to the |
|
district for assistance with existing debt; |
|
"EDGL" is the dollar amount guaranteed level of state and |
|
local funds per student per cent of tax effort, which is the lesser |
|
of: |
|
(1) $40 or a greater amount for any year provided by |
|
appropriation; or |
|
(2) the amount that would result in a total additional |
|
amount of state funds under this subchapter for the current year |
|
equal to $60 million in excess of the state funds to which school |
|
districts would have been entitled under this section if the |
|
guaranteed level amount were $35; |
|
"AE" ["ADA"] is the number of students in average enrollment |
|
[daily attendance], as determined under Section 48.005, in the |
|
district; |
|
"EDTR" is the existing debt tax rate of the district, which is |
|
determined by dividing the amount budgeted by the district for |
|
payment of eligible bonds by the quotient of the district's taxable |
|
value of property as determined under Subchapter M, Chapter 403, |
|
Government Code, or, if applicable, under Section 48.258, divided |
|
by 100; and |
|
"DPV" is the district's taxable value of property as |
|
determined under Subchapter M, Chapter 403, Government Code, or, if |
|
applicable, under Section 48.258. |
|
SECTION 44. Sections 48.0051(a) and (b), Education Code, |
|
are amended to read as follows: |
|
(a) The [Subject to Subsection (a-1), the] commissioner |
|
shall adjust the average enrollment [daily attendance] of a school |
|
district or open-enrollment charter school under Section 48.005 in |
|
the manner provided by Subsection (b) if the district or school: |
|
(1) provides the minimum number of minutes of |
|
operational and instructional time required under Section 25.081 |
|
and commissioner rules adopted under that section over at least 180 |
|
days of instruction; and |
|
(2) offers an additional 30 days of half-day |
|
instruction for students enrolled in prekindergarten through fifth |
|
grade. |
|
(b) For a school district or open-enrollment charter school |
|
described by Subsection (a), the commissioner shall increase the |
|
average enrollment [daily attendance] of the district or school |
|
under Section 48.005 by the amount equal to one-sixth [that results |
|
from the quotient] of the enrollment [sum of attendance] by |
|
students described by Subsection (a)(2) in [for each of] the 30 |
|
additional instructional days of half-day instruction [that are |
|
provided divided by 180]. |
|
SECTION 2.45. Section 48.006, Education Code, is amended to |
|
read as follows: |
|
Sec. 48.006. AVERAGE ENROLLMENT [DAILY ATTENDANCE] FOR |
|
DISTRICTS IN DISASTER AREA. (a) The commissioner may adjust the |
|
average enrollment [daily attendance] of a school district all or |
|
part of which is located in an area declared a disaster area by the |
|
governor under Chapter 418, Government Code, if the district |
|
experiences a decline in average enrollment [daily attendance] that |
|
is reasonably attributable to the impact of the disaster. |
|
(b) The adjustment must be sufficient to ensure that the |
|
district receives funding comparable to the funding that the |
|
district would have received if the decline in average enrollment |
|
[daily attendance] reasonably attributable to the impact of the |
|
disaster had not occurred. |
|
(c) The commissioner may make the adjustment under this |
|
section for the two-year period following the date of the |
|
governor's initial proclamation or executive order declaring the |
|
state of disaster. |
|
(d) Section 48.005(b)(2) does not apply to a district that |
|
receives an adjustment under this section. |
|
(e) A district that receives an adjustment under this |
|
section may not receive any additional adjustment under Section |
|
48.005(d) for the decline in average enrollment [daily attendance] |
|
on which the adjustment under this section is based. |
|
(f) For purposes of this title, a district's adjusted |
|
average enrollment [daily attendance] under this section is |
|
considered to be the district's average enrollment [daily |
|
attendance] as determined under Section 48.005. |
|
SECTION 2.46. Sections 48.010(a) and (b), Education Code, |
|
are amended to read as follows: |
|
(a) Not later than July 1 of each year, the commissioner |
|
shall determine for each school district whether the estimated |
|
amount of state and local funding per student in weighted average |
|
enrollment [daily attendance] to be provided to the district under |
|
the Foundation School Program for maintenance and operations for |
|
the following school year is less than the amount provided to the |
|
district for the 2010-2011 school year. If the amount estimated to |
|
be provided is less, the commissioner shall certify the percentage |
|
decrease in funding to be provided to the district. |
|
(b) In making the determinations regarding funding levels |
|
required by Subsection (a), the commissioner shall: |
|
(1) make adjustments as necessary to reflect changes |
|
in a school district's maintenance and operations tax rate; |
|
(2) for a district required to reduce its local |
|
revenue level under Section 48.257, base the determinations on the |
|
district's net funding levels after deducting any amounts required |
|
to be expended by the district to comply with Chapter 49; and |
|
(3) determine a district's weighted average enrollment |
|
[daily attendance] in accordance with this chapter as it existed on |
|
January 1, 2011. |
|
SECTION 2.47. Sections 48.051(a) and (c), Education Code, |
|
are amended to read as follows: |
|
(a) For each student in average enrollment [daily |
|
attendance], not including the time students spend each day in |
|
special education programs in an instructional arrangement other |
|
than mainstream or career and technology education programs, for |
|
which an additional allotment is made under Subchapter C, a |
|
district is entitled to an allotment equal to the lesser of $7,365 |
|
[$6,160] or the amount that results from the following formula: |
|
A = $7,365 [$6,160] X TR/MCR |
|
where: |
|
"A" is the allotment to which a district is entitled; |
|
"TR" is the district's tier one maintenance and operations |
|
tax rate, as provided by Section 45.0032; and |
|
"MCR" is the district's maximum compressed tax rate, as |
|
determined under Section 48.2551. |
|
(c) During any school year for which the maximum amount of |
|
the basic allotment provided under Subsection (a) or (b) is greater |
|
than the maximum amount provided for the preceding school year, a |
|
school district must use at least 30 percent of the amount, if the |
|
amount is greater than zero, that equals the product of the average |
|
enrollment [daily attendance] of the district multiplied by the |
|
amount of the difference between the district's funding under this |
|
chapter per student in average enrollment [daily attendance] for |
|
the current school year and the preceding school year to provide |
|
compensation increases to full-time district employees other than |
|
administrators as follows: |
|
(1) 75 percent must be used to increase the |
|
compensation paid to classroom teachers, full-time librarians, |
|
full-time school counselors certified under Subchapter B, Chapter |
|
21, and full-time school nurses, prioritizing differentiated |
|
compensation for classroom teachers with more than five years of |
|
experience; and |
|
(2) 25 percent may be used as determined by the |
|
district to increase compensation paid to full-time district |
|
employees. |
|
SECTION 2.48. Sections 48.052(a) and (c), Education Code, |
|
are amended to read as follows: |
|
(a) Notwithstanding Section 48.051, a school district that |
|
has fewer than 130 students in average enrollment [daily |
|
attendance] shall be provided a basic allotment on the basis of 130 |
|
students in average enrollment [daily attendance] if it offers a |
|
kindergarten through grade 12 program and has preceding or current |
|
year's average enrollment [daily attendance] of at least 90 |
|
students or is 30 miles or more by bus route from the nearest high |
|
school district. A district offering a kindergarten through grade 8 |
|
program whose preceding or current year's average enrollment [daily |
|
attendance] was at least 50 students or which is 30 miles or more by |
|
bus route from the nearest high school district shall be provided a |
|
basic allotment on the basis of 75 students in average enrollment |
|
[daily attendance]. An average enrollment [daily attendance] of 60 |
|
students shall be the basis of providing the basic allotment if a |
|
district offers a kindergarten through grade 6 program and has |
|
