HBA-JEK C.S.S.B. 108 77(R)    BILL ANALYSIS


Office of House Bill AnalysisC.S.S.B. 108
By: Lucio
Public Education
4/23/2001
Committee Report (Substituted)



BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE 

The trend in Texas schools over the past decade has been for school
districts to move their school start dates earlier and earlier into August.
Last year, 95 percent of public schools in Texas started between August 7th
and August 18th.  As a result, student absentee rates and school utility
costs have climbed higher and higher for the month of August.  Shorter
summer school breaks decrease the income of working students and teachers
who work second jobs during the summer.  The comptroller of public accounts
estimates that the Texas tourism industry loses $332 million per year and
that migrant farm workers lose out on another $27 million in earnings
foregone due to the early school start dates.  C.S.S.B. 108 prohibits a
school district from beginning instruction for students for the school year
earlier than August 21 beginning with the 2002-2003 school year. 

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. 

ANALYSIS

C.S.S.B. 108 amends the Education Code to prohibit a school district from
beginning instruction for students for the school year earlier than August
21.  The bill authorizes a school district that was and operating under a
year-round system for the 2000-2001 school year to modify the date of the
first day of the school year.  A school district that intends to apply for
a waiver from the start date prohibition must publish notice in a
newspaper, hold a public hearing, and include a summary of the opinions
expressed at the hearing in the waiver application. 

EFFECTIVE DATE

September 1, 2001.  The Act applies beginning with the 2002-2003 school
year. 

COMPARISON OF ORIGINAL TO SUBSTITUTE

C.S.S.B. 108 differs from the original bill by prohibiting a school
district from beginning instruction for students for the school year
earlier than August 21, rather than before the week in which August 21
falls. The substitute sets forth provisions regarding an application for a
waiver from the start date prohibition.