HBA-LCA H.B. 2713 76(R) BILL ANALYSIS Office of House Bill AnalysisH.B. 2713 By: Dutton Public Education 3/21/1999 Introduced BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE Current law allows a school district to operate its schools year-round on either a single-track or multi-track calendar. At this time, most year-round schools are designed to serve children in need of remedial education, or to accommodate a community's lifestyle. H.B. 2713 requires school districts to operate a year-round school if fifteen or more students at the same grade level agree to enroll in an accelerated learning program. RULEMAKING AUTHORITY It is the opinion of the Office of House Bill Analysis that this bill does not expressly delegate any additional rulemaking authority to a state officer, department, agency, or institution. SECTION BY SECTION ANALYSIS SECTION 1. Amends Subchapter C, Chapter 25, Education Code, by adding Section 25.0845, as follows: Sec. 25.0845 ACCELERATED EDUCATION SYSTEM. (a) Provides that a school district must operate a school in the district year-round on a multitrack calendar to provide one calendar track, with more than the minimum number of days of instruction required under Section 25.081 (Operation of Schools) if at least 15 students in the same grade level agree to enroll in an accelerated education system. (b) Provides that a district operating an accelerated education system under this section may modify the number of employee contract days and days of operation; testing dates and data reporting and related matters; and the eligibility of students to participate in extracurricular activities. (c) Provides that the operation of schools year-round does not affect the amount of funds to which the district is entitled under Chapter 42 (Foundation School Program). (d) Provides that a child who participates in a year-round system and graduates before the age of 18 is exempt from the compulsory attendance requirements of Section 25.085 (Admission, Transfer, and Attendance). SECTION 2. (a) Effective date: September 1, 1999. (b) Provides that a school district must offer an accelerated education program under Section 25.0845, Education Code, as added by this Act, beginning with the summer session of the 1999-2000 school year if at least 15 students in the same grade level in a school agree to enroll in the accelerated education system. SECTION 3. Emergency clause.