preceding or current year's average enrollment [daily attendance] |
|
of at least 40 students or is 30 miles or more by bus route from the |
|
nearest high school district. |
|
(c) Notwithstanding Subsection (a) or Section 48.051, a |
|
school district to which this subsection applies, as provided by |
|
Subsection (b), that has fewer than 130 students in average |
|
enrollment [daily attendance] shall be provided a basic allotment |
|
on the basis of 130 students in average enrollment [daily |
|
attendance] if it offers a kindergarten through grade four program |
|
and has preceding or current year's average enrollment [daily |
|
attendance] of at least 75 students or is 30 miles or more by bus |
|
route from the nearest high school district. |
|
SECTION 2.49. Section 48.101, Education Code, is amended to |
|
read as follows: |
|
Sec. 48.101. SMALL AND MID-SIZED DISTRICT ALLOTMENT. (a) |
|
Small and mid-sized districts are entitled to an annual allotment |
|
in accordance with this section. In this section: |
|
(1) "AA" is the district's annual allotment per |
|
student in average enrollment [daily attendance]; |
|
(2) "AE" ["ADA"] is the number of students in average |
|
enrollment [daily attendance] for which the district is entitled to |
|
an allotment under Section 48.051; and |
|
(3) "BA" is the basic allotment determined under |
|
Section 48.051. |
|
(b) A school district that has fewer than 1,600 students in |
|
average enrollment [daily attendance] is entitled to an annual |
|
allotment for each student in average enrollment [daily attendance] |
|
based on the following formula: |
|
AA = ((1,600 - AE [ADA]) X .0004) X BA |
|
(c) A school district that offers a kindergarten through |
|
grade 12 program and has less than 5,000 students in average |
|
enrollment [daily attendance] is entitled to an annual allotment |
|
for each student in average enrollment [daily attendance] based on |
|
the formula, of the following formulas, that results in the |
|
greatest annual allotment: |
|
(1) the formula in Subsection (b), if the district is |
|
eligible for that formula; or |
|
(2) AA = ((5,000 - AE [ADA]) X .000025) X BA. |
|
(d) Instead of the allotment under Subsection (b) or (c)(1), |
|
a school district that has fewer than 300 students in average |
|
enrollment [daily attendance] and is the only school district |
|
located in and operating in a county is entitled to an annual |
|
allotment for each student in average enrollment [daily attendance] |
|
based on the following formula: |
|
AA = ((1,600 - AE [ADA]) X .00047) X BA |
|
SECTION 2.50. Sections 48.102(a) and (j), Education Code, |
|
are amended to read as follows: |
|
(a) For each student in average enrollment [daily |
|
attendance] in a special education program under Subchapter A, |
|
Chapter 29, in a mainstream instructional arrangement, a school |
|
district is entitled to an annual allotment equal to the basic |
|
allotment, or, if applicable, the sum of the basic allotment and the |
|
allotment under Section 48.101 to which the district is entitled, |
|
multiplied by 1.15. For each full-time equivalent student in |
|
average enrollment [daily attendance] in a special education |
|
program under Subchapter A, Chapter 29, in an instructional |
|
arrangement other than a mainstream instructional arrangement, a |
|
district is entitled to an annual allotment equal to the basic |
|
allotment, or, if applicable, the sum of the basic allotment and the |
|
allotment under Section 48.101 to which the district is entitled, |
|
multiplied by a weight determined according to instructional |
|
arrangement as follows: |
|
Homebound5.0 |
|
Hospital class3.0 |
|
Speech therapy5.0 |
|
Resource room3.0 |
|
Self-contained, mild and moderate, |
|
regular campus3.0 |
|
Self-contained, severe, |
|
regular campus3.0 |
|
Off home campus2.7 |
|
Nonpublic day school1.7 |
|
Vocational adjustment class2.3 |
|
(j) A school district that provides an extended year program |
|
required by federal law for special education students who may |
|
regress is entitled to receive funds in an amount equal to 75 |
|
percent, or a lesser percentage determined by the commissioner, of |
|
the basic allotment, or, if applicable, the sum of the basic |
|
allotment and the allotment under Section 48.101 to which the |
|
district is entitled for each full-time equivalent student in |
|
average enrollment [daily attendance], multiplied by the amount |
|
designated for the student's instructional arrangement under this |
|
section[, for each day the program is provided divided by the number |
|
of days in the minimum school year]. The total amount of state |
|
funding for extended year services under this section may not |
|
exceed $10 million per year. A school district may use funds |
|
received under this section only in providing an extended year |
|
program. |
|
SECTION 2.51. Section 48.105(a), Education Code, is amended |
|
to read as follows: |
|
(a) For each student in average enrollment [daily |
|
attendance] in a bilingual education or special language program |
|
under Subchapter B, Chapter 29, a district is entitled to an annual |
|
allotment equal to the basic allotment multiplied by: |
|
(1) for an emergent bilingual student, as defined by |
|
Section 29.052: |
|
(A) 0.1; or |
|
(B) 0.15 if the student is in a bilingual |
|
education program using a dual language immersion/one-way or |
|
two-way program model; and |
|
(2) for a student not described by Subdivision (1), |
|
0.05 if the student is in a bilingual education program using a dual |
|
language immersion/two-way program model. |
|
SECTION 2.52. Sections 48.106(a) and (a-1), Education Code, |
|
are amended to read as follows: |
|
(a) For each full-time equivalent student in average |
|
enrollment [daily attendance] in an approved career and technology |
|
education program in grades 7 through 12, a district is entitled to |
|
an annual allotment equal to the basic allotment, or, if |
|
applicable, the sum of the basic allotment and the allotment under |
|
Section 48.101 to which the district is entitled, multiplied by: |
|
(1) 1.1 for a full-time equivalent student in career |
|
and technology education courses not in an approved program of |
|
study; |
|
(2) 1.28 for a full-time equivalent student in levels |
|
one and two career and technology education courses in an approved |
|
program of study, as identified by the agency; and |
|
(3) 1.47 for a full-time equivalent student in levels |
|
three and four career and technology education courses in an |
|
approved program of study, as identified by the agency. |
|
(a-1) In addition to the amounts under Subsection (a), for |
|
each student in average enrollment [daily attendance], a district |
|
is entitled to $50 for each of the following in which the student is |
|
enrolled: |
|
(1) a campus designated as a P-TECH school under |
|
Section 29.556; or |
|
(2) a campus that is a member of the New Tech Network |
|
and that focuses on project-based learning and work-based |
|
education. |
|
SECTION 2.53. Section 48.107(a), Education Code, is amended |
|
to read as follows: |
|
(a) Except as provided by Subsection (b), for each student |
|
in average enrollment [daily attendance] who is using a public |
|
education grant under Subchapter G, Chapter 29, to attend school in |
|
a district other than the district in which the student resides, the |
|
district in which the student attends school is entitled to an |
|
annual allotment equal to the basic allotment multiplied by a |
|
weight of 0.1. |
|
SECTION 2.54. Section 48.108(a), Education Code, is amended |
|
to read as follows: |
|
(a) For each student in average enrollment [daily |
|
attendance] in kindergarten through third grade, a school district |
|
is entitled to an annual allotment equal to the basic allotment |
|
multiplied by 0.1 if the student is: |
|
(1) educationally disadvantaged; or |
|
(2) an emergent bilingual student, as defined by |
|
Section 29.052, and is in a bilingual education or special language |
|
program under Subchapter B, Chapter 29. |
|
SECTION 2.55. Section 48.109(c), Education Code, is amended |
|
to read as follows: |
|
(c) Not more than five percent of a district's students in |
|
average enrollment [daily attendance] are eligible for funding |
|
under this section. |
|
SECTION 2.56. Section 48.115(a), Education Code, is amended |
|
to read as follows: |
|
(a) Except as provided by Subsection (a-1), a school |
|
district is entitled to an annual allotment equal to the sum of the |
|
following amounts or a greater amount provided by appropriation: |
|
(1) $10 for each student in average enrollment [daily |
|
attendance], plus $1 for each student in average enrollment [daily |
