HBA-MSH S.B. 450 77(R)    BILL ANALYSIS


Office of House Bill AnalysisS.B. 450
By: Duncan
Public Education
4/24/2001
Engrossed



BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE 

According to the Texas Education Agency (TEA), 304 school districts
experienced declines of two percent or more in attendance between 1998 and
2000. School districts are required to contract with teachers 45 days
before the end of the spring semester for the following academic year. Some
superintendents feel that substantial reduction in attendance may leave
schools overstaffed and underfunded, since funds are allocated based on
computations of the average daily attendance (ADA) for each district.
Senate Bill 450 funds schools that experience a decline in attendance of
two percent or more according to an ADA equal to 98 percent of the actual
ADA of the preceding 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

Senate Bill 450 amends the Education Code to require that a school district
that experiences a decline of two percent or more in average daily
attendance (ADA) be funded through the Foundation School Program to the
extent that funds are specifically appropriated for that purpose on the
basis of an ADA equal to 98 percent of the actual ADA of the preceding
school year, if the decline is not the result of the closing or reduction
in personnel of a military base.  

EFFECTIVE DATE

September 1, 2001.