HBA-GUM H.B. 3761 76(R)    BILL ANALYSIS


Office of House Bill AnalysisH.B. 3761
By: Gallego
Public Education
4/20/1999
Introduced



BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE 

Currently, school districts are not required to arrange for the transfer
and assignment from one district to another of a student who fails to
perform satisfactorily on an assessment instrument and attends a
low-performing campus.  H.B. 3761 requires a school district to arrange the
transfer of a low-performing student to a school district of the student's
parent's choice if space is available.  This bill requires the school
district to which the student is transferred to accept and enroll the
student. This bill also provides that the student is supported by a public
education grant. 

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 G, Chapter 29, Education Code, by adding
Section 29.206, as follows: 

Sec. 29.206.  ASSISTANCE FOR CERTAIN STUDENTS.  (a)  Provides that this
section applies to a student who fails to perform satisfactorily on a
certain specified assessment instrument and attends a certain specified
low-performing campus. 

(b)  Authorizes a parent of a student to provide to the district in which
the student is assigned to attend school a list of not more than five other
schools located in districts other than the district the student is
currently assigned to attend, in order of preference, that the parent of
the student wants the student to attend.  Provides that the list must be
submitted in the specified manner.   

(c)  Requires the district to assign or transfer the student to the highest
ranked school on the list at which space is available. 

(d)  Requires the district to which the student is assigned to accept or
enroll the student supported by a public education grant. 

(e)  Requires the superintendent or the superintendent's designee of the
district in which the child is assigned to attend school to assist the
parent in contacting the district of the listed schools and serve as an
advocate for the student's admission to a listed school. 

SECTION 2.  Requires the commissioner of education to develop a form as
required under Section 29.206, Education Code, as added by this Act, not
later than January 1, 2000. 

SECTION 3.  Emergency clause.
  Effective date: upon passage.