|
attendance] per every $50 by which the district's maximum basic |
|
allotment under Section 48.051 exceeds $7,365 [$6,160], prorated as |
|
necessary; and |
|
(2) $15,000 per campus. |
|
SECTION 2.57. Section 48.118(a), Education Code, is amended |
|
to read as follows: |
|
(a) For each full-time equivalent student in average |
|
enrollment [daily attendance] in grades 9 through 12 in a college or |
|
career pathway offered through a partnership under the Rural |
|
Pathway Excellence Partnership (R-PEP) program under Section |
|
29.912, a school district is entitled to an allotment equal to the |
|
basic allotment, or, if applicable, the sum of the basic allotment |
|
and the allotment under Section 48.101 to which the district is |
|
entitled, multiplied by: |
|
(1) 1.15 if the student is educationally |
|
disadvantaged; or |
|
(2) 1.11 if the student is not educationally |
|
disadvantaged. |
|
SECTION 2.58. Sections 48.152(d) and (e), Education Code, |
|
are amended to read as follows: |
|
(d) For the first school year in which students attend a new |
|
instructional facility, a school district is entitled to an |
|
allotment of $1,000 for each student in average enrollment [daily |
|
attendance] at the facility. For the second school year in which |
|
students attend that instructional facility, a school district is |
|
entitled to an allotment of $1,000 for each additional student in |
|
average enrollment [daily attendance] at the facility. |
|
(e) For purposes of this section, the number of additional |
|
students in average enrollment [daily attendance] at a facility is |
|
the difference between the number of students in average enrollment |
|
[daily attendance] in the current year at that facility and the |
|
number of students in average enrollment [daily attendance] at that |
|
facility in the preceding year. |
|
SECTION 2.59. Section 48.153, Education Code, is amended to |
|
read as follows: |
|
Sec. 48.153. DROPOUT RECOVERY SCHOOL AND RESIDENTIAL |
|
PLACEMENT FACILITY ALLOTMENT. A school district or open-enrollment |
|
charter school is entitled to $275 for each student in average |
|
enrollment [daily attendance] who: |
|
(1) resides in a residential placement facility; or |
|
(2) is at a district or school or a campus of the |
|
district or school that is designated as a dropout recovery school |
|
under Section 39.0548. |
|
SECTION 2.60. Section 48.202(a), Education Code, is amended |
|
to read as follows: |
|
(a) Each school district is guaranteed a specified amount |
|
per weighted student in state and local funds for each cent of tax |
|
effort over that required for the district's local fund assignment |
|
up to the maximum level specified in this subchapter. The amount of |
|
state support, subject only to the maximum amount under Section |
|
48.203, is determined by the formula: |
|
GYA = (GL X WAE [WADA] X DTR X 100) - LR |
|
where: |
|
"GYA" is the guaranteed yield amount of state funds to be |
|
allocated to the district; |
|
"GL" is the dollar amount guaranteed level of state and local |
|
funds per weighted student per cent of tax effort, which is an |
|
amount described by Subsection (a-1) or a greater amount for any |
|
year provided by appropriation; |
|
"WAE" ["WADA"] is the number of students in weighted average |
|
enrollment [daily attendance], which is calculated by dividing the |
|
sum of the school district's allotments under Subchapters B and C by |
|
the basic allotment for the applicable year; |
|
"DTR" is the district enrichment tax rate of the school |
|
district, which is determined by subtracting the amounts specified |
|
by Subsection (b) from the total amount of maintenance and |
|
operations taxes collected by the school district for the |
|
applicable school year and dividing the difference by the quotient |
|
of the district's taxable value of property as determined under |
|
Subchapter M, Chapter 403, Government Code, or, if applicable, |
|
under Section 48.258 or by the quotient of the value of "DPV" as |
|
determined under Section 48.256(d) if that subsection applies to |
|
the district, divided by 100; and |
|
"LR" is the local revenue, which is determined by multiplying |
|
"DTR" by the quotient of the district's taxable value of property as |
|
determined under Subchapter M, Chapter 403, Government Code, or, if |
|
applicable, under Section 48.258 or by the quotient of the value of |
|
"DPV" as determined under Section 48.256(d) if that subsection |
|
applies to the district, divided by 100. |
|
SECTION 2.61. Section 48.252(b), Education Code, is amended |
|
to read as follows: |
|
(b) Notwithstanding any other provision of this chapter or |
|
Chapter 49, a school district subject to this section is entitled to |
|
receive for each student in average enrollment [daily attendance] |
|
at the campus or program described by Subsection (a) an amount |
|
equivalent to the difference, if the difference results in |
|
increased funding, between: |
|
(1) the amount described by Section 12.106; and |
|
(2) the amount to which the district would be entitled |
|
under this chapter. |
|
SECTION 2.62. Section 48.2642(a), Education Code, is |
|
amended to read as follows: |
|
(a) Notwithstanding any other provision of this chapter, |
|
the commissioner shall count toward a school district's or |
|
open-enrollment charter school's average enrollment [daily |
|
attendance] under Section 48.005 each student who graduates early |
|
from high school in the district or school under the Texas First |
|
Early High School Completion Program established under Section |
|
28.0253 for the period in which the student is enrolled at an |
|
eligible institution using state credit awarded under the Texas |
|
First Scholarship Program established under Subchapter K-1, |
|
Chapter 56, based on a 100 percent attendance rate. |
|
SECTION 2.63. Section 48.273(a)(4), Education Code, is |
|
amended to read as follows: |
|
(4) "Wealth per student" means the taxable property |
|
values reported by the comptroller to the commissioner under |
|
Section 48.256 divided by the number of students in average |
|
enrollment [daily attendance]. |
|
SECTION 2.64. Section 48.277(a), Education Code, is amended |
|
to read as follows: |
|
(a) A school district or open-enrollment charter school is |
|
entitled to receive an annual allotment for each student in average |
|
enrollment [daily attendance] in the amount equal to the |
|
difference, if the difference is greater than zero, that results |
|
from subtracting the total maintenance and operations revenue per |
|
student in average enrollment [daily attendance] for the current |
|
school year from the lesser of: |
|
(1) 103 percent of the district's or school's total |
|
maintenance and operations revenue per student in average |
|
enrollment [daily attendance] for the 2019-2020 school year that |
|
the district or school would have received under former Chapters 41 |
|
and 42, as those chapters existed on January 1, 2019; or |
|
(2) 128 percent of the statewide average amount of |
|
maintenance and operations revenue per student in average |
|
enrollment [daily attendance] that would have been provided for the |
|
2019-2020 school year under former Chapters 41 and 42, as those |
|
chapters existed on January 1, 2019. |
|
SECTION 2.65. Section 49.001(2), Education Code, is amended |
|
to read as follows: |
|
(2) "Weighted average enrollment [daily attendance]" |
|
has the meaning assigned by Section 48.202. |
|
SECTION 2.66. Section 49.002, Education Code, is amended to |
|
read as follows: |
|
Sec. 49.002. OPTIONS TO REDUCE LOCAL REVENUE LEVEL. A |
|
district with a local revenue level in excess of entitlement may |
|
take any combination of the following actions to reduce the |
|
district's revenue level: |
|
(1) consolidation with another district as provided by |
|
Subchapter B; |
|
(2) detachment of territory as provided by Subchapter |
|
C; |
|
(3) purchase of average enrollment [daily attendance] |
|
credit as provided by Subchapter D; |
|
(4) education of nonresident students as provided by |
|
Subchapter E; or |
|
(5) tax base consolidation with another district as |
|
provided by Subchapter F. |
|
SECTION 2.67. Section 49.003, Education Code, is amended to |
|
read as follows: |
|
Sec. 49.003. INCLUSION OF ATTENDANCE CREDIT AND |
|
NONRESIDENTS IN WEIGHTED AVERAGE ENROLLMENT [DAILY ATTENDANCE]. In |
|
determining whether a school district has a local revenue level in |
|
excess of entitlement, the commissioner shall use: |
|
(1) the district's final weighted average enrollment |
|
[daily attendance]; and |
|
(2) the amount of attendance credit a district |
