Bill Text: TX SB544 | 2013-2014 | 83rd Legislature | Introduced
Bill Title: Relating to the transportation allotments provided under the Foundation School Program to school districts that permit students to select a campus of attendance.
Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Republican 1-0)
Status: (Introduced - Dead) 2013-05-07 - Left pending in committee [SB544 Detail]
Download: Texas-2013-SB544-Introduced.html
83R6487 KKA-D | ||
By: Hancock | S.B. No. 544 |
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relating to the transportation allotments provided under the | ||
Foundation School Program to school districts that permit students | ||
to select a campus of attendance. | ||
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: | ||
SECTION 1. Section 42.155(b), Education Code, is amended by | ||
amending Subdivision (3) and adding Subdivision (4) to read as | ||
follows: | ||
(3) "Linear density" means: | ||
(A) for purposes of Subsection (c), the average | ||
number of regular eligible students transported daily, divided by | ||
the approved daily route miles traveled by the [ |
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transportation system; and | ||
(B) for purposes of Subsection (c-1), the average | ||
number of school choice eligible students transported daily, | ||
divided by the approved daily route miles traveled by the | ||
transportation system. | ||
(4) "School choice eligible student" means a student | ||
who resides two or more miles from the student's campus of choice, | ||
measured along the shortest route that may be traveled on public | ||
roads, and who is not classified as a student eligible for special | ||
education services. | ||
SECTION 2. Section 42.155, Education Code, is amended by | ||
adding Subsection (c-1) and amending Subsection (d) to read as | ||
follows: | ||
(c-1) This subsection applies only to a district that offers | ||
students residing in the district a variety of choices in selecting | ||
a campus for attendance and provides transportation to the selected | ||
campus at no cost to the students. The choices of campus offered | ||
must represent multiple factors, such as the sex of students | ||
enrolled at the campus, the subject matter or learning methods | ||
emphasized at the campus, and the degree to which athletic and other | ||
extracurricular activities are available at the campus. In | ||
addition to the regular transportation allotment under Subsection | ||
(c), a district is entitled to an allotment based on the daily cost | ||
per school choice eligible student of operating and maintaining the | ||
transportation system for school choice eligible students and the | ||
linear density of that system. In determining the cost, the | ||
commissioner shall give consideration to factors affecting the | ||
actual cost of providing those transportation services in the | ||
district. The average actual cost is to be computed by the | ||
commissioner and included for consideration by the legislature in | ||
the General Appropriations Act. The allotment per mile of approved | ||
route may not exceed the amount set by appropriation. | ||
(d) A district or county may apply for and on approval of the | ||
commissioner receive an additional amount of up to 10 percent of its | ||
regular transportation allotment under Subsection (c) to be used | ||
for the transportation of children living within two miles of the | ||
school they attend who would be subject to hazardous traffic | ||
conditions if they walked to school. Each board of trustees shall | ||
provide to the commissioner the definition of hazardous conditions | ||
applicable to that district and shall identify the specific | ||
hazardous areas for which the allocation is requested. A hazardous | ||
condition exists where no walkway is provided and children must | ||
walk along or cross a freeway or expressway, an underpass, an | ||
overpass or a bridge, an uncontrolled major traffic artery, an | ||
industrial or commercial area, or another comparable condition. | ||
SECTION 3. This Act takes effect September 1, 2013. |