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.