|
purchases under Subchapter D or the number of nonresident students |
|
a district educates under Subchapter E for a school year. |
|
SECTION 2.68. Section 49.158(a), Education Code, is amended |
|
to read as follows: |
|
(a) Sections 49.154 and 49.157 apply only to a district |
|
that: |
|
(1) executes an agreement to purchase attendance |
|
credit necessary to reduce the district's local revenue level to |
|
the level established under Section 48.257; |
|
(2) executes an agreement to purchase attendance |
|
credit and an agreement under Subchapter E to contract for the |
|
education of nonresident students who transfer to and are educated |
|
in the district but who are not charged tuition; or |
|
(3) executes an agreement under Subchapter E to |
|
contract for the education of nonresident students: |
|
(A) to an extent that does not provide more than |
|
10 percent of the reduction in local revenue required for the |
|
district to achieve a local revenue level that is equal to or less |
|
than the level established under Section 48.257; and |
|
(B) under which all revenue paid by the district |
|
to other districts, in excess of the reduction in state aid that |
|
results from counting the weighted average enrollment [daily |
|
attendance] of the students served in the contracting district, is |
|
required to be used for funding a consortium of at least three |
|
districts in a county with a population of less than 40,000 that is |
|
formed to support a technology initiative. |
|
SECTION 2.69. Section 49.201, Education Code, is amended to |
|
read as follows: |
|
Sec. 49.201. AGREEMENT. The board of trustees of a |
|
district with a local revenue level in excess of entitlement may |
|
execute an agreement to educate the students of another district in |
|
a number that, when the weighted average enrollment [daily |
|
attendance] of the students served is added to the weighted average |
|
enrollment [daily attendance] of the contracting district, is |
|
sufficient, in combination with any other actions taken under this |
|
chapter, to reduce the district's local revenue level to a level |
|
that is equal to or less than the level established under Section |
|
48.257. The agreement is not effective unless the commissioner |
|
certifies that the transfer of weighted average enrollment [daily |
|
attendance] will not result in any of the contracting districts' |
|
local revenue level being greater than the level established under |
|
Section 48.257 and that the agreement requires an expenditure per |
|
student in weighted average enrollment [daily attendance] that is |
|
at least equal to the amount per student in weighted average |
|
enrollment [daily attendance] required under Section 49.153. |
|
SECTION 2.70. Section 49.203, Education Code, is amended to |
|
read as follows: |
|
Sec. 49.203. WEIGHTED AVERAGE ENROLLMENT [WADA] COUNT. For |
|
purposes of Chapter 48, students served under an agreement under |
|
this subchapter are counted only in the weighted average enrollment |
|
[daily attendance] of the district providing the services, except |
|
that students served under an agreement authorized by Section |
|
49.205 are counted in a manner determined by the commissioner. |
|
SECTION 2.71. Section 49.257(b), Education Code, is amended |
|
to read as follows: |
|
(b) Each component district shall bear a share of the costs |
|
of assessing and collecting taxes in proportion to the component |
|
district's share of weighted average enrollment [daily attendance] |
|
in the consolidated taxing district. |
|
SECTION 2.72. Section 49.258, Education Code, is amended to |
|
read as follows: |
|
Sec. 49.258. REVENUE DISTRIBUTION. The consolidated taxing |
|
district shall distribute maintenance tax revenue to the component |
|
districts on the basis of the number of students in weighted average |
|
enrollment [daily attendance] in the component districts. |
|
SECTION 2.73. Sections 49.305(c) and (d), Education Code, |
|
are amended to read as follows: |
|
(c) If the detachment of whole parcels or items of property |
|
as provided by Subsection (a) would result in a district's local |
|
revenue level that is less than the level established under Section |
|
48.257 by more than the product of $10,000 multiplied by weighted |
|
average enrollment [daily attendance], the commissioner may not |
|
detach the last parcel or item of property and shall detach the next |
|
one or more parcels or items of property in descending order of |
|
taxable value that would result in the school district having a |
|
local revenue level that is equal to or less than the level |
|
established under Section 48.257 by not more than the product of |
|
$10,000 multiplied by weighted average enrollment [daily |
|
attendance]. |
|
(d) Notwithstanding Subsections (a), (b), and (c), the |
|
commissioner may detach only a portion of a parcel or item of |
|
property if: |
|
(1) it is not possible under this subchapter to reduce |
|
the district's local revenue level to a level that is equal to or |
|
less than the level established under Section 48.257 unless some or |
|
all of the parcel or item of property is detached and the detachment |
|
of the whole parcel or item would result in the district from which |
|
it is detached having a local revenue level that is less than the |
|
level established under Section 48.257 by more than the product of |
|
$10,000 multiplied by weighted average enrollment [daily |
|
attendance]; or |
|
(2) the commissioner determines that a partial |
|
detachment of that parcel or item of property is preferable to the |
|
detachment of one or more other parcels or items having a lower |
|
taxable value in order to minimize the number of parcels or items of |
|
property to be detached consistent with the purposes of this |
|
chapter. |
|
SECTION 2.74. Section 49.306(i), Education Code, is amended |
|
to read as follows: |
|
(i) The commissioner may order the annexation of a portion |
|
of a parcel or item of property, including a portion of property |
|
treated as a whole parcel or item under Subsection (h), if: |
|
(1) the annexation of the whole parcel or item would |
|
result in the district eligible to receive it in the appropriate |
|
priority order provided by this section having a local revenue |
|
level greater than the amount by which the product of $10,000 |
|
multiplied by weighted average enrollment [daily attendance] |
|
exceeds the taxable value of property necessary to generate |
|
maintenance and operations tax revenue in the amount equal to the |
|
district's entitlement under Section 48.202(a-1)(2); or |
|
(2) the commissioner determines that annexation of |
|
portions of the parcel or item would reduce disparities in district |
|
taxable values of property necessary to generate maintenance and |
|
operations tax revenue in the amount equal to a district's |
|
entitlement under Section 48.202(a-1)(2) more efficiently than |
|
would be possible if the parcel or item were annexed as a whole. |
|
SECTION 2.75. Section 49.311, Education Code, is amended to |
|
read as follows: |
|
Sec. 49.311. STUDENT ATTENDANCE. A student who is a |
|
resident of real property detached from a school district may |
|
choose to attend school in that district or in the district to which |
|
the property is annexed. For purposes of determining average |
|
enrollment [daily attendance] under Section 48.005, the student |
|
shall be counted in the district to which the property is annexed. |
|
If the student chooses to attend school in the district from which |
|
the property is detached, the state shall withhold any foundation |
|
school funds from the district to which the property is annexed and |
|
shall allocate to the district in which the student is attending |
|
school those funds and the amount of funds equal to the difference |
|
between the state funds the district is receiving for the student |
|
and the district's cost in educating the student. |
|
SECTION 2.76. Section 49.354(e), Education Code, is amended |
|
to read as follows: |
|
(e) A restored district's proportionate share of fund |
|
balances, personal property, or indebtedness is equal to the |
|
proportion that the number of students in average enrollment [daily |
|
attendance] in the restored district bears to the number of |
|
students in average enrollment [daily attendance] in the |
|
consolidated district. |
|
SECTION 2.77. Section 403.104(d), Government Code, is |
|
amended to read as follows: |
|
(d) The proportionate share of an independent school |
|
district is determined by multiplying the total amount of the |
|
payment available for distribution to school districts by the ratio |
|
that the average number of [daily attendance for] students who |
|
reside in the county and are enrolled in [who attend] that school |
|
district bears to the average number of [daily attendance for] all |
|
students who reside in the county and are enrolled in [who attend] |
|
any independent school district. However, if there are fewer than |
|
10 independent school districts located in whole or part in the |
|
county and if an independent school district would receive under |
|
this formula less than 10 percent of the total payment available for |
|
distribution to independent school districts, the school |
|
district's share shall be increased to 10 percent of the total |
|
payment and the shares of the school districts that would receive |
|
more than 10 percent under the formula shall be reduced |
|
proportionately, but not to an amount less than 10 percent of the |
|
total payment. [Each independent school district shall develop a |
|
reasonable method for determining the average daily attendance for |
|
students who reside in the county and who attend the school |
|
district.] |
|
SECTION 2.78. Section 1371.001(4), Government Code, is |
|
amended to read as follows: |
|
(4) "Issuer" means: |
|
(A) a home-rule municipality that: |
|
(i) adopted its charter under Section 5, |
|
Article XI, Texas Constitution; |
|
(ii) has a population of 50,000 or more; and |
|
(iii) has outstanding long-term |
|
indebtedness that is rated by a nationally recognized rating agency |
|
for municipal securities in one of the four highest rating |
|
categories for a long-term obligation; |
|
(B) a conservation and reclamation district |
|
created and organized as a river authority under Section 52, |
|
Article III, or Section 59, Article XVI, Texas Constitution; |
|
(C) a joint powers agency organized and operating |
|
under Chapter 163, Utilities Code; |
|
(D) a metropolitan rapid transit authority, |
|
regional transportation authority, or coordinated county |
|
transportation authority created, organized, or operating under |
|
Chapter 451, 452, or 460, Transportation Code; |
|
(E) a conservation and reclamation district |
|
organized or operating as a navigation district under Section 52, |
|
Article III, or Section 59, Article XVI, Texas Constitution; |
|
(F) a district organized or operating under |
|
Section 59, Article XVI, Texas Constitution, that has all or part of |
|
two or more municipalities within its boundaries; |
|
(G) a state agency, including a state institution |
|
of higher education; |
|
(H) a hospital authority created or operating |
|
under Chapter 262 or 264, Health and Safety Code, in a county that: |
|
(i) has a population of more than 3.3 |
|
million; or |
|
(ii) is included, in whole or in part, in a |
|
standard metropolitan statistical area of this state that includes |
|
a county with a population of more than 2.5 million; |
|
(I) a hospital district in a county that has a |
|
population of more than 2.5 million; |
|
(J) a nonprofit corporation organized to |
|
exercise the powers of a higher education loan authority under |
|
Section 53B.47(e), Education Code; |
|
(K) a county: |
|
(i) that has a population of more than 3.3 |
|
million; or |
|
(ii) that, on the date of issuance of |
|
obligations under this chapter, has authorized, outstanding, or any |
|
combination of authorized and outstanding, indebtedness of at least |
|
$100 million secured by and payable from the county's ad valorem |
|
taxes and the authorized long-term indebtedness of which is rated |
|
by a nationally recognized rating agency of securities issued by |
|
local governments in one of the four highest rating categories for a |
|
long-term obligation; |
|
(L) an independent school district that has an |
|
average enrollment [daily attendance] of 50,000 or more as |
|
determined under Section 48.005, Education Code; |
|
(M) a municipality or county operating under |
|
Chapter 334, Local Government Code; |
|
(N) a district created under Chapter 335, Local |
|
Government Code; |
|
(O) a junior college district that has a total |
|
headcount enrollment of 40,000 or more based on enrollment in the |
|
most recent regular semester; or |
|
(P) an issuer, as defined by Section 1201.002, |
|
that has: |
|
(i) a principal amount of at least $100 |
|
million in outstanding long-term indebtedness, in long-term |
|
indebtedness proposed to be issued, or in a combination of |
|
outstanding or proposed long-term indebtedness; and |
|
(ii) some amount of long-term indebtedness |
|
outstanding or proposed to be issued that is rated in one of the |
|
four highest rating categories for long-term debt instruments by a |
|
nationally recognized rating agency for municipal securities, |
|
without regard to the effect of any credit agreement or other form |
|
of credit enhancement entered into in connection with the |
|
obligation. |
|
SECTION 2.79. Section 1431.001(3), Government Code, is |
|
amended to read as follows: |
|
(3) "Eligible school district" means an independent |
|
school district that has an average enrollment [daily attendance] |
|
of 190,000 or more as determined under Section 48.005, Education |
|
Code. |
|
SECTION 2.80. Section 325.011(a), Local Government Code, is |
|
amended to read as follows: |
|
(a) The district is governed by a board of directors |
|
composed of five members, with two directors appointed by the |
|
commissioners court of the county, two directors appointed by the |
|
governing body of the municipality having the largest population in |
|
the county, and one director appointed by the governing body of the |
|
school district with the largest number of students in average |
|
enrollment [daily attendance] in the county. The board shall |
|
manage the district and administer this chapter. |
|
SECTION 2.81. Section 313.027(i), Tax Code, is amended to |
|
read as follows: |
|
(i) A person and the school district may not enter into an |
|
agreement under which the person agrees to provide supplemental |
|
payments to a school district or any other entity on behalf of a |
|
school district in an amount that exceeds an amount equal to the |
|
greater of $100 per student per year in average enrollment [daily |
|
attendance], as defined by Section 48.005, Education Code, or |
|
$50,000 per year, or for a period that exceeds the period beginning |
|
with the period described by Section 313.021(4) and ending December |
|
31 of the third tax year after the date the person's eligibility for |
|
a limitation under this chapter expires. This limit does not apply |
|
to amounts described by Subsection (f)(1) or (2). |
|
SECTION 2.82. Section 1, Article 2688d, Vernon's Texas |
|
Civil Statutes, is amended to read as follows: |
|
Section 1. In all counties of the State where, according to |
|
the preceding annual statistical report of the schools said county |
|
has not more than four (4) school districts, with one (1) of such |
|
districts comprising more than half of the county and having more |
|
than two thousand (2,000) pupils in average enrollment [daily |
|
attendance] in the one (1) district alone, and such district having |
|
an assessed valuation of more than Twenty Million Dollars |
|
($20,000,000) and where there is only one (1) common school |
|
district in such county with an average enrollment [daily |
|
attendance] of less than sixteen (16), the office of county |
|
superintendent is hereby abolished, to be effective at the end of |
|
the term of the incumbent county superintendent, as is now provided |
|
by law. |
|
SECTION 2.83. The following provisions of the Education |
|
Code are repealed: |
|
(1) Section 29.0822(d-1); and |
|
(2) Section 48.007. |
|
ARTICLE 3. SERVICE-BASED INTENSITY FUNDING FORMULA FOR SPECIAL |
|
EDUCATION |
|
SECTION 3.01. Effective September 1, 2024, Section 48.102, |
|
Education Code, is amended to read as follows: |
|
Sec. 48.102. SPECIAL EDUCATION. (a) For each student in |
|
average daily attendance in a special education program under |
|
Subchapter A, Chapter 29, [in a mainstream instructional |
|
arrangement,] a school district is entitled to an annual allotment |
|
equal to the basic allotment, or, if applicable, the sum of the |
|
basic allotment and the allotment under Section 48.101 to which the |
|
district is entitled, multiplied by a weight in an amount set by the |
|
legislature in the General Appropriations Act for the highest tier |
|
of intensity of service for which the student qualifies [1.15]. |
|
(a-1) Notwithstanding Subsection (a), for the 2024-2025 and |
|
2025-2026 school years, the amount of an allotment under this |
|
section shall be determined in accordance with Section 48.1023. |
|
This subsection expires September 1, 2026. [For each full-time |
|
equivalent student in average daily attendance in a special |
|
education program under Subchapter A, Chapter 29, in an |
|
instructional arrangement other than a mainstream instructional |
|
arrangement, a district is entitled to an annual allotment equal to |
|
the basic allotment, or, if applicable, the sum of the basic |
|
allotment and the allotment under Section 48.101 to which the |
|
district is entitled, multiplied by a weight determined according |
|
to instructional arrangement as follows: |
|
[Homebound 5.0 |
|
[Hospital class 3.0 |
|
[Speech therapy 5.0 |
|
[Resource room 3.0 |
|
[Self-contained, mild and moderate, regular campus |
|
3.0 |
|
[Self-contained, severe, regular campus 3.0 |
|
[Off home campus 2.7 |
|
[Nonpublic day school 1.7 |
|
[Vocational adjustment class 2.3] |
|
(b) The commissioner by rule shall define seven tiers of |
|
intensity of service for use in determining funding under this |
|
section. The commissioner must include one tier specifically |
|
addressing students receiving special education services in |
|
residential placement [A special instructional arrangement for |
|
students with disabilities residing in care and treatment |
|
facilities, other than state schools, whose parents or guardians do |
|
not reside in the district providing education services shall be |
|
established by commissioner rule. The funding weight for this |
|
arrangement shall be 4.0 for those students who receive their |
|
education service on a local school district campus. A special |
|
instructional arrangement for students with disabilities residing |
|
in state schools shall be established by commissioner rule with a |
|
funding weight of 2.8]. |
|
(c) [For funding purposes, the number of contact hours |
|
credited per day for each student in the off home campus |
|
instructional arrangement may not exceed the contact hours credited |
|
per day for the multidistrict class instructional arrangement in |
|
the 1992-1993 school year. |
|
[(d) For funding purposes the contact hours credited per day |
|
for each student in the resource room; self-contained, mild and |
|
moderate; and self-contained, severe, instructional arrangements |
|
may not exceed the average of the statewide total contact hours |
|
credited per day for those three instructional arrangements in the |
|
1992-1993 school year. |
|
[(e) The commissioner by rule shall prescribe the |
|
qualifications an instructional arrangement must meet in order to |
|
be funded as a particular instructional arrangement under this |
|
section. In prescribing the qualifications that a mainstream |
|
instructional arrangement must meet, the commissioner shall |
|
establish requirements that students with disabilities and their |
|
teachers receive the direct, indirect, and support services that |
|
are necessary to enrich the regular classroom and enable student |
|
success. |
|
[(f) In this section, "full-time equivalent student" means |
|
30 hours of contact a week between a special education student and |
|
special education program personnel. |
|
[(g)] The commissioner shall adopt rules and procedures |
|
governing contracts for residential and day program placement of |
|
[special education] students receiving special education |
|
services. |
|
(d) [The legislature shall provide by appropriation for the |
|
state's share of the costs of those placements. |
|
[(h)] At least 55 percent of the funds allocated under this |
|
section must be used in the special education program under |
|
Subchapter A, Chapter 29. |
|
(e) [(i)] The agency shall ensure [encourage] the placement |
|
of students in special education programs, including students in |
|
residential placement [instructional arrangements], in the least |
|
restrictive environment appropriate for their educational needs. |
|
(f) [(j)] A school district that provides an extended year |
|
program required by federal law for special education students who |
|
may regress is entitled to receive funds in an amount equal to 75 |
|
percent, or a lesser percentage determined by the commissioner, of |
|
the basic allotment, or, if applicable, the sum of the basic |
|
allotment and the allotment under Section 48.101 to which the |
|
district is entitled for each [full-time equivalent] student in |
|
average daily attendance, multiplied by the amount designated for |
|
the highest tier of intensity of service for which the student |
|
qualifies [student's instructional arrangement] under this |
|
section, for each day the program is provided divided by the number |
|
of days in the minimum school year. The total amount of state |
|
funding for extended year services under this section may not |
|
exceed $10 million per year. A school district may use funds |
|
received under this section only in providing an extended year |
|
program. |
|
(g) [(k)] From the total amount of funds appropriated for |
|
special education under this section, the commissioner shall |
|
withhold an amount specified in the General Appropriations Act, and |
|
distribute that amount to school districts for programs under |
|
Section 29.014. The program established under that section is |
|
required only in school districts in which the program is financed |
|
by funds distributed under this subsection and any other funds |
|
available for the program. After deducting the amount withheld |
|
under this subsection from the total amount appropriated for |
|
special education, the commissioner shall reduce each district's |
|
allotment proportionately and shall allocate funds to each district |
|
accordingly. |
|
(h) Not later than December 1 of each even-numbered year, |
|
the commissioner shall submit to the Legislative Budget Board, for |
|
purposes of the allotment under this section, proposed weights for |
|
the tiers of intensity of service for the next state fiscal |
|
biennium. |
|
SECTION 3.02. Effective September 1, 2024, Subchapter C, |
|
Chapter 48, Education Code, is amended by adding Section 48.1021 to |
|
read as follows: |
|
Sec. 48.1021. SPECIAL EDUCATION SERVICE GROUP ALLOTMENT. |
|
(a) For each six-week period in which a student in a special |
|
education program under Subchapter A, Chapter 29, receives eligible |
|
special education services, a school district is entitled to an |
|
allotment in an amount set by the legislature in the General |
|
Appropriations Act for the service group for which the student is |
|
eligible. |
|
(a-1) Notwithstanding Subsection (a), for the 2024-2025 and |
|
2025-2026 school years, the amount of an allotment under this |
|
section shall be determined in accordance with Section 48.1023. |
|
This subsection expires September 1, 2026. |
|
(b) The commissioner by rule shall establish four service |
|
groups for use in determining funding under this section. In |
|
establishing the groups, the commissioner must consider the level |
|
of services, equipment, and technology required to meet the needs |
|
of students receiving special education services. |
|
(c) A school district is entitled to receive an allotment |
|
under this section for each service group for which a student is |
|
eligible. |
|
(d) A school district is entitled to the full amount of an |
|
allotment under this section for a student receiving eligible |
|
special education services during any part of a six-week period. |
|
(e) At least 55 percent of the funds allocated under this |
|
section must be used for a special education program under |
|
Subchapter A, Chapter 29. |
|
(f) Not later than December 1 of each even-numbered year, |
|
the commissioner shall submit to the Legislative Budget Board, for |
|
purposes of the allotment under this section, proposed amounts of |
|
funding for the service groups for the next state fiscal biennium. |
|
SECTION 3.03. Subchapter C, Chapter 48, Education Code, is |
|
amended by adding Sections 48.1022 and 48.1023 to read as follows: |
|
Sec. 48.1022. SPECIAL EDUCATION FULL INDIVIDUAL AND INITIAL |
|
EVALUATION. For each student for whom a school district conducts a |
|
full individual and initial evaluation under Section 29.004 or 20 |
|
U.S.C. Section 1414(a)(1), the district is entitled to an allotment |
|
of $500 or a greater amount provided by appropriation. |
|
Sec. 48.1023. SPECIAL EDUCATION TRANSITION FUNDING. |
|
(a) For the 2024-2025 and 2025-2026 school years, the commissioner |
|
may adjust weights or amounts provided under Section 48.102 or |
|
48.1021 as necessary to ensure compliance with requirements |
|
regarding maintenance of state financial support under 20 U.S.C. |
|
Section 1412(a)(18) and maintenance of local financial support |
|
under applicable federal law. |
|
(b) For the 2024-2025 and 2025-2026 school years, the |
|
commissioner shall determine the formulas through which school |
|
districts receive funding under Sections 48.102 and 48.1021. In |
|
determining the formulas, the commissioner may combine the methods |
|
of funding under those sections with the method of funding provided |
|
by Section 48.102, as it existed on January 1, 2023. |
|
(c) For the 2026-2027 school year, the commissioner may |
|
adjust the weights or amounts set by the legislature in the General |
|
Appropriations Act for purposes of Section 48.102 or 48.1021. |
|
Before making an adjustment under this subsection, the commissioner |
|
shall notify and must receive approval from the Legislative Budget |
|
Board. |
|
(d) Notwithstanding any other provision of this section, |
|
the sum of funding provided under Sections 48.102 and 48.1021 for |
|
the 2024-2025 or for the 2025-2026 school year as adjusted under |
|
this section may not exceed the sum of: |
|
(1) funding that would have been provided under |
|
Section 48.102, as it existed on January 1, 2023; and |
|
(2) the amount set by the legislature in the |
|
General Appropriations Act. |
|
(e) Each school district and open-enrollment charter school |
|
shall report to the agency information necessary to implement this |
|
section. |
|
(f) The agency shall provide technical assistance to school |
|
districts and open-enrollment charter schools to ensure a |
|
successful transition in funding formulas for special education. |
|
(g) This section expires September 1, 2028. |
|
SECTION 3.04. Section 48.103(c), Education Code, is amended |
|
to read as follows: |
|
(c) A school district may receive funding for a student |
|
under each provision of this section, [and] Section 48.102, and |
|
Section 48.1021 for which [if] the student qualifies [satisfies the |
|
requirements of both sections]. |
|
SECTION 3.05. Section 48.279(e), Education Code, is amended |
|
to read as follows: |
|
(e) After the commissioner has replaced any withheld |
|
federal funds as provided by Subsection (d), the commissioner shall |
|
distribute the remaining amount, if any, of funds described by |
|
Subsection (a) to proportionately increase funding for the special |
|
education allotment under Section 48.102 and the special education |
|
service group allotment under Section 48.1021. |
|
ARTICLE 4. SCHOOL SAFETY ALLOTMENT |
|
SECTION 4.01. Section 48.115(a), Education Code, is amended |
|
to read as follows: |
|
Sec. 48.115. SCHOOL SAFETY ALLOTMENT. (a) Except as |
|
provided by Subsection (a-1), a school district is entitled to an |
|
annual allotment equal to the sum of the following amounts or a |
|
greater amount provided by appropriation: |
|
(1) $100 [$10] for each enrolled student [in average daily |
|
attendance, plus $1 for each student in average daily attendance |
|
per every $50 by which the district's maximum basic allotment under |
|
Section 48.051 exceeds $6,160, prorated as necessary]; and |
|
(2) $15,000 per campus. |
|
ARTICLE 5. MENTAL HEALTH ALLOTMENT |
|
SECTION 5.01. Section 48.115(b), Education Code, is amended |
|
to read as follows: |
|
(b) Funds allocated under this section must be used to |
|
improve school safety and security, including costs associated |
|
with: |
|
(1) securing school facilities, including: |
|
(A) improvements to school |
|
infrastructure; |
|
(B) the use or installation of |
|
physical barriers; and |
|
(C) the purchase and maintenance of: |
|
(i) security cameras or |
|
other security equipment; and |
|
(ii) technology, including |
|
communications systems or devices, that |
|
facilitates communication and information sharing |
|
between students, school personnel, and first |
|
responders in an emergency; |
|
(2) providing security for the district, |
|
including: |
|
(A) employing school district peace |
|
officers, private security officers, and school |
|
marshals; and |
|
(B) collaborating with local law |
|
enforcement agencies, such as entering into a |
|
memorandum of understanding for the assignment of |
|
school resource officers to schools in the district; |
|
and |
|
(3) school safety and security training and |
|
planning, including: |
|
(A) active shooter and emergency |
|
response training; |
|
(B) prevention and treatment programs |
|
relating to addressing adverse childhood experiences; |
|
and |
|
(C) the prevention, identification, |
|
and management of emergencies and threats, using |
|
evidence-based, effective prevention practices and |
|
including the establishment of [: |
|
(i) providing licensed |
|
counselors, social workers, and individuals |
|
trained in restorative discipline and restorative |
|
justice practices; |
|
(ii) providing mental |
|
health personnel and support; |
|
(iii) providing behavioral |
|
health services; |
|
(iv) establishing] threat |
|
reporting systems; and |
|
(v) developing and |
|
implementing programs focused on restorative |
|
justice practices, culturally relevant |
|
instruction, and providing mental health support; |
|
and |
|
(4) providing programs related to suicide |
|
prevention, intervention, and postvention]. |
|
SECTION 5.02. Subchapter C, Chapter 48, Education Code, is |
|
amended by adding Section 48.117 to read as follows: |
|
Sec. 48.117. MENTAL HEALTH ALLOTMENT. (a) A school |
|
district is entitled to an annual allotment of $100,000 or a greater |
|
amount provided by appropriation to support mental health services |
|
at the district. |
|
(b) In addition to the allotment under Subsection (a), a |
|
school district that receives an allotment under Section 48.101 or |
|
at which more than 50 percent of enrolled students are |
|
educationally disadvantaged is entitled to an allotment for each |
|
student enrolled in the district in an amount provided by |
|
appropriation. |
|
(c) Funds allocated under this section: |
|
(1) must be used to develop or enhance a comprehensive |
|
school mental health system that, through the implementation of |
|
programs, practices, and procedures in accordance with Section |
|
38.351, provides a tiered array of supports and services in the |
|
educational setting that contribute to: |
|
(A) a positive school climate; |
|
(B) the development of skills related to managing emotions, |
|
establishing and maintaining positive relationships, and |
|
responsible decision-making; |
|
(C) the learning and well-being of students with or at risk |
|
of mental health or substance use conditions; |
|
(D) family and community engagement; |
|
(E) reduced exclusionary discipline practices; and |
|
(F) staff wellness; and |
|
(2) may be used to pay for costs associated with: |
|
(A) the salary of school personnel responsible for |
|
planning, coordinating, delivering, or monitoring supports and |
|
services described by Subdivision (1); |
|
(B) training school personnel regarding effective practices |
|
and district and campus procedures to support student mental |
|
health; |
|
(C) a contract-based collaborative effort or partnership |
|
with one or more local community programs, agencies, or providers; |
|
and |
|
(D) developing and implementing programs focused on |
|
restorative justice practices. |
|
(d) Funds allocated for purposes of this section may not be |
|
used to supplant any other funds that may be provided for the same |
|
purpose. |
|
(e) Not later than June 1 of each year and in accordance with |
|
commissioner rule, each school district shall submit to the |
|
commissioner information regarding the outcomes and expenditures |
|
related to funds allocated to the district under this section. |
|
(f) Not later than September 1 of each year, the |
|
commissioner shall publish a report regarding the use of funds |
|
allocated under this section during the preceding school year, |
|
including information regarding the programs, personnel, and |
|
resources implemented, employed, or purchased by school districts |
|
using the funds and other purposes for which the funds were used. |
|
ARTICLE 6. PAID PARENTAL LEAVE ALLOTMENT |
|
SECTION 6.01. Subchapter A, Chapter 22, Education Code, is |
|
amended by adding Section 22.0035 to read as follows: |
|
Sec. 22.0035. PAID PARENTAL LEAVE POLICY. (a) Each school |
|
district or open-enrollment charter school shall adopt a paid |
|
parental leave policy under which a full-time employee of the |
|
district or school is entitled to paid parental leave following |
|
the: |
|
(1) birth of a child; |
|
(2) birth of a child by the employee's spouse; |
|
(3) birth of a child by a gestational surrogate; |
|
or |
|
(4) adoption of a child. |
|
(b) A paid parental leave policy described by Subsection |
|
(a): |
|
(1) must provide: |
|
(A) eight consecutive weeks of paid |
|
parental leave for an employee who is the primary |
|
caregiver of the child; or |
|
(B) four consecutive weeks of paid |
|
parental leave for an employee who is the spouse of the |
|
primary caregiver of the child; |
|
(2) must require that: |
|
(A) an employee be employed on a |
|
full-time basis by the school district or |
|
open-enrollment charter school for at least 12 months |
|
before becoming eligible for paid parental leave; |
|
(B) an employee's eligibility for paid |
|
parental leave expires on the six-month anniversary of |
|
the date of the child's birth or placement with the |
|
employee; and |
|
(C) an employee who has been granted |
|
paid parental leave under the policy take the leave |
|
concurrently with leave for which the employee is |
|
eligible under the federal Family and Medical Leave Act |
|
of 1993 (29 U.S.C. Section 2601 et seq.); and |
|
(3) may not require an employee to first use all |
|
available and applicable paid vacation and sick leave before |
|
taking paid parental leave under the policy. |
|
(c) Not later than November 1 of each even-numbered year, |
|
the agency shall prepare and submit to the legislature a report on |
|
paid parental leave provided under a policy required by this |
|
section. The report must include: |
|
(1) the number of employees who took paid |
|
parental leave under a policy required by this section during |
|
the preceding two years, disaggregated by school district and |
|
open-enrollment charter school; |
|
(2) the costs of providing paid parental leave |
|
under a policy required by this section during the preceding |
|
two years; |
|
(3) projections regarding future participation |
|
in and costs of paid parental leave provided under a policy |
|
required by this section; and |
|
(4) any recommendations for legislative or other |
|
action. |
|
SECTION 6.02. Subchapter D, Chapter 48, Education Code, is |
|
amended by adding Section 48.158 to read as follows: |
|
Sec. 48.158. HEALTHY FAMILIES ALLOTMENT. For each employee |
|
who received paid parental leave under a policy required by Section |
|
22.0035 during the preceding school year, a school district is |
|
entitled to an annual allotment equal to the amount of the |
|
employee's compensation for the period for which the employee |
|
received paid parental leave under that policy. |
|
SECTION 6.03. As soon as practicable after the effective |
|
date of this Act and not later than September 1, 2024, the board of |
|
trustees of a school district or the governing body of an |
|
open-enrollment charter school shall adopt the paid parental leave |
|
policy required by Section 22.0035, Education Code, as added by |
|
this Act. |
|
ARTICLE 7. UNIVERSAL PRE-KINDERGARTEN |
|
SECTION 7.01. Sections 29.153(a-1), (b), (c), (d), and (f), |
|
Education Code, are amended to read as follows: |
|
(a-1) A district shall offer prekindergarten classes to any |
|
child [if the district identifies 15 or more children] who is [are |
|
eligible under Subsection (b) and are] at least four years of age. |
|
A school district may offer prekindergarten classes if the district |
|
identifies 15 or more [eligible] children who are eligible under |
|
Subsection (b)(1) [at least three years of age]. A district may not |
|
charge tuition for a prekindergarten class offered under this |
|
section. |
|
(b) A child is eligible for enrollment in a prekindergarten |
|
class under this section if the child is: |
|
(1) at least three years of age and: |
|
(A) [(1)] is unable to speak and |
|
comprehend the English language; |
|
(B) [(2)] is educationally |
|
disadvantaged; |
|
(C) [(3)] is homeless, regardless of |
|
the residence of the child, of either parent of the |
|
child, or of the child's guardian or other person having |
|
lawful control of the child; |
|
(D) [(4)] is the child of an active |
|
duty member of the armed forces of the United States, |
|
including the state military forces or a reserve |
|
component of the armed forces, who is ordered to active |
|
duty by proper authority; |
|
(E) [(5)] is the child of a member of |
|
the armed forces of the United States, including the |
|
state military forces or a reserve component of the |
|
armed forces, who was injured or killed while serving on |
|
active duty; |
|
(F) [(6)] is or ever has been in: |
|
(i) [(A)] the |
|
conservatorship of the Department of Family and |
|
Protective Services following an adversary |
|
hearing held as provided by Section 262.201, |
|
Family Code; or |
|
(ii) [(B)] foster care in |
|
another state or territory, if the child resides |
|
in this state; or |
|
(G) [(7)] is the child of a person |
|
eligible for the Star of Texas Award as: |
|
(i) [(A)] a peace |
|
officer under Section 3106.002, Government |
|
Code; |
|
(ii) [(B)] a firefighter |
|
under Section 3106.003, Government Code; or |
|
(iii) [(C)] an emergency |
|
medical first responder under Section 3106.004, |
|
Government Code; or |
|
(2) at least four years of age. |
|
(c) A prekindergarten class under this section [may be |
|
operated on a half-day basis for children under four years of age |
|
and] shall be operated on a full-day basis [for children who are at |
|
least four years of age]. A district is not required to provide |
|
transportation for a prekindergarten class, but transportation, if |
|
provided, is included for funding purposes as part of the regular |
|
transportation system. |
|
(d) Subject to Subsections (d-1) and (d-2), on application |
|
of a district, the commissioner shall exempt a district from the |
|
application of all or any part of this section, including all or any |
|
part of Subchapter E-1 for a prekindergarten class described by |
|
Subsection (c-1), if the commissioner determines that[: |
|
[(1)] the district would be required to construct |
|
classroom facilities in order to provide prekindergarten |
|
classes[; or |
|
[(2) implementing any part of this section would |
|
result in fewer eligible children being enrolled in a |
|
prekindergarten class under this section]. |
|
(f) A child who is eligible for enrollment in a |
|
prekindergarten class under Subsection (b)(1)(D) or (E) [(b)(4) or |
|
(5)] remains eligible for enrollment if the child's parent leaves |
|
the armed forces, or is no longer on active duty, after the child |
|
begins a prekindergarten class. |
|
SECTION 7.02. Section 29.1531(a), Education Code, is |
|
amended to read as follows: |
|
(a) A school district may offer on a tuition basis or use |
|
district funds to provide[: |
|
[(1) an additional half-day of prekindergarten |
|
classes to children who are eligible for classes under |
|
Section 29.153 and are under four years of age; and |
|
[(2)] half-day and full-day prekindergarten |
|
classes to children not eligible for classes under Section |
|
29.153. |
|
SECTION 7.03. Section 29.1532(c), Education Code, is |
|
amended to read as follows: |
|
(c) A school district that offers prekindergarten classes |
|
shall include the following information in the district's Public |
|
Education Information Management System (PEIMS) report: |
|
(1) demographic information, as determined by |
|
the commissioner, on students enrolled in district and campus |
|
prekindergarten classes, including the number of students |
|
who are eligible for classes under Sections 29.153(b)(1) and |
|
(f) [Section 29.153]; |
|
(2) the numbers of half-day and full-day |
|
prekindergarten classes offered by the district and campus; |
|
(3) the number of half-day prekindergarten |
|
classes for which the district has received an exemption from |
|
full-day operation under Section 29.153(d); |
|
(4) the sources of funding for the |
|
prekindergarten classes; |
|
(5) the class size and ratio of instructional |
|
staff to students for each prekindergarten program class |
|
offered by the district and campus; |
|
(6) if the district elects to administer an |
|
assessment instrument under Section 29.169 to students |
|
enrolled in district and campus prekindergarten program |
|
classes, a description and the results of each type of |
|
assessment instrument; and |
|
(7) curricula used in the district's |
|
prekindergarten program classes. |
|
ARTICLE 8. EFFECTIVE DATE |
|
SECTION 8.01. This Act takes effect immediately if it |
|
receives a vote of two-thirds of all the members elected to each |
|
house, as provided by Section 39, Article III, Texas Constitution. |
|
If this Act does not receive the vote necessary for immediate |
|
effect, this Act takes effect February 1, 2024. |
|
SECTION 8.02. This Act applies beginning with the 2024-2025 |
|
school year. |